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Friday 23 April 2021
Close finish in Takaka Open
In full swing: watched by his brother Blair, Sean Riordan tees off at last weekend’s Takaka Golf Club Open tournament. Photo: Jo Richards. JO RICHARDS
The seaside links at Pohara created a spectacular setting for Takaka Golf Club’s Open tournament. Under clear skies the annual competition teed off shortly after dawn on Saturday and ended with the final putts being sunk on Sunday evening in what proved to be a close finish. The 36-hole, two-day tournament attracted 128 entries, including both amateurs and professionals – some from as far away as Palmerston North and Christchurch. The large field was divided into two groups of 64, with the first players teeing off at 7.30am, and the second half of the draw starting around noon. Making a welcome return to their home course, local golfing stars Blair and Sean Riordan were looking to put the trophy back onto the family mantlepiece. Between them the brothers have won the tournament a total of 11 times with Sean one title ahead of his sibling, although Blair, having triumphed in 2018, is the most recent champion of the two.
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As they warmed up at the practice range on Saturday morning, prior to a midday tee time, the professional pair, who run Total Golf in Nelson, were relishing the prospect of an afternoon round. “It’s great to have an excuse to come back. We certainly miss it,” said Blair, who reckons they have played the course thousands of times over the past two decades. Familiarity, however, has not bred any contempt for the links – quite the opposite. “It’s a fantastic golf course, a hidden gem” said Sean. “It got us to a high level.” While the Riordans prepared to tackle the course, others had already completed their first rounds. Club member Brenda Climo, who plays “two or three times a week” off a handicap of 12, was checking her morning score card after nearly five hours of driving, pitching and putting. “I started off badly,” said Brenda. “It was cold and I couldn’t feel my toes. The first two balls I hit out of bounds.” Club president John Garner was also among the early starters. “Just as I was about to tee off
the sun came up over the hill,” said John, who was pleased it was still shining and the ninehole links was playing well. “We’ve got beautiful conditions and the course is in good shape.” John paid tribute to his committee for pulling the event together. “They all do their share – from getting entries to catering and sorting out prizes.” As the last of the morning’s golfers finished their rounds, lunch was beginning in the clubhouse. A party of eight from Palmerston North, including defending champion Hamish Campbell, were clearly enjoying themselves at the 19th hole, sinking beers, not putts, after their morning round. Unofficial spokesman Mark Jones explained why they made the journey to Golden Bay. “The course is stunning; it’s a good club and great hospitality.” Another cracking day on Sunday wrapped up with a crowd watching Blair Riordan win the tournament by two strokes, after he finished his final round with two consecutive birdies. For results, see page 14.
SUBMITTED BY COUNCILLOR CHRIS HILL
No one wants council rates to increase. Certainly not ratepayers. Nor renters. Tasman District Council staff don’t, and neither do councillors. I certainly don’t. The main driver of the increases is, of course, the Waimea Dam overruns. The matter of whether or not Golden Bay, Motueka and Murchison ratepayers should contribute to the costs of the dam has been raised. Golden Bay and Motueka councillors have raised this too, a number of times at council. For these communities to not contribute requires a majority of councillors around the table agreeing to it. Currently, a majority of councillors do not support this and they won’t be persuaded otherwise. This has been tested, and in the end it comes down to votes. Those who voted no to the dam still want GB ratepayers to pay their share towards it. I did not support the preferred option, Option A, for collecting the irrigators’ share of the cost increases outlined in the Long Term Plan consultation documents. At council workshops I advocated for Option C, which is a targeted rate on all properties in the zone of affiliation, with a ratio of 5:1 between those that have an affiliated water consent and those that could affiliate. I believe there is value to those that can affiliate and their property values are likely to be impacted positively by this potential. The funding model that has been implemented for the dam apportions the benefits as 49% to irrigators, 21% to urban water users and 30% to ratepayers for the environmental and public good benefit. What is being suggested is that ratepayers contribute to assist the irrigators’ share of overruns. GB ratepayers’ districtwide rate for the dam increases from $26 in year 2021/22 to a maximum of $56 in year 2023/24. If the preferred Option A is adopted, there will be an additional $2 on the general rate in the first year rising to $5 in year 2025/26 to assist the irrigators’ share. Other factors contributing to the proposed rate increases include the current year’s zero rates increase in response to Covid; implementation of Government’s reforms; maintenance of infrastructure assets; and general cost increases. The recent QV revaluations are also having an impact on some property owners’ rates increases. Options to reduce the proposed increases include ... Continued on page 4
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