Foundation golf tournament - a great day out

11/3/2008

The third annual Otago Boys’ High School golf classic was contested yesterday with our new naming rights’ sponsor Armstrong Mazda presiding over another highly successful day.

The Otago Boys' team of Tyrone Ratahi, Duncan Croudis, Travis Applegarth and Dean Griffiths, alongside Armstrong Mazda general manager John Duncan. The boys, playing off a combined handicap of 2.125, finished fifth

A full field of 120 players (30 teams) converged on Dunedin’s St Clair course for the ambrose tournament, which was played in fine conditions with a gentle nor-easterly fluffing the tree tops.

All 18 holes were sponsored, a high quality prize list was assembled and a terrific day of entertainment and companionship was enjoyed by all concerned. The Foundation is genuinely appreciative of the support it received from its sponsors (naming rights’, hole and prize), those who entered teams and who played as individuals, and from the St Clair Golf Club management team and pro shop.

While most players involved reside in and around Dunedin, we were privileged to again host Brian Merrilees (1952-56, Dux in ’56, now Emeritus Professor of French at the University of Toronto and a Friend of the Foundation), Brian having also played in last year’s event, and Craig Brown (1963-67) who also lives in Canada where he is a specialist in insurance law at the University of Western Ontario.

Armstrong Mazda backed its support by offering a significant service voucher to the winner of the hole sponsors’ draw – Hope & Sons being drawn – and general manager John Armstrong, in his speech at the prize giving, noted he hoped it would be the beginning of a long and successful partnership.

Longest drive winner Luke Geddes (1992-96) with John Duncan

The prize list was –

Closest to the pin:

4th Dave Cameron

7th Simon Gallie

13th Thomas Facer

16th Mark Andrews

Longest drive (18th) – Luke Geddes

Team prizes –

Most golf – Clarke Craw Ltd (playing off a team handicap of 7.875, shooting 81 to finish with a net score of 73.125)

13th – ABN Amro Craigs, 7.125, shooting 66, net score 58.875

12th – Wilkinson Adams, 5.375, shooting 64, net score 58.625

11th – Armstrong Mazda # 1, 7.5, shooting 66, net score 58.5

10th – Composite team (Brian Merrilees, Craig Brown, Greg Paterson, Thomas Facer), 5, shooting 63, net score 58

The Gladstone Grand Hotel team, winners of the 2008 tournament, with John Duncan, general manager of Armstrong Mazda. The winning teram comprised (from left) Paul Barlow, Geoge Gallagher, Rob Nicol and Paul Brouwer

9th – HRV, 8.125, shooting 66, net score 57.875

8th – National Bank # 1, 2.375, shooting 60, net score 57.625

7th – Brothers Boutique Hotel, 6, shooting 63, net score 57

6th – Otago Daily Times, 9.125, shooting 66, net score 56.875

5th – Otago Boys’ High School, 2.125, shooting 59, net score 56.875

4th – Kiwi Mortgage Market (by lot), 6.5, shooting 62, net score 55.5

3rd – Sharpies Golf Otago (by lot), 5.5, shooting 61, net score 55.5

2nd – Tuesday’s hackers (by lot), 5.5, shooting 60, net score 54.5

1st – Gladstone Grand Hotel, Fairlie (represented by St Clair members Paul Brower, Paul Barlow, George Gallagher and Rob Nicol), 6.5, shooting 61, net score 54.5. The Gladstone Grand team also received the Otago Boys’ High School Foundation golf trophy which was kindly donated by the tournament’s winner in 2006 and 2007 – Kiwi Mortgage Market Ltd