Taupō Amateurs version 7
(l-r) Whero - J. Kermode, A. Searle, L. Watson, S. Warner, E. Erstich, B. Howard, A. Rorke, R. Graham
A word from the Bogeyman…pt2
Roses are whero,
sniffers are blue,
I am the Bogey Man,
Back for part 2
The weekend of the year was once again upon Taupo-Nui-a-Tia (translation;the big cloak of Tia).
A geothermal hot spot that was about to play tribute to it’s fiery ancestral colours and honor the whero fellowship for the first time in history since the teams adopted colours. In what many say was a well overdue taste of golf’s greatest glory.
There is those who reflect on 2020 and remember it as the year of a 5 letter word with a 2digit number that followed it. The WHERO-36…. which sadly cast a darker shadow for their Blue Sniffer counterparts than the global pandemic which ensued shortly after. For Blue, losing the Taupo Amateurs will be remembered as ‘on par’ with the Corona Virus itself.
Sniffers - A. Hodges, T. Howard, J.MacAvoy, T. Loosley
D. Rice, B. Vette, D. Laurence, M. Smith
As with all disasters there are some that find the silver lining and for the men in Red, they will quietly champion the year 2020 as a great year.
Rob Graham in particular, who was the third man EVER, to climb one of the greatest feats in sporting history, which is to transition from Bogey-man to Birdy-man.
A feat that only some of the rawest and uncut talent of this world have accomplished. Although the handicap system which allowed another amateur to retain a greater handicap than the reigning Bogey-man not only seemed riffe with corruption and collusion. But the scandal that allowed such an exemption would no doubt haunt the committee for years to come. In comparison the only other scandal of note in sporting history, would be that of Lance Armstrong and the blood doping saga. Is there a connection? Well let me ask you this…. What colour is blood - WHERO.
And to draw some other strange connections…. Blue team came second. Which means that WHERO were first, and so Blue are now AFTER WHERO (or if you can’t read between the lines… Blue, is now after blood!). Maybe not quite that extreme but heads will be scalped, snakes will be exchanged, Poker will be won, Food will be cooked, Beer will be drank, wives will be ignored, putts will be missed, balls will be lost, balls will be blue/yellow/pink, news will be fake, drives will be long, pins will be near, strokes will be amazing, strokes will be heartbreaking, locals will be entertaining, thumbs will be hitched, beers will be poured, laughs will be had, insults will be thrown, clubs will be bent, tears will be shed, silverware will be exchanged, hands will be shook, strategies will be spoken, cliffs will be jumped, social distancing will be ignored, blow-outs won’t! Moments will be had and the memories will be buried in amateur chronicle’s. Only to be rejoiced upon whilst fingering your way through the pains and privileges of those who came before.
The great men who paved the way for a brighter future for Amateurs to come, must first be remembered for their contribution, dedication and sacrifices they have made in order to lay the foundations in which the grandest of events seem to improve year on year. Noting a special thanks to the leader and organizer extraordinaire Mr Tom Howard and the I.C.
This summary, brings us closer to the greener pastures of 2021, a year we all look forward to. With one sand bunker at a time (a feeling that only Ash could really know the true pain of) slipping further away into the rare-view mirror of 2020 fading along with the end of the worst year in history.
Fear not though swingers, Blue Skies ahead! 2021 will be a battle for the history books as Blue sniffers look to bring the silverware home to its rightful resting place.
Let the games begin!
-Bodhi Vette