Queenstown Golf Club Newsletter

Saturday 21st June – The Shortest Day (But Not Short on Action)

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Well… What a Day!

We had everything going on—showers, sun, scattergun starts, and scores that made jaws drop.

Let’s start with the big headline: Ben Fokkens from Invercargill casually dropped 51 stableford points on the field. The next best was 40. We’re fairly certain the rest of the field just gave him a point each in some sort of friendly sacrifice ritual.

The Men’s Madness

  • Second place went to Terry Doherty with a still-impressive 40 points.

  • Grant Hardy followed with 39, and a tidy cluster of 38s included David Harding, Richard Hogan, and James Sowerby.

Special mentions:

  • Kwan Hee Lee made a two on the Par 4 15th—yes, you read that right—and collected an automatic $30 credit to his account.

  • Josh Tierney beat the elusive Jack Pot to win the Net Eagles draw of $300. May he use it for either warm winter gear—or warming drinks from the bar.

  • And finally, Adam Chesher, who had a forgettable round score-wise (21 points…), stuck around and picked up the Random Card Draw—worth $100. A lovely reminder that it pays to hang around, no matter what the scoreboard says.

As for the team of Alson Foo, John Strettell and Terry Doherty—they must’ve been working off a pirate’s map because they took a “Scattergun” approach to the shotgun start and promptly lost the plot. Gentle reminder: our beautiful new tee signs are there for a reason. Use them. Or don’t—and become newsletter material.

In the Numbers: Twos, Birdies & Net Eagles

The men’s side saw a strong spread of twos, with ten players including Matt Evans, David Grant, Roger Hudson, and Richard Hogan among those who snuck one in—plus James Sowerby, who bagged two. In the Birdies Draw, four players—Michael Wong, James Sowerby, David Harding, and Roger Hudson—each pocketed $18 credit. And, of course, the big win went to Josh Tierney, whose Net Eagles Draw win of $300 made him the warmest golfer in Queenstown.

Spot On: Men's Nearest the Pins & Longest Putt

There were some precise shots tucked in between the chaos too. Brendan Peet and Darren Hill each claimed a Nearest to the Pin prize, while Aaron Hotop sank a beauty( That's what we'll call it, even though it was only 12 inches) to secure Longest Putt of the day—all three taking home Neat Meat vouchers for their efforts. Straight hitting and clutch putting rewarded with tasty steak? That’s golf done right.

The Ladies’ Day – Red Tees and Winter Cheer

Seventeen ladies took to the course, braving the short tees to honour the shortest day of the year.

While no one managed to play to their handicap, the group did provide some excellent photos and even better stories.

  • Marti Groves, Lynda Baker, Sally Hicks-Beach, and Julie Grant all tied with 33 points to share the spoils.

  • Sharron Payne knocked in the only two of the day and got nearest the pin on 11. She also earned a standing ovation for pulling off the “so-close-you-could-swear-it-had-dropped” pose made famous by Athol Stephens.

  • Toni Sinclair earned the Net Eagles prize, while Kerry Conner claimed the Birdies Draw.

To top it all off, the Longest Putt prize went to Lynda Baker, who clearly knows how to roll 'em, even when the greens are running slower than a Monday morning.

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From explosive scoring and lost tee boxes to red tee banter and close calls, Saturday at Queenstown Golf Club had it all. Rain or shine, win or lose, there’s always something to laugh about—especially if you're hanging around with this crew.

Until next time, play well, know where you're going, and never walk away before the random draw.

Cheers from the Pro Shop Team
Queenstown Golf Club
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