The Rarotonga golf season opens this Saturday at the Rarotonga Golf Club.

As for the last 20 years, the season opening tournament is sponsored by Steinlager.

There are some fantastic prizes to be won, thanks to Steinlager and The Bond, and a large field is expected.

The day’s programme will start at 12pm with the opening ceremony and members’ photograph.

Light refreshments will be provided followed by the ceremonial tee-off.

The tournament will then begin with a shotgun start at 1.15pm.

Colour for the day is green, in keeping with Steinlager and, incidentally, with St Patrick’s Day, and there is a great prize for the best dressed golfer.

The competition is on Stableford and the $8 sweep applies.

The Bond team will be on hand with supplies of Steinlager to make sure that everyone enjoys the game.

Members are reminded that the new version of the Rules of Golf starts this year.

One of the new rules concerns tee times.

If you are up to five minutes late for teeing off you will be penalised by loss of the first hole in match play and two strokes in stroke play.

Five minutes late will mean disqualification.

This used to be a committee decision but is now an official rule of golf.

Membership fees become due on the opening day of the season and members have one month after that day to become financial.

Anyone who is not financial after that date will have to pay green fees every time they play (this applies all week – not just on Saturdays).

The committee will be focusing on the etiquette aspects of the rules and our dress code on the course and in the club house this year.

One aspect that golfers are reminded of is that if you are on the wrong fairway you have no right of way.

You must wait until other players on that fairway are out of the way before you play your shot.

You should not ask that they move for you.

The last few weeks have seen some great golf played on the course.

This was especially true for the Hugh Henry Memorial Tournament which was held on February 11.

This, the premier pre-season tournament, which has been generously sponsored for the last 17 years by the Henry family, was played in scorching heat but it seemed to inspire some players to burn up the course.

Des Eggleton had his best game for many years and carded a 78 off the stick to come in with 49 points in this stableford competition and be a clear winner ahead of Tania Karati on 46 points.

Young Memory Akama and not quite so young Olly Silk were close behind with 45 points each.

All winners on that day were presented with their prizes by Helen Henry and Stuart Henry and we are all very grateful for the continuing support given by the Henry family.

Best wishes to all golfers for the year ahead.