The middle of June has arrived and the golf season is in full swing! Golf NB has run two of it’s tournaments and we are looking forward to the rest of our schedule. I love to see golfers out on the courses, driving ranges and putting greens. What a great way to spend 5-6 months of the year. Golf is an incredible game when you can start in “Little Swingers” junior programs at the age of 4 and play into your 100s (if you are so blessed)! It is a game that allows for some people to take a competitive path and pursue a very low handicap and play in high level tournaments to golfers who just want to play for fun and exercise without the experience of tournaments.
Many people feel that they do not play well enough for tournaments but that is not the case. Our Golf NB tournaments and most club events have different divisions for handicap groupings with both gross and net prizing. That is why your handicap is so important, it was made for you to play even with everyone so you have just as good a chance to win a net prize as the next person. The NB Ladies Provincials is an amazing event that accepts golfers of all levels. If you are a 30 handicap you probably won’t win the Provincial title but you could win your division’s gross or net prize. The NB Ladies is also a wonderful social event and with the Miramichi Golf Club hosting, it is will promise to be a fun event. They even have a boat tour and bbq all lined up for the competitors this year so a good time will be had by all!
The NB Junior Championship invites all juniors with a valid handicap to come play at the Hampton Golf Club from July 3-5th. Golf is a game where you can meet new people who will become your friends for a lifetime. Remember there is a Pee Wee division for those kids aged 12 and under, Bantam division for ages 13-14, Juvenile division for ages 15-16 and the Junior division for ages 17-18. If you want to try tournament golf, have a valid handicap and can play 18 holes of golf visit www.golfnb.ca to register.
Golf tournaments are not only for the elite gofers, they are for every golfer. 2018 should be the year you play in your first tournament. Golf is a game where it is you against the golf course, play well against the course and see how you finish with your peers. Remember golf is a game for a lifetime and keeps you Active for Life which is why so many of us love this game.
The Gowan Brae Golf and Country Club proved to be a worthy host for a second consecutive year as the NB Ladies Four Ball returned to the par 72 (Robby) Robinson design which features its signature holes of 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 along the Bay of Chaleur.
This year’s event would see 27 teams of two from across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia compete for both the gross and net championships on a testing day. Teams would be faced with cold and windy conditions on Sunday.
Kristi Roach of The Riverside Country Club and Morgan Matchett of Miramichi Golf & Country Club claimed their second consecutive NB Ladies Four Ball Championship at Gowan Brae. The duo braved the windy and fall like weather to fire a sizzling 6-under 66.
The team of Roach and Matchett began their round by birdying the par 4 1st and the par 5 2nd then paring out until back to back birdies en route to a 4-under 32 on the front nine. The duo continued their performance on the windy back nine as they managed to walk away from holes 11, 15, and 18 with birdies and only falling victim to one bogey on the par 4 13th. This year’s victory allowed Roach and Matchett to add to their already impressive resumes. For Roach, 2018 marks her third NB Ladies Four Ball Victory, previously won with her sister Michelle. For Matchett this is her fourth NB Ladies Four Ball victory in the last six years.
While Roach and Matchett were busy running away from the rest of the field, there was a close competition developing for second. In the end, the Country Meadows team of Sandy Comeau and Leanne Richardson secured second place with an even par round of 72. In the race for second were the home teams of Molly MacDermaid and Kelly Maher, Shelagh Eddy and Kathy Grebnec along with the Miramichi Golf and Country Club team of Karen Flett and Paula Napke-Flanagan who all finished in a three way tie for third at 3-over 75.
2018 NB Ladies Four Ball Champions Amelie & Alexandra Guitard (Royal Oaks Golf CLub)
In the net division, the Royal Oaks and sister team of Amelie and Alexandra Guitard claimed their first NB Ladies Four Ball Championship with a 12-under net 60. The sister duo started out the front nine with back to back net birdies on holes 1 and 2 followed by net birdies on holes 4 and 8 and finished off the front nine with a net eagle on the par 4 9th , the eagle help the team finish the front with a 6-under net 30. Amelie and Alexandra started the back nine where they left off on the front with a net eagle on the par 4 12th hole followed by back to back net birdies on 13 and 14. The Royal Oaks team were able to hold onto their 4 shot lead ahead of gross winners Kristi Roach and Morgan Matchett who finished with an 8-under net 64.
For more information on the 2018 NB Ladies Four Ball including full results please CLICK HERE.
Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), a not for profit organization founded in 1934, is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick. In January of 2006, the New Brunswick Golf Association (NBGA) officially merged with the New Brunswick Ladies Golf Association (NBLGA), resulting in one united governing body for amateur golf in the province. Programs offered by Golf NB to its 9,000 members include: 12 provincial events, rules of golf education, course rating and handicap services, junior golf development programs and member club marketing initiatives.
