PRESS RELEASE dated 1 December 2023
2023 Golf New Zealand Women’s Senior Foursomes
Fairview Golf & Country Club, Bay of Plenty
27-30 November 2023
It was third time lucky for Nelson pairing Maree West (Nelson) and Fran Sutherland (Totaradale) after the 2023 NZ Women’s Senior Foursomes hosted by the Fairview Golf & Country Club in the Bay of Plenty. After a Division 3 win in 2022 at Mercury Bay and a Division 2 win in 2021 at Geraldine, the pairing set their sights high this year to not only qualifying in Division 1 but to win and that they did, taking home the NZLGU Championship Trophy.
West & Sutherland qualified 7th on the opening day of the tournament with a net score of 70.5 behind fellow Tasman District golfers Tania Appelman and Sharon McGeown from Motueka who qualified highest with a net score of 66.0. While Appelman & McGeown weren’t able to continue their good form, West & Sutherland had four solid wins to get their hands on the trophy. Their final win, 1up was over Robyn Liddell & Kathryn Orange both from the Nelson GC.
Despite windy conditions, strongly influenced by the Kaimai Range, the tournament field relished in the sun on a beautifully prepared Fairview Golf Course. This was the first time the private member club had staged a national tournament and its prestige was enhanced with local Western Bay Mayor James Denyer officially opening the tournament at the Welcome Function. Local Fairview residents were out in full force each day as enthusiastic spectators.
Many accolades were passed to the Fairview club last night for their course presentation, clubhouse facilities, catering and enthusiasm in supporting the tournament.
The players, who came from as far away as Central Otago to Northland, had an 18-hole qualifying round before splitting into four divisions. The pairs playing in their divisions then complete in 18-hole match play, handicap foursomes.
The 2nd Division, competing for the Mrs. S S Wilson Plates, was won on the 19th hole by Kate Peri (Windross Farm) & Karen Diggelmann (Waihi), over Rosa Westgarth (Pleasant Point) & Jan Gibson (Tarras). Peri had won the same trophy in 2022 with partner Carole Anderson (Titirangi) but with Diggelmann as a last-minute local call up, managed to maintain a winning streak.
The ADLGA Trophies (Division 3) go to Paraparaumu with formidable regulars Andrea Mark & Jenny Thomas taking out the title they had won previously in 2019. The pairing battled hard all week and took out the trophy on the 19th to the runners-up Donna Mitchell (Motueka) and Lesley Barley (Omaha Beach).
Judi Colman (Omanu) & Christine Alley (Paeroa) took out the Rosetown Trophies with a win over Liz Banton & Debbie Erceg (Pupuke) 4 and 3. The pairing of Colman & Alley are no strangers to the tournament having played together for many years and taking out the title back in 2019.
The four plate winners included Kay Buckeridge (Fairview) & Christine Van Veen (Mercury Bay) who were the defending 2022 champions. In Division 2, plate winners were Robin White & Dinz Fletcher (Nelson), Division 3 Kim Allan & Jane Deadman (Mercury Ba) and locals Alison Kennard & Lesley Rayner (Fairview) for the Division 4 Plate.
In a long time, women’s-golf tradition with multiple flights in all divisions, players get the chance to have at least four matches. Flights winners were, Pullman & Mensch (Ngunguru); English (North Shore) & Pardy (Mangawhai); Thoms & Aickin (Pupuke); Cockcroft & Clarke (Royal Auckland & Grange); Storey (North Shore) & Sullivan (Weedon’s) Otton & Bray (Waitangi); De Villiers & Cook (Mercury Bay); Hayde & Gardien (Mercury Bay).
PaR nz Golfing Holidays who manage the tournament on behalf of Golf New Zealand announced that the 2024 tournament will be hosted at Golf NZ’s Club of the Year in 2018, Motueka. Details and entry forms will be available mid-2024.
For more information contact
Kim Buckley
Phone 021 373 502
