expecies

WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

At last! We can pack away the

bikinis and budgie smugglers and slip

into our favourite set of golfing garb.

Forget the beach, welcome back to

the sands of unbeatable Mangawhai –

our golf season for 2017 is now officially

underway!

It all started with lots of hisses and roars

last Saturday with an Opening Day Ambrose

that attracted a very full field of 120

members.

From what we hear, all went well –

once the general masses finally accepted

that the organisers did have some idea of

what they were doing – the start of the

season was suitably celebrated in near-

perfect weather (minus the required rain).

So check your Programme book

(and our website) to stay aware of what's

coming up on the competition front.

MALCONTENTS MAKE THE MOST OF ITWinners of Saturday's Opening Day Ambrose were the aptly-named Malcontents, inspiringly captained by Malcolm Davey, who returned an impressive 55.8 nett total (off an 11.2 handicap). Supported by his team of Paul and Jenni Goodin, Iain Butler, Margaret Brookes and Kerry Simpson, Malcolm managed to keep track of scoring, sort out tee shots and generally excel as a golfing tactician to such an extent that any opposition simply fell by the wayside. (And that completes us being niceto Malcolm for 2017.) Slashing their way into second place (nett 56.3) were the Raezors, offically captained by Campbell Rae but, as we all know, he was under the firm direction of Marjory who in turn was ably assisted by Len and Marion Bilton, Kathy James and Duncan Chisholm. TD's Terminators (TD at the helm, along with Barb Chitty, Dave and Carol Lett, Nelda Hick and Wayne Whyte, nett 58.0) were third … and so on and so on. Thanks to all who took part. From the positive response, the Fun/ Ambrose format could well become and annual Opening Day fixture.

CHAMP PENNANTS TEAM START ON A WINNING NOTE!Perhaps a little nervous as they, for the first time, competed in the North Harbour Pennants competition, our Mangawhai teamachieved a comprehensive 6-2 shellacking of Helensville at South Head. Congratulations to Scott Wightman and his team – that's a fantastic start that underlines the increasing strength of our club.Meanwhile, our other Men's Pennants teams are starting to take form as selectors analyse scores, personalities and other performance-enhancing attributes. For those trialling for the 36-hole squad, final selection is scheduled for around 17 February and the first competition round will be on 25 February versus Hikurangi. 18-hole Pennants will also start on 25

February with Team 1 playing Whangarei and team 2 playing Bay of Islands. Again, team selection will be finalised

around 17 February. Just keep those cards coming in.

COURSE DEVELOPMENT CONTINUESStarting tomorrow (Wednesday 8 February) work on shaping the sand berms on Holes 1 & 2 gets under way. Hole 3 is the first to be worked on and a digger will be moving and shaping sand along the left edge of the fairway. As soon as this hole is completed the digger will move to Hole 2. Please be aware of this ongoing work and take care of yourself and our

workers, especially when playing around the corner on Hole 2.

YourYour

““““““““Wake Up!”Wake Up!”Wake Up!”Wake Up!”Wake Up!”Wake Up!”Wake Up!”Wake Up!”CallCall

Tuesday 7.2.17Tuesday 7.2.17Tuesday 7.2.17Tuesday 7.2.17Tuesday 7.2.17Tuesday 7.2.17Tuesday 7.2.17Tuesday 7.2.17

FRIDAY TWILIGHT HIGHLIGHTSPlaying numbers stayed strong and scoring was almost as hot and sweaty as the humidity on course. Twilight this month (February, for those who are bewildered) is sponsored by Craig Matheson of Barfoot & Thompson – and we're sure you're all aware of the ongoing opportunity to be in to win the Australian Golfing Trip very generously provided by Bill & Jono Mabey of Experience Golf. And while we're extolling all the glorious virtues of Summer Twilight Golf, just a reminder that the Members' Draw was again unclaimed and this Friday will reach the pocket-stuffing sum of $900!So, to the winners …. Men's Division 1 was topped by Don McLean (23 points), closely followed by Keith Routletdge and Tarrin Rous on 22, then Ernest Hurley and Campbell Rae (21) and Stew Speed (20). Division 2 saw Craig Matheson win on a countback from Peter Bridge (both 24 points), then Gary Lister, Hugh Williams and Geoff Lyons (all on 21) and Ian Dunlop on 20. Debbie Young won the Women's Division with 23 points, ahead of Lena Nelson and Heather Tobin (both 21), then Megan Graham, Joy Hogan and Annie McDowall all on 20, Christine Lee on 20. There were no Twos.

TARRIN ON THE TONGS – NEXT STOP THE TOURThanks to all those players in our Opening Day Ambrose for the generous contributions you made to the fundraising efforts ofTarrin Rous. Strongly supported by Mum and Dad, Tarrin fired up the barbie and gave the Match Committee-donated sausages a good turning with the tongs. Julian's onion preparation was to Michelin Star standards while Di's all-important overviewing ensured everyone was as happy as. A total of $688 was raised to help Tarrin fund his was through the next levels of his blossoming golf career - $368 from sausage sales and $320 in donations from our generous members.While it's an old cliché that juniors are the future of our club, it's also very true. With Tarrin, along with Belinda May, waving the junior flag it's pleasing to see so many of our more mature members lending them their support.

Paul (and we have several of them so we can't be sure which one it was) rushed to see his doctor, looking very much worried and all strung out. He blurts out: “Doctor, take a look at me. When I woke up this morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw my hair all wiry and frazzled up, my skin was all wrinkled and pasty, my eyes were bloodshot and bugging out, and I had this corpse-like look on my face! What's WRONG with me, Doctor!?”

The doctor looks him over for a couple of minutes, then calmly says: “Well, I can tell you that there ain't nothing wrong with your eyesight....”

PARTNERS LIFE PRO AM PROGRESSPlanning for our upcoming Partners Life Mangawhai ProAm (Tuesday 28 March) is progressing well and it looks like we're going to have a full field. There'll be a bucketload of help needed from our members so put a note in your diary, if you can, to keep this week (and the days surrounding it) free to lend your helping hand. This is a significantly important event for our club – our first ProAm for a good numbers of years - and we're delighted to have Naomi Ballantyne's Partners Life on board. If you are interested in entering a team, get in touch with Steve as soon as you can as interest is very high.

POSITIVE GOLF TRENDSLast year we bored you, from time to time, with boasts about how well we were doing here at Mangawhai compared to other NZ golf clubs. Well, we're delighted to say the trend continues. Currently, we are some 16% up on rounds played to date thistime last year. Northland, generally, is showing improvement, while all New Zealand clubs (as an averaged total) are just creeping ahead of last year. Other good news is reflected in our growing membership – across all categories – and in the numbers we are seeing playing our events. We continue to attract good numbers of visitors, many of whom are first-timers at Mangawhai and have here because they've heard such positive reports on our course and our club. This overall positivity is the result of many factors – enough to say that we are in a very strong position when compared with other clubs. Let's keepit that way!

WOMEN'S TUESDAY GOLF – 18 HOLES AND 9 HOLESWOMEN'S TUESDAY GOLF – 18 HOLES AND 9 HOLESAs of next week, Women's Tuesday 18-holers will tee off from 8.30am, and 9-holers from 9.00am. Please make sure yourAs of next week, Women's Tuesday 18-holers will tee off from 8.30am, and 9-holers from 9.00am. Please make sure your

card is in well before the first tee time. This structure will remain in place until the end of Daylight Saving.card is in well before the first tee time. This structure will remain in place until the end of Daylight Saving.