HOW THE NEWMONT GOLDEN QUARTZ 4-DAY TOURNAMENT BEGAN, AND REPORT ON THE 2011 TOURNAMENT.

Golfers at Waihi Golf Club

The Newmont Golden Quartz 4-Day Tournament began in January 2009. It was dreamed up by Waihi Golf Club Member, Mike Rose. He had always wanted to experience the thrill of playing in a 4 Day PGA Tour style tournament over 4 consecutive days with a cut after 36 Holes. So he talked it over with a few of the Waihi Golf Club members and they decided that the 1st weekend in January would be the perfect time to stage the event every year.

So they formed a Tournament Committee, and got Newmont Gold, one of the big businesses in the Waihi Town to be the Major Sponsor. And so there is was, the 1st Tournament was staged in 2009 with a near full field of 120 entries. The 2nd staging of the tournament was in 2010 when entries were down a bit to 80. So in 2011 they decided to open the Tournament up to Woman. The Woman were to receive 6 extra shots on their handicap each round, but they had to play off the men’s tees. And it worked well with another near capacity field of 116 Golfers.

The Tournament consists of playing 4 rounds of golf from Thursday to Sunday with a cut to 65% of the field after 36holes on Friday night. There is a reverse draw on Thursday and Friday. And a seeded draws on Saturday and Sunday on Stableford. The cut is done on your Stableford score, which is the main tournament. If you miss the cut you are put into the plate draw and your scores still count for your team. But you tee off before the players that made the cut do. But there are also 3 gross prizes. And there is also a team’s competition. You either indicate which team you want to play in or ask to be put in a team when you enter. Only 3 of the 4 Stableford Scores count for the teams score. And they give out 3prizes for the best 3 team’s scores after 72holes. The best team of all club members from another club other than Waihi also receive a prize. And they also give out 3 gross prizes for the best 3 gross scores.  

There are also daily haggles and spot prizes for the people who are present in the Clubhouse when they are drawn. And raffles are run as well.

So to the 1st day on Thursday 6th January, with light raining falling throughout the morning and into the afternoon. I had an average round of 80+8 off my 6 handicap and only got 34 Stableford points. The 1st round leader in the Stableford was Local Club member Charles Gurr (Waihi) with 43 Stableford points, and the 1st round leader in the gross was Robert Noffke (Muriwai) on 71-1, he was playing off a +1 Handicap.

So to day two, Friday 7th January, which started out overcast then mid morning came out hot and sunny and remained that way for the rest of the day, with high humidity all day.

I was teeing off early at 7:30am and I played a much better round of 76+4 gross that gave me 38 Stableford points and meant I easily made the cut with a 36 Hole Total of 72 Stableford Points.  And my gross 36 hole total was 156+12. The Cut fell at 63 points with 65% of the field making it. The other 35% got to play the last two rounds but were in a plate draw and teed off first on Saturday and Sunday before the 65% that made the Cut. Mike Morrison (Omanu) on a 22 handicap was leading the Stableford after 36 holes on 81 Stableford Points. And Robert Noffke (Muriwai) extended his lead in the gross after scoring the best round of the tournament 68-4 and was 139-5 after 36holes.  

9th Hole at Waihi Golf Club

I teed off at 9.45am on Saturday 8th January, because I was lying 30th in the Stableford.  It was a beautiful Sunny day with clear skies and temperatures in the mid to late 20’s Celsius. After getting a shocking start to my front nine and being +6 after 8 holes, I made a great come back on the back nine to score 34-2 and scored my 2nd straight round of 76+4. That also gave me 38 Stableford points and improved my position in the overall Stableford getting me into the top 16 players heading into the final round on Sunday. My 54 hole Stableford total was 110 points. And my 54 hole gross total was 232+16.  The leader of the Stableford after 54 holes was Mike Morrison (Omanu) on 119 Stableford points; he had 3point lead over Blair Langdon (Waihi) and Nigel Sanderson (Waihi) who were both on 116 points. And the leader of the gross after 54 holes was still Rob Noffke (Muriwai), but he did score his worst round of the tournament 78+6 to be on a 54 hole gross total of 217+1, 2nd was Chad Meyer (Waihi) 5 shots back on 222+6 and Mathew Switzer – Josephs (Peninsula) was 1shot further back at 223+7.

So to Sunday 9th January, similar day weather wise to Saturday with clear blue skies and very hot temperatures. I had my best round of the tournament. I scored 75+3 gross and 39 Stableford points. I feel I could have even scored 2shots lower. But unfortunately I dropped a couple of shots at the end of my round. So my 72 Hole Stableford total was 149 points, 6 points behind the winner and left me in 9th place out of 116 Golfers. It was a good achievement for me and I was very proud of myself. I also finished 5th in the gross with a 72 hole total of 307+19. Well the Stableford winner of the tournament turned out to be Mike Morrison (Omanu) on 155 Stableford Points, He won by 2points from Nigel Sanderson (Waihi) and Blair Langdon (Waihi) on 153 points. But Nigel Sanderson (Waihi) got 2nd place on a count back. After 63 holes Blair Langdon (Waihi) had caught Mike Morrison (Omanu). But Blair Langdon (Waihi) had started the back nine bad with Triple Bogey, Double Bogey and Double Bogey to ruin any chance he had of winning.

18th Hole at Waihi

The Gross winner ended up being Rob Noffke (Muriwai), he scored another poor final round of 76+4 and finished 72 holes on 293+5, but it was good enough to win by 5shots over Chad Meyer (Waihi) and Mathew Switzer – Josephs (Peninsula) who were tied 2nd on 298+10. Rob Noffke (Muriwai), posted his +5, 72 hole score early. Mathew Switzer – Josephs (Peninsula) who teed off later was having a great final round. After scoring 37+1 on the front nine, made a great start to his back nine. He birdied the par 3, 13th hole. Then he drove the short 285 metre par 4, 14th hole for a 2putt birdie. He was now only 1shot behind Rob Noffke (Muriwai). But the pressure must of got to him because he ended up bogeying the short par 3, 15th hole, and a disastrous triple bogey 8 on the short par 5, 16th hole, and then bogeyed the driveable 17th hole, but made a nice birdie on the 72nd hole to help his team “The Broadway Duffers”  win the teams competition.

The prize – giving was held immediately after all the players scores were in, on the Practise Putting green, just like the professionals have their prizes giving’s straight after the tournament. With the CEO of Newmont Gold on hand to make a speech and hand out the prizes.

First they handed out the Gross prizes with Rob Noffke (Muriwai) coming 1st on 293+5, with rounds of 71 – 1, 68 -4, 78 +6 and 76+4; 2nd = was Mathew Switzer – Josephs (Peninsula) and Chad Meyer (Waihi) on 298+10. They each received trophies and got to keep the miniatures.

Next they did the teams prizes. First was “The Broadway Duffers” with team members consisting of Rosemary Switzer (Remuera), Kerry Switzer (Remuera), Matthew Switzer-Josephs (Peninsula) and Blair Langdon (Waihi). Rosemary Switzer (Remuera), Kerry Switzer (Remuera) were the grandparents of Mathew. So it was a family effort. And they jokingly said they would make Blair Langdon (Waihi) an honorary member of their family.

2nd in the teams competitions was 'The Sore backs’ that was an all Waihi team that consisted of Des Meyer (Waihi), Brian Robinson (Waihi), Bruce Warwick (Waihi) and Rob Clark (Waihi). And the team in 3rd place was 'Morricados' that was a team made up of 2 Waihi players and an Omanu and Walton players. The team was Rob Morrison (Waihi), Michael Morrison (Omanu), Jon Morrison (Waihi) and Todd Woodmass (Walton) who also scored a HOLE IN ONE! On the 15th hole in the final round. They too received trophies and miniatures to keep. Also winner of the team of all members from the same club that wasn’t Waihi got a Prize. “The Goldminers” team from Pio Pio Aria Golf Club took that prize out from the “Team Formosa” from the Formosa Golf Club in Auckland.

Then they did the Stableford individual Winners for 72 holes. It was the major prize in the Tournament and it went to Mike Morrison (Omanu) with a 72 hole total of 155 Stableford points. Michael Morrison (Omanu) played off 22 handicap from the Omanu Club in Tauranga. He played consistent golf over the four days scoring Stableford scores of 38 - 43 - 38 – 36:155. He was presented with a miners Vest and Helmet (That is a tradition, because Newmont Gold is a mining company) from the Newmont Gold CEO. And he gave a good victory speech. He also got a trophy with a miniature to keep and also a voucher of a Substantial amount. 2nd was  Nigel Sanderson (Waihi), on 153 Stableford points for 72 holes, and that was on a count back from Blair Langdon (Waihi) who was on the same score. They too received trophies and miniatures to keep.

Then everyone that made the cut was told that there was an envelope on a table up stairs with their name on it. This was like a professional golf tournament as well in the sense that the players that finish outside the top 3 place getters get there cheque in the mail, hence why there was no need for a major prize – giving. I went up stairs and found my envelope for coming 9th in the Stableford. I opened it and it was a $180 Mitre 10 Voucher at Waihi. So that made me happy.

In summing up this tournament I personally feel it was a huge success with a near capacity field, with great prizes and the organisers had everything under control with no stone left unturned. I will definitely be playing next year, but will have to get my entry in early to make sure I don’t miss out.

Source: www.waihigolf.co.nz