Monthly Archives: October 2022

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Birrarung chose to overflow the banks again following a gutful of rain during the week, and the course was closed for the weekend. And so, one of the few days in recent times that was reasonably clement went begging and the eleven members who registered to play had to find something else to occupy their time other than playing golf.

The Club Committee, on the other hand, did find something to occupy themselves. They had an email meeting to determine what to do about the Fred Kitson Spring Cup event. In the end, it was decided that it was impossible to fairly reschedule either the final round or the whole event while also completing the balance of the calendar for this competition year. Thus, the Fred Kitson has been cancelled, and the round completed last week has been declared an ordinary round with points and handicapping for those members that competed and completed.

Only four more Saturdays to go, assuming that there are no more weather interruptions until the end of this Competition year. We still have the matchplay finals to get done, so if those involved could make the necessary arrangements/agreements, that would be good. The Club Strokeplay Championship rounds are coming up, and, come December, the slate will be wiped clean, and the new competition year will get under way with the Vin O’Meara followed closely by the CoCs and the break-up and presentations.

No rest for the Birthday Birdie this week, despite the flooding, as he will have to flutter his way around to visit Life member Rodger and Ordinary member Damo. Have a good one, guys!

Results for Saturday, 29 Oct 2022
No Competition due to flooding

Notes by Michael

After lots of debate about the weather during the week, the Fred Kitson got off to a dry start for the nine players who made it to the starting gate, for about a minute. It then rained, as predicted by the weather bureau, for four hours straight, clearing just in time for what was left of the field to enjoy the view from the clubhouse as they finalised and signed some very soggy cards.

Along the way, two of the field (Gordo and Ken) pulled the plug when the all-pervading wetness and/or lack of performance got to be just too much. The highlight of Ken’s round was the pre-round talk of this year’s mango season. Best ever apparently and almost ready to go. Can’t wait for the ‘rejects’! As for Gordo, he was last seen on the 14th tee chatting with SOS, Craig and Michael attempting to justify his decision to pull the plug. Something about the rain and being wet.

SOS was not impressed, having spent the whole round looking at the radar and declaring that the rain was about to clear. Matty was more on the money, declaring from the first hole that the rain would stop at 12pm.

As for the golf, like a few small fields at the nags, the placings were well spread with nobody on the same score. A length in front was Brendan who turned around a 3 down front nine to put in a stellar one under par 32 off the stick, making a 4 up back nine for a plus 1 total. After a lost ball on the 13th, the highlight was a tidy eagle on the 14th. No double pluses on offer, but Brendan was happy to take the Eagle’s Nest.

Every time SOS asked Matty how he was going, he said square, and that’s how he finished. A potential new old reliable in the making. A length further back was Geoff on minus 1 with SOS on minus 2 close behind.

Gordo took a few photos during the round, including a few of the pools of water that surrounded some of the flags. The fifth and tenth were amongst the worst affected, with the ball catchers rising in the hole to the point a ball couldn’t get in, necessitating the old-fashioned pull the pin. On the 10th, SOS hit his downhill birdie putt so hard that on any other day it would have gone off the front of the green. The end result was pin high a foot away and an easy solid whack in through the water for his par from there.

On the 7th, already four down after 6 and contemplating doing a Gordo, Michael’s tee shot finished one inch off the green and he did some umming and ahhing about whether to putt or chip given the water between him and the flag. He decided to putt. Wrong decision. Michael went on to steady the ship somewhat and finish at minus 4 and in fifth place on the week 1 standings.

Craig started in his old reliable form with 5 halves despite the heavy rain, upon which Michael remarked that he wasn’t going to bother marking Craig’s card until the end because his scores were very easy to remember. Craig promptly dropped the next two holes and descended further by the end to minus 5. Anthony who we haven’t seen for a while, brought up the tail of the field on minus 6. With Anthony an unlikely starter next week due to family commitments, it will leave 6 hardy golfers vying for the Fred Kitson trophy. This raises an interesting question, if anybody else drops out, can the event be contested in light of the six player rule? Hopefully Gordo will have recovered enough to fire up the BBQ.

The money jackpotted again on the 4th, so there’s some incentive for people contemplating a game this week. SOS says, despite the weather bureau predicting rain every day this week, including Saturday, in fact, the weather will be perfect, so no excuses for not rocking up. The ball on the 15th was hotly contested, with Craig being knocked off by Matty. Geoff then knocked Matty off for the ball on the 18th with a brilliant shot to the top tier, although wasn’t able to convert the birdie putt, and so we only managed three birdies and one eagle for the day.

The Birthday Birdie has been on holidays, and he doesn’t remember delivering a good wishes to Adam a few weeks back. However, he will remember delivering one to CJ, who will be partying after his trip to Mansfield and in preparation for his big trip up North.

Results for Saturday, 22 Oct 2022
Leaderboard Round 1: 1st Brendon Mitchell (+1) 2nd Matt Hunt (□) 3rd Geoff Lyall (-1) 4th Stephen O’Sullivan (-2) 5th Michael Gourlay (-4)

Seniors Leaderboard: 1st Geoff Lyall (-1) 2nd Michael Gourlay (-4) 3rd Craig Cameron (-5)

Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin – 4th Jackpot BallPin No 1 – 15th Matt Hunt BallPin No 2 – 18th Geoff Lyall

Eagle’s Nest Results: Eagle – 14th Brendon Mitchell

There were a dozen people (including a mystery guest) who were watching the BOM radar with a view to being to be able to get their hands on a chance to boost their Championship standing as the competition year rapidly draws to its close. At first, it looked as if the forecasts might not be particularly accurate, but appearances proved to be deceiving, and the rain kept coming. The river kept rising, and eventually, the banks were not high enough and the muddy waters started to spread out onto the adjacent flats. Of course, the majority of the course is located on those flats, and by Thursday afternoon, the course was declared to be unplayable, and it was closed.

Still, some held out hopes that there could be play, but, by the middle of Friday, it was clear that all hope was gone, and it was decided that the Fred Kitson should be postponed for a week. Some good weather might allow the course to drain and allow some maintenance. However, there is talk of another pulse of rain later in the week, so, hopefully, we don’t go through the same dramas next week. The calendar is getting a bit on the thin side for further postponements.

Results for Saturday, 15 Oct 2022
No Competition

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Annual Challenge by Gordon

Thanks to Matt Hunt for the organisation of the Annual Challenge ( 3 years in the making!). Half the group went up early to get in a round before the weekend, but it rained incessantly on the way up. The decision was not to play, but to head to the bar for the day – very likely the start of a few headaches. Friday night saw the draw of the groups for Saturday, the Calcutta and the collection of $50 for Punters Club funds. It was good to see old faces back with Ivanhoe MSGC – Stef, Mehmet, Chris V and Ken. The brothers Priems were noticed hitting the dance floor for some ancient disco dancing – together. There were a few questions on the size of handicaps (especially Steve G as it turned out, and Mehmet, who hasn’t played for ‘years’ and still only gets 12!). ‘Bloody Harry – when do we get a new handicapper’. Harry says – play more often!

Day 1 and the skies had cleared overnight, and the weather was sensational. Plenty of roos around the course and some puddles on the course (and in the bunkers), but the condition was exceptional (given the recent weather). The club house had the disco music blaring out loud, making for a real party atmosphere. On the 5th hole, Brendon was putting uphill when Bon Jovi came on the speakers and, you guessed it, “Woah, we’re half way there, woah, livin’ on a prayer,”
… yep, he left it short by a long way.

One other highlight was the swooping of Brendon by the resident maggie, which had him doubled over in defence. First swoop got him on the cap, and from then on it was look out! Day 2 came with a warning from the ProShop of maggies doing a lot of swooping, so “look out”. We all then had stories of holding putters above our heads to scare them away, but not all that successfully. The lady from the Proshop had a 3” scar down her face from an earlier attack.

But, what about the golf, you might ask. Well, the highlight would have to have been the performance by Steve who top scored on both days with 35 and 37 points to take out the Mustard jacket on his first attempt and by a wide margin. Brendon was equal top score on Day 1, despite the magpie attack, and his 67 scored him second place. Matt, Rob and Ken trailed further back to fill the remaining point scoring places.

Poor old Chris J was hampered by his back injury from the previous week, and only had enough drugs to get him through Day 1. Day 2 – he shaped up much better, although the scores did not benefit greatly, and the NARGA was his for the taking. Pepsi was not his usual self on Day 1, and only managed a point per hole, which might be explained by the excesses of Friday night (or not, as the case may be). As usual there were lots of good hits, giggles and expletives for the 2 days. Not too many misses, though, although the Cock’s Plate (for the worst shot of the weekend) went to Rob Priems who skied one shot straight up, the ball coming down flicked his cap and landed at his feet.

History repeated itself and the NTP’s were dominated by Matt Hunt and Brendon. Porks won the Calcutta – he doesn’t win all the time, but then he does seem to most of the time, somehow. On the other hand, history did not repeat, the Punters Club played well – they got their $50 back plus $5 ! Better than they normally do on these trips (or any time for that matter!). The cocktails got a hammering on Saturday night, and no luck for any trying to chat up the locals – the locals had taste.

Ivanhoe by Craig

On the local front, after all the rain on Thursday and Friday, what would be the condition of the course on Saturday morning. Blighty said it would be a quagmire and opted to stay at home and catch up on some outstanding jobs. Michael was at the course bright and early, but, on the proviso that, if we did not have the numbers for a comp, he would not play and go home, which he did, but it might very well have been via Macca’s.

Stan, SOS and Craig stood on the first tee, fearing the worst, hoping for the best, and landed somewhere in between. Those parts of the course that suffered during the winter wet were no better, but overall the course had not suffered as badly as was thought might be the case. They were joined by James, who was at the course early to play a round of golf, but with no-one to play with.

After the first 3 holes the consensus comment amongst the playing group was that “I can’t remember ever playing these first 3 holes so badly”. It was hoped that things would improve, and they did, but not by a big margin, lost balls – plugged, in hazards and OOB – taking their toll on the scores. Don’t mention the poor golf shots. It was possible to rationalise the ordinary golf by the fact that this was a social round, and therefore it did not count.     

One thing worthy of mention was that Stan was nearly taken out by a branch that fell from a gum tree as he was waiting to tee off on the 18th. A fortunate miss and a timely warning. A perfect sunny Spring morning for golf, it was just a pity the golf did not match the weather.  

Results for Saturday, 08 Oct 2022
Ivanhoe: No Competition

Challenge: 1st Steven Gervasoni (37, 35, 72) 2nd Brendon Mitchell (32, 35, 67) 3rd Matt Hunt (31, 32, 63) 4th Robert Priems (33, 29, 62) 5th Ken Watson (27, 33, 60)

Seniors Results

Ivanhoe: No Competition

Challenge: 1st Steven Gervasoni (37, 35, 72) 2nd Ken Watson (27, 33, 60) 3rd Gordon Hill (24, 26, 50) 3rd Chris Priems (19, 31, 50) 3rd Geoff Lyall (25, 25, 50)

Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin – – No Contest BallPin No 1 – – No Contest BallPin No 2 – – No Contest