The 2009 Taupo Championships at Spa Park, Taupo, New Zealand with www.discgolf.co.nz

The 2009 Gentil Sport Taupo Classic, Spa Park Taupo, New Zealand
October 3 & 4 2009

Disc Golf New Zealand

Congratulations to everyone who made the Taupo Classic another memorable event on the NZDG calendar.

34 players including a junior field of 6 [4 J15’s and 2 J12’s] right up to 2 Senior Grand Masters [60+].

The two un-seeded rounds on the Saturday were played in ideal conditions with very little wind and overcast skies, with the sun even making a guest appearance from time to time, the park was pristine with a lot of the blackberry thinned from many areas but still enough left to make you wary on some holes. It’s a big undulating course but not too hard to get around, the word technical was heard a few times over the weekend and I guess that sums it up. You do need to think about where you want to be for your next shot, there is plenty of trouble you can find yourself in.

When the cards were checked and sorted after play on the Saturday the run at the silverware was wide open, with just 3 shots separating the top 3.

Sunday dawned wet and windy, with a cold snap coming from the south conditions on the course were going to be testing; surly this would see some carnage. Already 12 of the 34 starters had decided to stay in bed and leave golf to the hardy. Raincoats and umbrellas were the dress code of the day. Not conducive to great golf? Seems not as once the cards came in National Champ Simon Feasey had played a blinder in the rain and wind and taken a stroke off the course record he set last year, 47, 9 under the card. Brilliant! And all the rest of the top group could do was appreciate the fact they were there to watch it happen, and be happy with par in the atrocious conditions.

With the weather getting worse it was decided to head straight out for the ‘Super 6’ as soon as the second group came in. With the GM not wanting to turn his bronchitis into phenomena and Jack Turner staying in the warmth of the hotel with the rest of the Ultimate golfers the second seeded group consisted of just Damien Peters and Taumarunui legend Pete Boyle and both had done enough to hold off the challenges of the group below to make the ‘Super 6’. Unless there was a major collapse the only thing riding on the ‘Super 6’ really was the 1 shot lead in Masters that Tauranga’s Dean Marshall had over the Lost Tribes Blair Joines. On the first hole Blair struck trouble and that gap was increased to 2 then on the 5th hole Dean’s drive went 40 metres past the hole and the lead was back to 1. On the final hole Dean had parked his upshot and Blair was close to 30 metres away with a good clean look at the basket on the side of the slope, the rain drenched gallery went quiet as Blair took some last advice from his caddy Gene Tutaki and lined up the shot. It was a bullet straight at the basket and for all money was going in but a metre or so out it dropped and slammed into the side of the basket and his challenge was over. To be honest I think the gallery was a little relieved as if we had needed a playoff for the Masters trophy I think a few were heading towards hypothermia. A great display of golf in very testing conditions.

Gentil Sport would like to thank everyone who turned up for the 2009 Taupo Classic and especially those that made the event what it was;