Golf Club Conflict

After I suffered a stroke in January 1998 I had to find away to get myself back to some form of normality. As I had played a lot Golf before I had my stroke I thought that would be a good way of rehabbing myself and my Doctor also recommended it as well. We moved out of Auckland in April 1999 to the Hauraki Plains because we wanted a quieter life. 

I joined the Golf Club near Paeroa in 2001 when I had a few green fee games there and liked the way the greens putted. I lived about the same distance from the Golf Club near Paeroa and Golf Club near Ngatea so I figured I would give the Golf Club near Paeroa a try because when I moved to this area from Auckland in 1999 and the Golf Club near Ngatea was the only Golf Club I knew about so I joined that one. I played at the Golf Club near Ngatea for two years but the greens were going backwards at the time so that was the reason for my change. I had a good time playing golf at the Golf Club near Ngatea with representing them in Championship Pennants in 1999 and also making the Semi – Finals of Senior Club Championship Match Play in 1999 & 2000.

The course layout at the Golf Club near Paeroa

I just played golf on my own at the Golf Club near Paeroa until I was encouraged to playing in the Saturday Scrambles by a few of the members. In my first Saturday Scramble I scored 74 off the stick and it made me keen to play in more. After getting more good scores in the Saturday Scrambles I was asked by the Club Captain to play Pennants the following year in 2002. I played in the Club Champs Qualifying in 2001 and qualified mid field. I drew a past Champion in the first round and I feel he thought I would be an easy beat. But I played some brilliant Golf and beat him 3&2 and was even par when the match finished. I eventually lost in the quarter finals.

In 2002 at the Golf Club near Paeroa I was selected to play Pennants. They were in Division One Pennants so I thought this would be a good opportunity to improve my golf game. My first game in Division One Pennants for the Golf Club near Paeroa was a reality check because I was playing Number two and played a golfer from Lochiel on a plus handicap. He easily beat me 5&4 and was under par in doing so. I managed to get a few wins in the season and my confidence improved playing the top quality courses in the Waikato. Our team managed to say up in division one for the 2003 season. I must say the Pennant Captain and Selector was a perfect gentleman and always rang me up to give me plenty of notice where we were playing and where we had to meet and when he was going to change me in the playing order he also rang me to check I was happy with this. 

In the Club events at the Golf Club near Paeroa I played some good golf with scoring 216 even par in the 54 hole tournament only to finish in second place to a young golfer from Maramarua who scored 215-1 for the 54 holes. I previously before playing in the 54 hole at the Golf Club near Paeroa had played in the Huntly Retravision 72 hole Tournament and finished in third position in that tournament as well. I also played in the Thames 54 hole and finish in the top percentage of the field. I also won the Narrows 27 hole Spring Open and had a very solid Whangamata 54 Hole Tournament where I scored 69-1 in the second round. Was top qualifier in the Club Matchplay Championship where I scored 71-1 as my best qualifying round. But unfortunately I lost in the quarter finals after having a bye in the first round.  

2003 was another good year for me at the Golf Club near Paeroa with again playing Division One Senior Pennants for them and getting some wins in the singles. I even defeated the Famous Cricketer, Simon Doull on his home course of Horsham Downs. And I won my Singles Match when we played Ngaruawahia. In the Club Tournaments at the Golf club near Paeroa I won the Senior Stroke Play Championship by one stroke and I made the Senior Club Championship Match play final only to lose to a local personality at the Golf Club near Paeroa on the 40th hole. It was the longest Senior Men’s Club Championship Match Play final in the clubs history.  

The local personality at the golf club near Paeroa

2004 was another good year for me at the Golf Club near Paeroa. The club had been relegated to division two Pennants but I got my season off to a good start with securing a few wins in the singles. I lost out to a local farmer from Paeroa by one shot in defending my Senior Men’s Stroke play title. But I was determined to win the Senior Club Championship Match play Title after going so close the previous year. I had a match up with a local personality from Paeroa that I played in the final the previous year and this time in torrential rain and some of the greens nearly were under water I defeated him 2&1 in the Semi - Final to make the final of the Senior Match Play Championships for the second consecutive year. I feel the local personality from Paeroa only made me play in these conditions because he knew this would be his only chance of beating me. But it back fired on the local personality from Paeroa. I must mention he was the Club Captain that year. So I made the final for the second consecutive year running. This time I was playing the local fisherman from Paeroa. I lead after the morning 18 holes, four holes up. But after 27 holes the match was all square again. We came to the 36th hole with the match all square. I made a solid par four and the local fisherman from Paeroa wasn’t able to match it. So I was the 2004 Senior Match play Champion. I represented the Club at the Waikato Champion of Champions which were played at the Golf Club near Whangamata that year but finished well down the field. I also went on to win the Thames Valley Champion of Champions that was held at the Golf Club near Ngatea that year. I scored a fine round of 73 on greens that were in poor condition after just being cored. I defeated the Waihi Champion by one stroke. In the Club house afterwards I was told by the Local Farmer who beat me in the Stroke play Championship at the Golf Club near Paeroa that “We should be having a playoff because he scored 73 as well”.

I thought to myself that the comment he made was quite offensive towards me even though it could be taken as just tongue and cheek. I mean I agree if he played in the same group with all the championship winners like I did there would be nothing wrong with it. But he was just playing with his brother and the local personality from Paeroa.

2005 wasn’t a good year for me at the Golf Club near Paeroa. The local personality from Paeroa was still the Club Captain and he also picked the pennant team. The first game was at Lochiel and I beat my opponent easily and was two under the card after 13 holes in doing so. I was in the Club House early and have a drink with my opponent when the local personality from Paeroa came in after losing his match badly. He made a comment at me “Did you get your ass kicked”? I replied “I won my match easily and played Awesome Golf”. The rest of my team mates seemed to hold it against me that I played so well.  I continued the early part of the pennant season with having good wins in the singles only to get funny reactions from my team mates towards me winning. In Club golf I got to the Semi – Finals of the Cliff Speechly Handicap Match Play but on the Saturday on the day the match was scheduled to be played I fell ill with an Asthma Attack and was in bed the whole day after going to the doctor to be put on a breathing device to help me breathe. I rang up the local personality from Paeroa who was the Club Captain and told him I can’t make it today because I am sick. He said “If you don’t come you will be defaulted”. I accepted this decision as it is the rules of golf.

Later on in the year I set out to defend my Senior Match Play title I won the previous year. I noticed that the local farmer from Paeroa’s younger Brother who was a trainee green keeper at one of the exclusive clubs in Hamilton had joined the Golf Club near Paeroa mid season and was also entered in the Senior Club Champs. He was playing off a very low handicap. I didn’t have a problem with this until I drew to play him in the Semi – Finals. I won my Quarter Final Match defeating the local fisherman in Paeroa who I also beat the previous year in the final. The younger brother of the farmer in Paeroa couldn’t play his first three matches on the correct date because he was representing Waikato. But I knew for a fact in the first round he was playing in the Waikato Stroke Play, and that in my Opinion is not representing Waikato. I also noticed that they hadn’t mowed the greens for at least two days when he eventually played his first and quarter final rounds. I believe this was done on purpose to help him win. I was playing in the scramble the following week with the local fisherman from Paeroa. The younger brother of the farmer in Paeroa was playing his Quarter Final Match that very day a week later past the date it should have been played. The local fisherman from Paeroa yelled out to the younger brother of the farmer in Paeroa to see who won his match. He replied “I won easily”. Then the local fisherman from Paeroa looked at me with a smirk on his face and said “It looks like you are playing him in the Semi Final”. I said to the local fisherman from Paeroa “I believe he is playing for Waikato next Saturday”? He replied “yes”. I replied saying “Well if I am here next Saturday and he isn’t then I win the game by default”. The local fisherman from Paeroa replied “No he gets dispensation because he is representing Waikato”. I replied “When I was sick on the day of the Semi – Finals of the Cliff Speechley Handicap Match Play Championship and couldn’t turn up I was defaulted with no questions asked!! Now I am going to turn up to play and my Opponent is not going to be there and you are going to say make arrangements for the game to be played at a later date”.

I later that night got a phone call from a retired school teacher who was on the committee and he said “The golf club near Paeroa has always given dispensation to Golfers that play in club match play championship and are representing Waikato on the same date”. Now I believe he only got selected to play for Waikato through being a member at the exclusive club in Hamilton. His brother who was the local farmer from Paeroa did say to me when I asked him if his younger brother is playing in the Club Champs at Paeroa that “We want someone good to win it this year”. I feel that was sort of slinging off at me saying me winning it last year that I wasn’t a good player. Well the retired school teacher from Paeroa after a long conversation with me said “That is how it is and you will have to play him”. I replied to him saying “Well I resign from the Golf Club near Paeroa then”.

I had been playing a few tournaments at the Golf Club near Thames and knew the manager there well who was a local personality in Thames. He had been encouraging me to join his Golf Club near Thames and since it was actually closer to me than the Golf Club near Paeroa. So I immediately joined up there. 2006 was my first year playing club golf at the Golf Club near Thames. I had a very good year in my first year there with winning the Clendon Cup, Captains Trophy and made the final of the Senior Match play Championship. I also won my first round match in the Brownlee Cup which is handicap match play and drew the local collage Rugby Coach in the second round. The week before he had arranged to play the match with me on the Friday instead of the Saturday because he had Rugby commitments on the Saturday. I agreed to this being new to the club. I turned up at the arranged time of 10am on the Friday and the green keeper was just coming in for his cup of tea. He said “Your late he is waiting for you”. I wondered why he was halfway through mowing the greens when he always mows them in the afternoon.  And he almost always when he starts mowing the greens he doesn’t stop till he is finished.

Looking up the 18th fairway at the Golf Course near Thames

We teed off with the first green being mowed but when we came to the second green it wasn’t mowed. I believe the green keeper did this on purpose to confuse me. We struck this all the way through the round. I came to the last hole one down and the local Collage Rugby Coach hit his drive well to the right and it landed in all the leaves that had had fallen off the trees being the season of Autumn. I played an iron down the middle of the fairway. I hit my second shot on the green. The local Collage Rugby Coach couldn’t find his ball and when it had been after five minutes he asked me what he had to do, I said “Go back to the tee and play your third shot because you have lost your ball”. He suddenly said to me “I found my ball because I kicked it”.  I believe he dropped a ball out of his pocket and just told me he kicked it. I eventually lost the match 1 down. At this point I felt as though some of the people at the golf club near Thames didn’t play fair. And I felt the green keeper had something against me because of his attitude towards me.  Earlier in the year after putting my name up to play pennants I found it would be too much for me because I was getting bad headaches when I played 36 holes. This might have annoyed a few people in the Pennant Team because they needed a player like me to strengthen their team. But I thought my health has to come first. In the Senior Men’s Match Play Championship final I drew the son of a many times Senior Match play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames. I was the underdog going into the final as he had won the 54 hole Championship at the Golf Club near Thames earlier in the year. But I played the round of the year for me in the first 18 holes with birding three of the first four holes and eventually scored an even par 70 for the round and turned five up after 18 holes. I eventually beat him 7 & 6 to win my first Senior Match play Championship. My win was well received when I came into the Club House. I went to the Waikato Champion of Champions at the Golf Club in the North Waikato and had a good morning round but an average afternoon round to finish mid field.

2007 wasn’t as good for me at the Golf Club near Thames. I didn’t win any trophies and I declined to play pennants again because I was still getting bad headaches. I did score 74 in the New Year Open. I did come second in the senior men’s stroke play Championships and I did score 69-1 in a Srixon day and won a Golf Bag. The Manager who was the local personality from Thames said well done for winning it. Also me and a couple of Visitors from Auckland came second in the Holden Scramble at the Golf Club near Thames nearly making it to the regional finals. The club championships came round and I was defending Champion. I qualified mid field and won my first round match convincingly 4&3. In the quarter finals I drew the local Painter from Thames. I said to him in the club house the week before “I am playing you in the quarter finals next week” and he said “Are we? It will have to be early because I am going to watch the local rugby team play in the afternoon”. I suggested 10am to tee off and he agreed. I turned up the following Saturday at 10am ready to play and the local Painter from Thames was still practising. There was no one on the tee to hold us up but it appeared he just wanted to muck me round. We eventually teed off just before 11am. The local farmer from Turua insisted he join us because he had no one to play with. The Rules for the day were clean and place. The local Painter from Thames when he cleaned and placed his ball instead of marking it with a tee he threw his car keys on the ground near his ball. I believe he was trying to annoy me by doing this. I turned one up but he played some steady golf on the back nine and was 2up after 15 holes. He hit his drive well to the right on the 15th hole and he had what I thought was an impossible second shot to hit the green. He had to hit it over some large trees and to get the height and distance to land the ball on the green was impossible to do I thought. But he managed to do it. I believe he may have put his ball on a tee but I guess I will never know. He won the 15th hole and eventually won the match 3&2. We had a drink after our match and watched the rest of the matches that had teed off at 11:30am from the upstairs landing go through the tenth hole.

I asked the local painter from Thames when he was going to watch the football and he said “I decided not to go now”. This annoyed me because I put myself out to play him at 10am when we could have played when everyone else played at 11:30am. I wished him luck in the next round and went home. Also in 2007 the Golf Club near Thames was struck by a huge storm which ripped about 90 trees out of the course. Almost all of the members including myself over the following couple of months gave some of their time to help clean up the mess except the local painter from Thames.

2008 was a better year for me at the Golf Club near Thames. I think they had given up on me playing pennants for them because I was never asked. The club champs draw was done on seeding off your computer handicap and I turned up to the scramble on the Thursday before Anzac Day. I was told I was playing the life Member from Thames. Saw him on the course and he suggested we play the game during the week. I said I wanted to play it on a Saturday Club Day. He said that is fine, we will play it the following Saturday. I was playing a tournament at a club near Hamilton on ANZAC Day and wasn’t at the Golf Club near Thames that day. The next day I rang up the manager from the local Golf Club near Thames for a tee time in the Saturday Scramble. He asked me if I got the email he sent me? I said I hadn’t. When I turned up at the course that Saturday Morning the life Member from the Golf Club near Thames was also driving in. He had told me on the Thursday that he was spending the weekend at his Holiday home over the hill. When I went into the Golf Shop the many times Senior Match play Champion was also in there. The Manager who was the local personality from Thames told me “There had been a change to the draw because the many times Senior Match Play Champion and the Local Farmer from Turua had been excluded”. He also said “The life member from the Golf Club near Thames was now playing the many times Senior Match Play Champion and I was now down to play a retired golfer from the Golf Club near Thames”. That explained why the Life Member from the Golf Club near Thames was there. He also asked me “if I could play the retired Golfer from the Golf Club near Thames on Thursday in the meat pack open and if I win play the many times Senior Match play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames on the Friday before he flies out to Australia the next day for his two week holiday with the local farmer from Turua”. I now knew why the draw had been changed, to suit these two players. I declined and said “I only play Club Championship Matches on the scheduled date”.

That Saturday I was playing with the Club Captain of that year who was the local insurance man from Thames. I thought he would tell me I have to play the many times Senior Match play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames in the Thursday Meat Pack Open. But he said no and agreed with me that these two players shouldn’t even be in the tournament because they will be in Australia when one of the rounds is schedule to be played. I feel he took my side because he had made a lot of phone calls to work out the draw and like I said earlier it had already been finalised on the Thursday before ANZAC Day. But because of these two guys moaning that they weren’t in the draw, the Manager had gone over the top of him without even asking him if he could and rearranged the draw to make sure they were included. The Club Captain of that year who was the local insurance man told me as long as I turned up on the Saturday of the Scheduled Day of the match I would win by default.

I played the retired Golfer from the Golf Club near Thames the following Saturday and beat him comfortably 5&3. He wished me luck against the many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames. I knew that he must have been his friend for saying that as he knew he wasn’t going to be in New Zealand the day the match was schedule to be played. Well the day came that our quarter final senior match play club championship match between me and the many times Senior Match Play Champion was scheduled to be played. I turned up at the course and when I was getting my gear out of the car a retired School Teacher who was also a member at the Golf Club near Thames pulled up beside me. He asked me “did I have a match today”. I said “yes I am playing many times Senior Match Play Champion” I then said “I have won the game by default because he is in Australia at the moment”. The retired School Teacher who was also a member at the Golf Club near Thames replied saying “Matches should always be played and you should make allowances to suit people in their busy lives”. The reason why I wasn’t making an allowance was because another member of the Golf Club near Thames had told me back two years ago in 2006 he had rung up the Son of the many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames who I was scheduled to play and asked him if he could play his match on the Saturday prior to the Saturday it was due to be played because he had another engagement on the day it was scheduled to be played. The Son of the many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames then conferred with his Father who was the many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames. He then came back to the phone and said the game has to be played on the correct date and because you won’t be here to play on the correct date I win by default. So I felt this guy who was the many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames needed to be taught a lesson in the correct playing of the Rules of Golf.

I played with the club captain of the Golf Club near Thames who was also the local insurance agent that day. I asked if he had defaulted the many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames and he said “Yes, he had already written up that I had won the match”. In the club house after our game a few people questioned why the “many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames had been defaulted?” The club captain of the Golf Club near Thames who was also the local insurance agent just told them “It is simple because he didn’t turn up and his opponent did”. I feel a lot of the members of the Golf Club near Thames were mates of many times Senior Match Play Champion at the Golf Club near Thames. The local painter from Thames who was due to play the local Farmer from Turua that same day had arranged to play him the following Saturday Morning when he was coming back from Australia and also the local Thames foundry worker had agreed to play the local painter from Thames or the local farmer from Turua on the Sunday Morning depending on who won. I believe that the local Thames foundry worker and the local painter from Thames agreed to this because they all played in the pennant team at the local Golf Club near Thames and also were great drinking buddies at the local Pub and TAB in Thames.

The next Saturday I played my Semi – Final Club Championship Match play game against the green keeper at the time at the local golf club near Thames. I lost a very close match one down to him. The following Saturday was the Senior Club Match play finals at the Golf Club near Thames. The local painter from Thames easily defeated the local green keeper from the Golf Club near Thames. I congratulated the local painter from Thames in the Club House and all he said was “It took me long enough”. Later that year I found myself in great position to win my first Top Dog Trophy. I was in second position heading into the final round. All I had to do was to beat the Course Manager from the Golf Club near Thames on Stableford. I got 38 points to his 37 and won the Top Dog Trophy for 2008. The Local Painter from Thames was also in good position to win the Top Dog Trophy but because he was in fourth position on the ladder no matter if he did a better score than me he wasn’t going to win because I won it because I beat the Course Manager from the Golf Club near Thames and was higher up on the ladder than him. I came in the Club House and got congratulated by a few members. The Local Painter from Thames came in the club house and just stared at me when he saw I had won the Top Dog Trophy. The Course Manager from the Golf Club near Thames who I beat to win the Top Dog Trophy congratulated me and said well done.

A couple of weeks later it was prize giving day and we had a shootout before the prize giving. We all put $20 in the ten of us who entered. The Local Painter from Thames was knocked out on the first hole and I ended up winning it. We then played nine holes for closing day and I scored 34-1 for them as well. Later at the prize giving that evening I received my trophy for winning the Top Dog Trophy. That was one of my best days at the Golf Club near Thames and the next day I went out for a casual game on my own and the Manager who was the local personality from Thames said to me “Well done on my great play yesterday”.

The Local personality from Thames

2009 wasn’t as good as the previous year at the Golf Club near Thames. I qualified mid field in the Club Championships Senior Match play and again I had a match up with the Local Painter from Thames. The dates from when we knew who we were playing and when the final date the match had to be played by was far too great I feel. We had about a month to play the match in. The Local Painter from Thames left a message on my answer phone the next Friday asking me “if I was able to play the match the next day being Saturday, but it would have to be early because he had to be at the football in the afternoon”. I decided not to ring him back because the way he had treated me in the past. The next day we were in the club house waiting for the lucky number draw that had to go. The Lady who was the Club Captain that year then asked us if she could survey us with questions on how she can improve the 54 hole in the coming years. She asked me if I would like a 54 hole tournament over three consecutive days starting on a Friday and finishing on a Sunday. I said that would suit me and the Local Painter from Thames replied “Cause that would suit you because you don’t work”. I took offence to this comment because he doesn’t know how hard I had been looking to find work or the reason I am in the position I am in. He then said “When are we going to play our match?” I said “On the date it is scheduled to be played”.

Well the day came round when our quarter final club champs Match play game was scheduled to be played. It was horrible day weather wise and the radar and models were showing it was going to rain till late afternoon. I decided I would ring the landline of the Local Painter from Thames and got him. I suggested that we play the game on Sunday Morning because it is forecast for fine weather tomorrow. He said “We must show up to the course and see if it is open”. So I drove to the course and when I got there the rain had intensified as predicted. He said “The local Capet layer from Thames and the Local Business Man from Thames are playing at 10am in the Morning in an intermediate match, what about we play with them and make it a foursome”.  I said “I would prefer 11am so I can watch the Golf”, he replied “Don’t be such a gay bastard”. I agreed to play at 10am reluctantly. I turned up there about 9:40am with The Local Painter from Thames already there. I knew the conditions wouldn’t suit my game as the course was very damp after yesterday’s rains. I got off to a good start and was 2up after four holes. But turned at all square and eventually lost to him 4&2. I feel the local painter from Thames was very in considerate in the early part of the back nine where I was teeing off last he didn’t even wait for me to tee off and left the teeing area. Maybe this was his plan to beat me?

The other big News in 2009 was that the manager at the Golf Club near Thames resigned from his role and was leaving in early January 2010. I thought that this might make the club come in to line better as I believed at the time the Rules of Golf weren’t being played out right in competitions at the Golf Club near Thames but I didn’t realise how the new management would be so different to him. The Local Personality at the Golf Club near Thames had brought a fun and friendly atmosphere to the club over the past ten odd years and he was my main reason for me changing clubs and he made sure all members got a fair go as well. When I left the Golf Club near Paeroa in the later part of 2005 if the new management of the Golf Club near Thames had of been operating I am certain I would of thought twice about joining.

2010 was a good year for me in some ways at the Golf Club near Thames and on the other hand was not such a good year for me. I was playing with the Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames in the January Meat Pack Open and asked him how the Pennant team was looking. He said “are you keen to play? If you are there is a place for you”. Because I had got over my bad headaches I said “Yes, I am keen and would play”. Two days later I was playing in the Saturday Scramble and met the Local Painter from Thames in the Club house. I noticed he had scored 70 even par. So I said to him “Well done on your good round today” he replied “Clarkie mowed them” in a sarcastic manner.  I forgot to mention the green keeper had a serious Motor Bike Accident coming over to mow the greens for the New Year Open and The Course Manager from the Golf Club near Thames had got a previous green keeper from the Golf Club near Paeroa known as Clarkie to fill in while the current Green keeper was out of action. In Mid January the Manager at the Golf Club near Thames who was also a local personality in Thames vacated his position and the committee at the time employed three duty managers to replace him. They were a retired Shop owner who was on the pension, an ex- real estate agent who was near retirement age and had a rude manner to him and another ex – real estate agent who was on ACC for a bad back. I volunteered to do the handicapping and came in every second Wednesday to do that. In early February when the pennant team was picked the Local Painter from Thames left me out of it after promising me in early January that there was a place for me in it. I confronted him about it when he came in the Golf Shop when I was doing the handicapping. He said “You will be in the Team for the second game”. For some reason I didn’t trust him. I wanted to represent the club in some form of team so I put my name up for the handicap pennants. I got selected and we played at the golf club near Coromandel and the Golf club near Tahuna. I played okay in the first game and not so good in the second game and we missed out on the finals by a couple of shots.

In the Club Championship Senior Match Play I qualified in the bottom half of the draw and drew a local builder from Thames in the quarter finals. He beat me 4&3. I funny thing happened in the intermediate match play championships. A retired School Teacher from Thames who did volunteer mowing at the golf club missed his second qualifying round. He was excluded from the draw because he never played the two required rounds. He came into the Golf Shop and I was doing the handicapping and the ex- real estate agent who was near retirement age and had a rude manner to him was on Duty. He noticed he wasn’t in the draw and asked the ex- real estate agent who was near retirement age and had a rude manner to him why this was. He told him it is because you only put one qualifying round in. He threw a wobbly and stormed out saying how much he does for this club and this is how they treat him. When the retired Shop owner who was on the pension heard about this he put the retired School Teacher from Thames who did volunteer mowing at the golf club in the intermediate draw and got him to play the 16th qualifier and the winner of that match would play the number one qualifier. Me and the ex- real estate agent who was near retirement age and had a rude manner to him both disagreed with this.

The retired Shop owner who was on the pension also got me to do the table top programme and any fliers that were needed. But he gave me nothing for doing it. Not even a petrol voucher. Later on in the year the Brownlee Cup handicap match play was played. I managed to win the trophy for the first time. A funny thing happened in the qualifying. The Local Back pack Owner from Thames who had just moved to the area from Australia played in the qualifying rounds without an official New Zealand handicap index. The retired Shop owner who was on the pension was the Duty Manager who gave him an accessed handicap of four. He scored a 71+1 in the qualifying which gave him a 67 nett and he easily qualified. He drew the local architect from Thames in the first round and when he found out he didn’t have an official New Zealand handicap index he brought it up with the match committee “Why is this player allowed to play in the Brownlee Cup when he doesn’t have an official New Zealand handicap index and every else who attempted to qualify does”? The Match Committee called an urgent meeting to discuss this issue and come out with a sensible solution. The local Back pack owner from Thames would still be allowed to play the local architect from Thames but would have to play him off a scratch handicap. The retired Shop owner who was on the pension was the Duty Manager who gave him an accessed handicap of four explained the only reason he let him play in the qualifying was because the local Back Pack owner from Thames told him that the qualifying round was his fifth card and the next roll over which was the Wednesday before the Brownlee Cup first round match play and he believed he would have an Official New Zealand Handicap Index before the first round of Brownlee Cup commenced. I personally think the local Back Pack owner from Thames should have not been able to try and qualify at all because of the fact that he didn’t have an official New Zealand handicap index. A couple of years later I was playing in a 72 hole tournament at another club and a similar situation occurred and the match committee on this occasion had no hesitation to disqualify the player concerned. Anyway the local architect from Thames easily beat the local Back packer owner from Thames.

In the quarter finals of the Brownlee Cup I drew the Local Timber worker from the Golf Club near Thames. On the Sunday before the weekend the Match was scheduled to be played on there was a big tournament at the Golf Club near Thames. When we were waiting for prize giving the Local timber worker from the Golf Club near Thames came and asked me if I would be able to play my match on the following Thursday in the Meat Pack Open. I thought back to 2008 and how I was told by various members that the Match should always be played. I could of easily of claimed the game by default. But I agreed to play him on the Thursday. I played him on the Thursday and easily beat him 4&3.

On my way to winning the Brownlee Cup for the first time I drew the Local Painter from Thames in the Semi – Final. On the Saturday it was due to be played there was a huge rain storm and after I checked the rain radar and the weather models for the rest of the day I decided that I would ring the Local Painter from Thames up and see if we could play the game on the Sunday. Again I got the same response from him, he said “We better go out to the course and see if we can play the game”. I then rang the Golf Shop at the Golf Club near Thames and got the ex- real estate agent who was near retirement age and had a rude manner to him. I asked him if the course was open and he replied “Yes”. The rain got much worse and I thought there was no way we could play golf properly today so I rang the Golf Shop at the Golf Club near Thames again about an hour later and this time the ex- real estate agent who was near retirement age and had a rude manner to him told me “They had just closed the course”.

I arranged with the Local Painter from Thames to play our match on the Saturday two weeks later. I turned up at the Golf Course near Thames that Saturday and got my scorecard from the duty manager who was ex – real estate agent who was on ACC for a bad back. I said “I am not going in the scramble because I am playing match play”, He replied “You will have to see what the Local Painter from Thames is doing”, I replied “It doesn’t really worry me what he is doing because all that concerns me is our match”. The competition for the day was Orange Ball and the Local Painter from Thames was down with two others to play in it. I said to the Local Painter from Thames “you can’t mix match play and stroke play in the same game”. The Local Painter from Thames suggested “we play as a two ball and go off the first tee now” I agreed so that is what we did. I turned one down in our match but played an excellent back nine of 35 even par and managed to beat the Local Painter from Thames two up to make the Brownlee Cup final.

It made me feel good that I beat him and when I went in the Club house a few people were surprised and some people congratulated me. The final wasn’t till six weeks later. I was playing a retired member from Thames who was the Junior Convenor. I checked with the President that year who was volunteering in the Golf Shop the day before and he said it was all confirmed that the retired member from Thames who was the Junior Convenor was all set to play the Brownlee Cup final tomorrow. I turned up that Saturday and the retired member from Thames who was the Junior Convenor pulled up beside me. I said “Are you all set for the Brownlee Cup Final with me today”. He replied “I am playing the 4BBB final today”. This annoyed me because I had prepared myself for the final match and now had to wait another week to play it. It appears it wasn’t the retired member from Thames who was the Junior Convenor’s fault because he rang the Golf Shop earlier in the week to book a tee time for him and his partner and their opponents in the 4BBB Final and the Duty Manager on Duty who I can’t confirm who it was mistakenly thought he was meaning our Brownlee Cup Final match between him and me.

I arrived up at the Golf Club near Thames on the following Saturday for the Brownlee Cup final and the retired member from Thames who was the Junior Convenor arrived there at the same time. We played our final of the Brownlee Cup for 2010 and it was very close. I prevailed to win two up and as I mentioned I won the Brownlee Cup for the very first time. Me and the retired member from Thames who was the Junior Convenor had a drink together in the Club house afterwards he also brought me a drink for winning the match. The Local Painter from Thames who was playing in the group in front of me during the match never congratulated me at all for my win which I was surprised. It was like he resented me winning the Brownlee Cup.

The following Saturday it was the final week of Top Dog Challenges and just like in 2008 when I won the Top Dog Trophy for the first time I was again in prime position to win it for a second time. This time I was in third position on the ladder and the person who was in second position has just purchased a local restaurant in Thames and could not play that day. The Thames High School Dux of 2010 was at the top of the ladder which isn’t the best place to be on the final day of challenges. I scored 40 Stableford points and he returned a miserable 33 points so I had won the Top Dog Trophy for the second time in three years and became the first Golfer to win it twice since it began at the Golf Club near Thames in 2005. I came in the Club House and the Local Painter from Thames was talking with one of the committee members on the landing. He had scored 40 points as well and couldn’t understand why he never won it. They explained the rules to him and he came in and looked at me giving me a horrible stare. The local architect from Thames who ran this competition who was also in the Club house that day never came and congratulated me either. I felt by this behaviour that they held something against me for winning it just as they did for me winning the Brownlee Cup.

The prizing giving was held a few weeks later and when I went up to receive my Brownlee Cup and Top Dog Trophies I heard a voice yell out at me “He doesn’t work”. I am pretty sure that was the voice of the local painter from Thames. I thought that was a very rude comment to make when it was my moment of Glory. It confirmed he definitely held something against me for winning these trophies and also showed me he was a Bad Sport and a Sore Loser who couldn’t accept he was just beaten by a better player on the day. When I came into the Golf Shop a couple of days later and was entering some scorecards the duty manager who was an ex – real estate agent who was on ACC for a bad back said to me “Well done for winning the Brownlee Cup on Saturday”. The Treasurer from the Golf Club near Thames who I was quite friendly with also shook my hand and said “Well done for winning the Cup”, Also the retired Shop owner who was on the pension didn’t congratulate me at all instead he just commented “The retired member from Thames who was the Junior Convenor played in both the 4BBB and Brownlee Cup Finals and lost both of them”. I took from that comment he made that he too resented me winning the Brownlee Cup just like the Local painter from Thames did. 

Two thirds of the way through the year the Duty Manager who was the ex- real estate agent who was near retirement age and had a rude manner to him resigned from his position as Duty Manager. The head Duty Manager who was the retired Shop owner who was on the pension put out in the next Golf Club near Thames Newsletter that any member interested in applying for the Duty Manager job please come and express their interest in Golf Shop. The next day I went into the Golf Shop and expressed my interest in the Duty Manager Job. The retired Shop owner who was on the pension was on Duty with the Duty Manager who was an ex – real estate agent who was on ACC for a bad back. They just explained what they were looking for. I asked if I had to fill out an Application form and they said “No”. They led me to believe I was in the running for the Job. I continued doing my volunteer work that was the handicapping and the table top flyer each month. They hadn’t employed any one after a month so I thought maybe they were just going to have just two duty managers. The current President of the Golf Club near Thames was doing a lot of work in the Golf Shop to cover the vacant Duty Manager Job but just on a volunteer basis. I was sitting next to the head Duty Manager who was the retired Shop owner who was on the pension after the Labour Day Open and he jokingly said “We should make you president”. He was inferring that the current President isn’t up to scratch. The next day I get the latest version of the Golf Club near Thames Newsletter. In it said “The Golf Club near Thames is now employing the 2010 Thames High School Dux”. This annoyed me because I thought I was the obvious choice already knowing how to enter scorecards and create flyers. I also so knew all the members and had a pleasant manner to me. What also annoyed me was that the head Duty Manager who was the retired Shop owner who was on the pension who I was sitting right next to the day before never had the decency to tell me I had missed out on the Job before he put the newsletter out. When I confronted him about it he said “It was a committee decision”. I then told him I will not longer be doing the Handicapping or the table top programme. The head Duty Manager who was the retired Shop owner who was on the pension then said to me “Are you sure about this?” I then said “Is there an incentive for me to keeping doing them?” He then said “If you mean you want something for doing them there is nothing”. The duty manager who was the ex – real estate agent who was on ACC for a bad back said when I asked him about employing the 2010 Thames High School Dux said to me “He is a smart Boy”. I lost my faith in him by saying this and realised he wasn’t really my Friend.

Later that year I was encouraged by a past ladies Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames to put a nomination in to get on the committee. I said “It she nominates me then I will go on it” She signed the nomination form and because I had left put it in the slot in the green fees box that goes into the Golf Shop. When I got there the next day the past ladies Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames who was also the Cleaner said to me “Did you get the nomination form I left in the Golf Shop?”. I said “I will check with the retired Shop owner who was on the pension”. When I checked with him he said “I know nothing about it”. I looked in the green fees box and there it was. I feel the retired Shop owner who was on the pension didn’t want me to come on the committee. I got the current president of the Golf Club near Thames to second my nomination and pinned it on the wall with the rest of them.

I attended the AGM at the Golf Club near Thames and got on the committee for the 2011 season. At the first meeting I realised I didn’t really fit into their click.

2011 was a better year for me at the Golf Club near Thames. I was asked by the local painter at the Golf Club near Thames to play Championship pennants and I agreed to. I won my first three singles games and halved the fourth one. The pennant team at the Golf Club near Thames were in Division Two and we made the final. We played the Golf Club near Hamilton’s second pennant team in the final and lost to them 7-2 but because they couldn’t go up to division one because there top team was already in division one. So that meant the Pennant team from the Golf Club near Thames had made the Division One Pennants in the Waikato for the 2012 Season. I got the impression that the head Duty Manager who was the retired Shop owner who was on the pension wasn’t really interested in the Pennant team at the Golf Club near Thames because when we played at the Golf Club near Thames he never came out to watch at all. But the previous manager at the Golf Club near Thames always showed interest in the Clubs Championship pennant team and in 2008 when they won the Division Three Pennants title at the Golf Club near Cambridge he drove all the way over there to support them in the final.    

That year I never missed one committee meeting. I brought up some good points but always got them squashed by the majority. I did design a loyalty card for green fee players but it never really took off. In Club Golf at the Golf Club near Thames I defended the Brownlee cup I won the previous year. I was the first player to do so in fifty odd years. I played the Local Thames Tyre Man in the final where I easily beat him 4&3. In the Senior Match Play Championship I played the first year university student and was beaten easily 5&3.He later went on to win the Senior Match Play Championship that year.

In one of the committee meetings they were looking for someone to do write ups on the Golf Club website and for the local paper as well. I suggest I give it a try. All the members who read my write ups said they were really good. But I never got anything for doing them. Although I did get a mention in the Golf Directors report at the 2011 AGM at the Golf Club near Thames. I put in another nomination to get on the committee at the Golf Club near Thames for the 2012 season.

On prize giving day I played in the Jack Yorke Trophy with a retired lady from Thames and we came second. I scored a brilliant round of 71. When they had the prize – giving for the scramble I was surprised to learn I had won the hidden holes. When I got my money from the Club Captain I heard a comment coming from the local painter at the Golf Club in Thames that said “Put the money on the bar”. I thought to myself if I win the lucky draw money of $300 that had to go today I would put some of it on the bar. I received the Brownlee Cup I won for the second time earlier in the year. Then the Club Captain drew the lucky number draw and after drawing it six times only to find the person whose number wasn’t there. The seventh time he drew out 183 and that was my number!! Because the Club House was fill with everyone after the prize giving I felt it was appropriate to put a shout on the bar of a third of the money which was $100. When I was leaving the Club House the Local Lawyer from Thames who was the president at the time said “Well done for winning the money” he was sitting with the retired Shop owner who was on the pension and I expected him to say the same thing but he just gave me a funny stare.                

I turned up at the 2011 AGM at the Golf Club near Thames and I was a bit late because I had to work till 7pm. No one had a nomination in for a Vice Captain. The Treasurer who I was friendly with suggested I be one of the Vice Captains and I said I will do it. So I became the Vice Captain for the 2012 season.

2012 turned out a really bad year for me at the Golf Club near Thames. It started off for me really well with finishing second in the Waihi 54 hole Open. Then on Opening Day at the Golf Club near Thames we played nine hole power golf. I scored three under for the nine holes and won by one stableford point. In my first game of division one Championship Pennants at the Golf Club near Thames I played one of the best players in the Waikato and he beat me easily. His was six under par after 13 holes when the match finished. Our team lost to last year’s Division one defending Champions badly. I continued playing in the Championship Pennants at the Golf Club near Thames for the second round. Me and My Foursomes Partner won our foursomes match one up. But again I lost my singles match 5&3. My Opponent played a great front nine of 36 even par and had me four down at the turn and I wasn’t able to come back. Again the team lost but it was only by a narrow margin this time. In the third game we again played another good team from a club near Hamilton. Me and My Foursomes Partner got a half with our opponents in a very close fought match. I lost my singles match badly. And the team had another narrow loss as well. In the fourth game we played another one of the top notch team from Hamilton. Me and My Foursomes partner played very well and beat our opponents two up. In the singles I played a very good young player who again beat me easily but he was five under the card when the matched finished on the 14th green. I had my best game in the singles all year where I was only three over after 14 holes. The Team again lost badly. When I was noting all the results down on my draw sheet afterwards I noticed that the number five players had played the number six players in the singles. I brought this up with my fellow team mates who were having a drink in the Club House while the rest of my team mates were outside on the landing. They both agreed to keep quiet about it so I did. The thing that should have happened was the results of both matches become null in void and that would mean we would have lost by a lesser margin.

I believe one of those fellow team mates I told end up telling the rest of my team mates what I said on the way home from the pennants that day. I will never know because I travelled to the Golf Club near Cambridge by myself. There was a three week gap till the fifth game. The week leading up to the fifth game of Championship Pennants I got a text on my phone from the local painter from the Golf Club near Thames that said “Golf Club 6:30”. Now I didn’t know quite what this meant. So I texted him back and said “I will find out the tee time for pennants on Sunday at the Golf Club near Waihi and will meet you guys there”. I never got a text back from the local painter from the Golf Club near Thames in reply to the one I sent. The next day I checked on the Website and saw that the local painter from the golf club near Thames had dropped me from the Division One Pennant team and put me in the Division Six Pennant team without even telling me. This annoyed me because I feel I wasn’t doing too bad in the four games I had played in the division one pennants. Although I had lost all four games I had played two golfer’s playing at the top of their games and were well under par when the games finished. I also in the four foursomes games I had played I had won two and halved one.

What annoyed me most about it was the local painter at the Golf Club near Thames had never rung me up and said he was going to drop me down to the second team. If he had done this I would have understood where I was at. I turned up at the Golf Club near Thames the next day and the ex – green keeper who had a serious motor bike accident and was working in the Golf Shop as a Duty Manager said to me “The current green keeper had been told by the local painter from Golf Club near Thames to tell me I am back in the Division One team for Sunday. I was playing with the member of the Golf Club near Thames who I was replacing in the Division One Championship pennant team the next day in the Scramble. He said he had Family commitments and that is why he pulled out. I asked him if he knew if I was in the team for sure? He said “He thinks so because the local Foundry Worker from Thames couldn’t play because he was buying a car”. When I was driving home from the course I was thinking to myself are they just playing a prank on me and if I turn up at the Golf Club near Waihi they might already have their team and then I would be the one looking the fool!

So I decided not to turn up at the Golf Club near Waihi the next day. On the Monday morning I got a phone call from the local architect from the Golf Club near Thames who was one of the selectors and he asked me “Did I have any reason for not turning up for Championship pennants yesterday?” I replied “Why would I turn up when I am not even sure I am in the Team?” He said “The local painter from the Golf Club near Thames was really annoyed that I never showed and the team had to play with five players”. He also told me “I was making the Golf Club near Thames look Stupid”. He said “My Chance of playing division one pennants for the final two games were not good and asked me if I wanted to play Division Six Pennants?” I replied saying “I don’t want to play any pennants for the Golf Club near Thames anymore”.

The following week it was the 54 hole Open at the Golf Club near Thames. I finished third in the gross and won a nice prize. I came face to face with the local painter near Thames who was also playing in the tournament. But he never said anything to me about pennants last week. In Club Golf I had two poor rounds in Brownlee Cup qualifying and missed out on qualifying for the trophy I had won the two previous years. I scored my best round of the year in competition when I won the Brown’s 100% Trophy. I scored 68 minus two and returned 44 Stableford points to win by two points. I chose the right day to return my best round of the year because I won a DVD Player.

I went to the January, February and March committee meetings but was finding I couldn’t get there till 20 minutes after they had started the meeting. And nobody made me feel unwelcome so I decided I wouldn’t go to any more meetings. I remained vice captain and helped out doing prize giving’s etc. As well as doing my weekly golf reports on the tournaments every week and posted them on the club website site as well as sending them to the local paper. I also volunteered in the Golf Shop twice a month when the Volunteering started midway through the year.

I qualified for the Club Championship Senior Match play Championships in fourth position and drew the local painter from the Golf Club near Thames. Now we crossed each other’s paths many times before our match was due to be played. Neither of us made any effort to set a date for our game to be played on. On the Sunday before our match was due to be played which was the following Saturday I decided I would put me and the local painter from the Golf Club near Thames name up to play at 11:30am. I went out for nine holes before work on Wednesday that week and saw that the local foundry worker from Thames and the ex – green keeper who had a serious motor bike accident had also put their names up with us two as they were playing a match as well. As I knew the local foundry worker from the Golf Club near Thames and the local painter from the Golf Club near Thames were good mates I felt he would of let the Local painter from the Golf Club near Thames know that I had put us up to play at that time.

Well it came the Saturday Morning of the day our match was due to be played on. The weather forecast was shocking for the day with winds gusting in excess of 90km’s and heavy rain falling. I felt to myself it was too dangerous to play golf today and let alone drive to the course. I felt even driving to the course in those conditions would be extremely dangerous and playing in those conditions I could do myself a serious injury by getting struck by a falling tree branch. I decided not to ring up the Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames because as I mentioned earlier I had been in this position with him before and rung him up only to get the same response and that was we must show up to the course and see if we can play the game. 11:30am pasted and I never got a phone call from either the Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames or the Duty Manager that was on Duty at the Local Golf Club near Thames that day made any attempt to ring me to see if I was coming or where I had got to. I later found out there were no matches played or scramble cards entered that day.

I went out to the Golf Club near Thames for a game the next day and when I was playing on the course I saw the Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames on the course as well. I yelled out to him “We will play our match next Saturday at the same time?” He ignored me at first and then he said “Ok put us up for 11:30am next Saturday if you are allowed? Because the guys in the Golf Shop said you were defaulted yesterday”.  When I came through nine holes the Local painter from the Golf Club near Thames was sitting with the Local Tyre Man from the Golf Club near Thames who was also on the match committee and the Duty Manager who was on the day before and was also another retired shop owner was also chatting with them. I feel they were discussing how I never showed yesterday.

When I got back to my Car I checked my phone and had a voice mail message from the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames to ring him so I did. He said to me “It is bad news, you default the game to the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames, because you never got in contact with him to play the game.” I then said back to him “How come you and your Opponent played your game today and there are other matches that were scheduled to be played yesterday and are now going to be played next Saturday, so why can’t me and the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames play our match next Saturday?” He then replied to me and said “We are trying to bring tournaments into line, get people to communicate with each other”. I then said to him “Were any games played yesterday?” He said “A few people attempted to start but no there weren’t any matches completed”. He then said “That is not why you were defaulted, the reason why you were defaulted was because you never got in contact with the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames about the playing of your match”. I finally said “Well he never got in contact with me either!”     

The next day I rang the Golf Shop at the Golf Club near Thames to see who I lay protest with about being defaulted. I got the Duty Manager that was on that Saturday and was also a retired shop owner, he replied “Just send you protest in an email and we will pass it on to the Match Committee”. I then asked him “Were there any matches completed on Saturday or any Scramble cards handed in?” he replied “No, and said to me “Two wrongs don’t make a right”. I don’t quite know what he meant by this comment? So I sat down and wrote my protest email out and emailed it to the Golf Club near Thames.  

That evening I emailed the Treasurer at the Local Golf Club near Thames who I was quite friendly with and explained the situation to him. He replied back the next morning and said “He will bring it up at the monthly committee meeting that night”. The following morning I got an email back from the Treasurer at the Local Golf Club near Thames. He said “He had brought my issues up at the committee meeting last night and this is what the Match Committee had said “The Match Committee gave the following explanation. I put my name on the Starting Sheet and the Local Painter near Thames put his name up beside me and assumed that was the playing time. The Course was not closed and the Match Committee did not alter the first Round schedule. Almost all players turned up apart from those making alternative arrangements. Some played part of their matches and made alternative arrangements due to weather and others reorganised themselves for another date on or before next Saturday. The local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames was willing to play as he would be unable to make an alternative date before or on next Saturday. There were players on the course on Saturday Afternoon when the weather cleared. The Match Committee made the point you did not call the Club and ask for your name to be removed from the Start Sheet or enquire if the first round was going to proceed, and in the circumstances defaulted the match to the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames. The Treasurer at the Golf Club near Thames said “it may have been prudent to cancel and reschedule the first round due to the weather or at least someone could have phoned you”. At Akarana (which was the Club that me and the treasurer at The Golf Club near Thames had been members at before) if the course was open play would continue regardless of weather. The Match Committee maintain it was your choice not to play on the day. They are having a Meeting on Thursday and would be happy to discuss it with you, but with the time constraints it is unlikely they can reverse their decision. The Committee were of the majority decision that it was for the Match
Committee to decide”.

I went out to the Golf Club near Thames for a game the next day before work. The Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames was also out there at the same time. We had a chat about my protest. I explained to him if I am defaulted then he should be defaulted as well. But then I said “the simplest solution would be for me and the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames to play our match this coming Saturday”. The Club Captain then said “No the Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames has family commitments that coming Saturday”. I then suggested Labour Day Monday but the Club Captain said “No he is busy that day as well”. I then said “I am never going to win this argument because you and the Local Tyre Man are mates with the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and drink with him lots at the local Bar in Thames that has a TAB”. The Club Captain denied this and claimed he only goes there every second Saturday and he hardly ever drinks with the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames. I finished my chat with the Club Captain saying “I feel to myself that I have done nothing wrong regarding this issue”.

The next morning I got a phone call from the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames. He said “He had set up a hearing which was to be held at the Local President of the Golf Club near Thames Lawyers Office because he was also the Local Lawyer in Thames. He said “Can you make it there at 4:30pm?” I said “no I will be working at that time”. What they didn’t understand is I work in a job that once you start it you go for three hours straight not stop. But the Jobs they had you could easily arrange to have an hour off during the day. The Club Captain after I said this gave me the Local President at the Golf Club near Thames work phone number and told me to ring him.

I rang the Local President at the Golf Club near Thames and explained to him my Situation regarding the Club Matchplay Rules and me being defaulted to the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames. I read him out the rules that stated “As to the rules in the 2012 Thames Golf Club Hand Book: Rules for Competition: Knockout Competitions: "Players are responsible for contacting each other". I believe that the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames must be disqualified as well because he never contacted me before the match”. The President who was the Local Lawyer in Thames agreed with me in terms of law “The Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames must be disqualified as well”. He then told me to write out my argument and email it to the Golf Club and he will get the Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames to do the same thing and they will pass it on to the Match Committee who were having their meeting that night.

I sat down and wrote my argument out and here is what I wrote: “Further to my protest to the Match Committee: The Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and I don’t see eye to eye and this is because I am a non drinker and non smoker due to my health. And The Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames drinks and smokes and because of this he thinks he is a better bloke than me and I can judge this by the way he communicates with me. So last Saturday 13th October 2012 I saw the weather conditions were bad for playing Golf and knew the Thames Golf Course would be unplayable and in the best interest I decided to stay home as I live 20 km’s away. This was confirmed by the Club Captain at the Local Golf Club near Thames when he told me “It was impossible to play Golf”. The Duty Manager also told me “that no matches were completed that day”. As to the rules of competition states “Players are responsible for contacting each other” So you can see why I didn’t want to contact The Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames because I did not want to be abused again”. I emailed that to the Golf Club near Thames.

That Friday Morning I was expecting an email from the Match Committee at the Golf Club near Thames but it never came. I went over for a game on Labour Day Saturday at the Golf Club near Thames. When I got there I saw the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames van parked in the Car park and later when I got on the course I saw the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames playing with the Local Foundry Worker and the Ex – Green Keeper who was in a Bad Motor Bike Accident who were playing there match that was supposed to be played last Saturday just as mine and the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames was. I thought to myself what a pack of lairs the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames were. I met the Treasurer at the Golf Club near Thames who was playing a few groups ahead of me and was in the Golf Shop paying his money for the scramble at the same time as me. He said to me “Did I get his email?” I said “yes I did”. He said “He wasn’t sure if the Match Committee had made their final decision as to if I am still defaulted”. When I was on the practise putting green the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames was also there. I went and asked him “What his final decision was on my protest?” He replied in a nasty manner “Didn’t you get the email I sent you yesterday?” I replied “No I didn’t” he then said “The game was awarded to the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames”. The Local Back pack Owner in Thames who he was playing with was also on the putting green and just gave me a horrible stare when I was talking with the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames. I believe the reason why I never got the email the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames sent me is because he replied to the email the Golf Club near Thames forwarded on to him that I sent the Golf Club near Thames as requested by the President who was the local Lawyer in Thames. And when the Duty Manager got the email that was meant for me they just deleted it on purpose. The Local Head Master from the Thames Coast who was a member at the Golf Club near Thames who I was quite friendly with and was playing with that day said to me “That is not a fair decision and if the boot was on the other foot you would be made to play the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames”. I feel he was saying this because the year before he made the Semi – Final of the 4BBB Pairs Competition with his Son but they both had other commitments on the day the Match was scheduled to be played and like me they were defaulted and not given a second chance when other players were allowed to play their games at a later date.

Also playing in the group behind me that day was the local Architect from the Golf Club near Thames who was one of the pennant selectors. When I came across him and saw him face to face he had a smirk on his face. I feel he felt I got my just deserts after apparently in his opinion let the Division One Pennant team down earlier in the year by not showing up and leaving them to play one player short. As we finished nine holes the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and the Local Foundry worker at the Golf Club near Thames were having a beer after finishing their rounds and sitting on the seat outside the Club House. I said to the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames “Didn’t you want to play me in our Quarter Final Club Champs Match? His reply was “If you had of turned up last Saturday I would of played you, you never turned up, the course wasn’t closed and if you were in the same position as I was you would of claimed the game by default as well” The Local Head Master from the Thames Coast who was also a member at the Golf Club near Thames after hearing what the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames had just said then said to me “If I ever play another match play game at this club there is going to be no allowances for anybody!”.  I then thought to myself that what the Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames said was Rubbish because in 2010 in the Quarter Finals of the Brownlee Cup Match play I could of easily claimed the game by default against the Timber worker from the Golf Club near Thames because he couldn’t make it on the Saturday the match was scheduled to be played but I didn’t and played him on the following Thursday on his terms.

The Local Painter from the Golf Club near Thames

Later that night I sent the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames an email requesting he email his reply to my protest that he claimed he sent me the day before. And this is the email I got from him “I would first like to say that the work you do for the club is greatly appreciated and the effort you put in helps the club to run more smoothly. In response to your protest by email, and after talking to you personally, having also talked with The Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and consulting with the Club President, the Vice Catptain and I have come to the conclusion that our original ruling stands. The match will be awarded to the Local Painter at the Golf near Thames - you will be eligible to play in the flights. This decision has not been easy and a lot of time, effort, research and consultation, has gone into its consideration”.

The next day I wrote the following letter to the Local President at the Golf Club near Thames in reply to the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames email “Dear Local President at the Golf Club near Thames, This is the email I sent to the Match Committee on Monday 15th October. To the Match Committee, I lay a "Protest or complaint" to the decision "That I was disqualified (defaulted) made by Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames and Vice Captain at the Golf Club near Thames as to my Match play Match with the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and that was "I never contacted the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames before the match". As to the rules in the 2012 Golf Club Hand Book at the Golf Club near Thames: Rules for Competition: Knockout Competitions: "Players are responsible for contacting each other". I believe that the local painter at the Golf Club near Thames must be disqualified as well because he never contacted me before the match. It must be noted that Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames brought to my attention that it was impossible to play golf on Saturday 13th October 2012. On Saturday 20th October I received an email from the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames telling me that Vice Captain at the Golf Club near Thames and himself had made a decision that the original ruling still stands. But I believe they were not capable of making that decision because they were not qualified to do that. And this was brought to my attention when the President at the Golf Club near Thames had to get you involved. I am another Vice Captain and never had a chance to voice my concerns. This is the email the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames sent me:

“I would first like to say that the work you do for the club is greatly appreciated and the effort you put in helps the club to run more smoothly. In response to your protest by email, and after talking to you personally, having also talked with the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and consulting with the Club President, The Vice Captain at the Golf Club near Thames and I have come to the conclusion that our original ruling stands.  The match will be awarded to the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames - you will be eligible to play in the flights. This decision has not been easy and a lot of time, effort, research and consultation, has gone into its consideration.” As to the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames telephone call on Thursday morning 18th October to me he said “That he had got in touch with The President at the Golf Club near Thames to handle the dispute between myself and the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames”. The Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames “told me to ring The President at the Golf Club near Thames who was also the Local Lawyer” which I did and you said “to write out my Argument and send it to the Golf Club”. As you are the person in the Golf Club near Thames that handles the Legal Disputes I thought you would have made the decisions of the outcome rather than The Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames and Vice Captain at the Golf Club near Thames. Here is my email which I sent to the Golf Club: As required by the President at the Golf Club near Thames who was also the Local Lawyer.

Further to my protest to the Match Committee: The Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and I don’t see eye to eye and this is because I am a non drinker and non smoker due to my health. And the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames drinks and smokes and because of this he thinks he is a better bloke than me and I can judges this by the way he communicates with me. So last Saturday 13th October 2012 I saw the weather conditions were bad for playing Golf and knew the Thames Golf Course would be unplayable and in the best interest I decided to stay home as I live 20 km’s away. This was confirmed by Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames when he told me “It was impossible to play Golf”. The Duty Manager that was on that day also told me “that no matches were completed that day”. As to the rules of competition states “Players are responsible for contacting each other”

So you can see why I didn’t want to contact the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames because I did not want to be abused again. I feel to myself that I have been cheated to the decision by the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames and the Vice Captain at the Golf Club near Thames because they are great mates with the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and I believe they all drink in the Local Sports Bar in Thames. And I believe anyone to make a decision has to be an independent body to the case and understand the  Golf Club Knockout Match play Rules to law at the Golf Club near Thames”

I posted it on the Labour Day Monday on the way out to play in the Scramble at the Golf Club near Thames. On the Wednesday night of that week I got an email from the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames with the Subject line reading “Your protest to the Thames Golf Club Match Committee” and in it was an attached letter that was exactly the same as the email I got from him on the previous Saturday. I thought to myself the President at the Golf Club near Thames had been in contact with the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames and told him that he had received a letter from me regarding the email the Match Committee had sent me and he told the Club Captain at the Golf Club near Thames to send the same email he sent out before to me about my protest and the President at the Golf Club near Thames considered the case was now closed even though he was brought in to the case being the legal person in the Club. 

I then thought to myself all the people in the important positions in the Golf Club near Thames must be “Sycophants” because another retired member at the Golf Club near Thames who did a lot of volunteer work at the Club and worked alongside the Duty Managers and important committee members described them as that to me. The dictionary meaning of a “Sycophant” is: One who attempts to win favour or advance himself by flattering persons of influence.” Evidence of this was shown to me when in 2010 the retired School Teacher from Thames who did volunteer mowing at the golf club near Thames missed his second qualifying round for the intermediate match play Championship. He was excluded from the draw because he never played the two required rounds as I mentioned before, he threw a wobbly about it and the Head Duty Manager at the Golf Club near Thames put him in the Match play draw like I mentioned earlier as well. Now, the retired School Teacher from Thames who did volunteer mowing at the golf club in my opinion was a person of influence at the Golf Club near Thames having taught at the Local High School in his teaching days. However when in my the protest to the Match Committee I mentioned I do a lot of work for the Club in doing write ups on tournaments at the club weekly and post them on the Golf Club website, send them to the local paper for printing and also volunteer in the Golf Shop. They did mention this in reply to my protest to the Match Committee but never reversed the decision on my defaulting to the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames and neither let me play my quarter final match against him the following Saturday. I feel they saw that even though I was on the committee I had no real position of influence and therefore had no come back. I also believe the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames is properly the biggest Sycophant in the Golf Club near Thames because everything he wants to happen in the Golf Club near Thames always does happen. He has control of the pennant team and which players are selected to play in. When he couldn’t win the Top Dog Trophy after many Attempts of trying he demanded it be changed to a shootout in 2012 and it was. Whenever someone new of importance comes to the Golf Club near Thames for example the New Green Keeper who replaced the previous one who had a serious motor bike accident, he immediately makes friends with them.

I feel now it is in my best interest to distance myself from these people at the Golf Club near Thames because they have proven to me in the seven years that I have been a member at the Golf Club near Thames that for some reason they have had it in for me and make me feel un welcome at the Golf Club near Thames by the way they have treated me. There could be many reasons what has caused them to act in this manner. I have won some of the important trophies in the Club and it has annoyed them that a person who is classed as unemployed can do this although I have had 15 hours a week work for the past 13 months and they don’t realise how hard I have been trying to find full time work in this unstable economic climate that New Zealand finds its self in at this time. Another reason could be is I am not a born and breed Thames person and am originally from Auckland and also I don’t drink because of my health and I never go to the Local Bar in Thames where a lot of the Golf Club business is discussed and decided. Another reason could be that the Local Painter at the Golf Club near Thames saw me as an intruder to his patch and was scared I would steal his limelight by winning the Trophies that he was certain to win and he thought by turn the majority of the members at the Golf Club near Thames against me it would knock my confidence and eventually force me to join another club.     

In summing up there is a common denominator in the two main people that have forced me to leave the Golf Club near Paeroa and the Golf Club near Thames. Both people have been held in high opinion in their own world of people they mix with. Both of these main two people Alcohol plays a major part in their lives. And I believe that this is what caused the friction between me and them. And when I started beating them and their mates in Golf Tournaments they didn’t like it. They both were in control with selecting the pennants teams and by mucking me around in this they knew it would annoy me. They also had control with how the Club Match play Champs was played and by treating me unfairly in this they knew there was a better than average chance that I would get extremely frustrated with their unfair treatment towards me and eventually be forced out of the Club which happened in both cases.   

Now because I wouldn’t want to see this happen to anyone else that happened to me at the two previous Golf Clubs I was a member at I suggest if you are a quiet, friendly person like me that has had a seriously health issue and don’t drink because of this. You love the game of golf and play it to get better. Before you join a Golf Club in a small town find out the lay of the land in that club. Because it appears to me that a lot of the major decisions aren’t made at the committee meetings instead they are made at the Local Bar where people of influence who haven’t even been elected to the committee dictate how Major Decisions are made in the Club. And if you do decide to join the Golf Club I suggest you think twice about playing in their match play Championships because if you don’t enter them you can’t get in to any arguments and feel cheated. Also I suggest you don’t try and represent the Club in Inter – club events because you won’t fit into their click. I feel you will find more satisfaction out of the game of golf by entering 54 hole tournaments at other clubs where you are giving a tee time and put in a group with players of equal ability to yourself and have a chance of winning a nice prize if you play well and you will more than likely come in contact with people who think the same way as you. Just use the club that you joined as a place to practise and get better.