Weekend competition
At long last some real golf to report on, with both the regular mid-week competitions as well as the normal Saturday competition making a more than welcome return. Once again, the course demonstrated its ability to return from near impossible playing conditions back to normal.
The course was closed on Monday, re-opened on Tuesday and Thursday with just some minor cart restrictions, and on Saturday carts were permitted with unrestricted access over the entire golf course. This was brought about, no doubt through the efforts of course superintendent, John Nelson, and his staff, together with several volunteers manning the course mowers, including Neville Higham, Richard Maguire and Tony Daly. Our appreciation to John, his staff, and volunteers for return of the golf course to its absolute best. Their next challenge will be the bunkers, which still require some attention, and that will happen sooner rather than later.
Saturday’s field in the McMullan Contracting Irish 4-ball Stableford, attracted a very healthy field of 120 players and despite the lack of any recent play, the standard of golf was very high.
With a final score of 88 points the foursome of Jason Casserly (11), Mark Newman (21), Simon Winwood-Smith (26) and Allan Donaghey (13) scooped the field and record a one-point margin over their nearest rivals. The top three teams separated by just two points. In second place the combination of Alf Groves (14), Owen Hindmarsh (28), Frank Petty (14) and Henri Arnold (32) just held out the 2nd r/up team of Graham Tracey (9), Craig Heaslip (29), Peter Tracey (13) and Brett Paxton (17) who finished on 86. John Dahl’s tee shot on the 1st finished just 136cm from the pin and as a result was awarded the Mark Harvison Pro pin for his effort.
Next Saturday’s competition will be the Coopers Brewery sponsored 4BBB Stableford which will also serve as the qualifying event for both the 4BBB knockout series (eight teams to qualify) and the State-wide Keno 4BBB Stableford series. Just mark your car accordingly if you want to qualify for either or both competitions.
Midweek competition
Following a period of no golf a good field of 75 players contested the Tuesday Veterans and Members competition. The overall winner on the day was John Tracey (8) with 38 points against his name. One of the games great golf tacticians, Ray Evans (21) claimed the 1st r/up spot with 37. Jeff Hackett (5) had to survive a six-way countback to claim the 2nd r/up spot with 34. Pro balls went down to those on 31 on a countback.
The Thursday competition also attracted a field in excess of 70 players and being the Mark Harvison sponsored Tallowood Challenge was played under the stroke format. Once again Brett McConnell (10) dominated proceedings with a great score of 69 nett to easily win on the day. No doubt his score enhanced with a nearest the pin trophy on the 1st as a bonus. A visitor from Maclean Golf Club, Fraser Marsh (4) finished with the 2nd runner-up trophy, two shots in arrears to Brett with a 71. The 2nd r/up spot went to Greg Harvison (plus 1) with a 72, that spot resolved following a three-way countback. Greg cleaned up in the nearest the pin component of the competition, claiming both prizes on the 6th and 17th holes. The remaining nearest the pin trophy went to Greg Simpson (7) another Maclean visitor. Proballs went down to players who achieved a score of 76 or better.
The revised nomination sheet relating to the annual inter-club Virginia trip has now been made available is up on the notice board to accept your name. The closing date for the nominations will be April 16 and payment should be completed by then. The golf itinerary has been changed slightly with golf scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Virginia Golf Club.
The Sunday golf will be played at Lakelands Golf Club prior to returning home Sunday afternoon. For further details regarding the Virginia Trip just contact the tour co-ordinator, David Morgan.
Ray Hopwood