And well might you ask what the other eleven clubs are for. From looking at the scores turned in, the only thing that was really obvious was the dearth of birdies that were scored. A paltry two from a field of eighteen, probably one of the lowest strike rates for quite some time if not in all time. But, in all but a few cases, the actual scoring wasn’t too much different from normal and maybe a couple of those less than stellar performances could have been down to club choice. Whitey, of course played about seventy of his total shots with the putter and Ryan was torn between blaming the handicapper after last week’s mauling and poor club selection. A brief survey suggested that a wise choice was a low loft hybrid or fairway wood, and eight or nine iron and the putter. Bob for one gave the putter a miss and had his moments on the green using a hybrid instead of the flat stick though it did call up a few expletives but, then again, so does the flat stick.
So, fresh back from his lay-off, the Beast was the one that handled the conditions and the restricted equipment list the best to take out the event by playing exactly to his handicap so the only damage to the handicap was to the extent of the winners penalty. Bill did manage to quantify the benefit of the other eleven clubs having taken only two more strokes than last week when he had a full set. And he didn’t get any birdies. But he did get the top Seniors points as well so not a bad day all round.
Damo could easily have won the day if he hadn’t started reaching for the Strepsils pack on the home straight with single pointers on three of the last four holes. He was pretty pleased with his club selection but apparently it was leaving himself with the ‘in-between’ shots that required a bit more control on the grip down/part swing front that brought him undone. Still, 35 points is nothing to be sneezed at.
Blighty was another one that could have been right up there except for the three gashes and three singletons that marred an otherwise excellent card. One shot on the 8th was worthy of note as he played from a difficult lie with interference from a tree on both back swing and follow through. The ball headed for the billabong but rather fortuitously found the boundary post and ricocheted nicely back into the middle of the fairway. A chip and a couple of putts still made the two points for the hole. For his trouble and the 31 points Andrew collected the second Seniors points as well as the third in the main table. He was joined on the dais by ChrisV who started in fine style but faded a bit on the back but maybe this was just in sympathy with Ryan who was marking his card.
Then came the most popular score of the day. Thirty points and there were four of them there to share the glory. A couple of Seniors in Gordon and Harry collected points in both tables while a couple of juniors only scored points in the main table. Stef was able to peg back a few points on Ryan and Mehmet still continues to be the highest placed in the table without a win.
The Seniors were well represented today and the last points for the day went to a couple more of them with Targe and Allan rocking up with 28 points. Maybe both should be making an appointment with an optometrist as Targe struggled to read the cards while making the announcements and Allan obviously had trouble reading the handicap sheet
Bobbie scored the ball for the Nearest the Pin on the 18th with a shot that was just past the hole by 30 or 40 cms. There was some question as to whether he deserved to collect after taking three more to put the ball away though, to be fair, he was using his hybrid as a putter. There was one highlight in Ryan’s round when he put it to 1.9m on the 12th which was more than enough to collect the cash for the ProPin.
Well, the final five is decided. The Minor Premiership is decided. The next and final round of the Home and Away season will be decided week after next to set the order of the other four teams in the five. So the Hawks are the Minor Premiers with an unassailable lead in the table after they (Andrew and Gordon 61) defeated the Blues (ChrisV and Rod 58). The Tigers are still one game clear in second place despite going down (Stef and Stef 60) to the Magpies (Bill and Targe 65) but they play the third placed Blues next round so a tie for second place is a possibility if the Blues manage to get up. The IGL Commission will have to give some thought on how to break a tie in the event that one does occur. The Magpies and the Bulldogs are tied for fourth place after the Bulldogs (Damo and Mehm 65) defeated the Saints (Harry and SOS 55) which relegated the Saints permanently to the Wooden Spoon. As the Bulldogs are drawn to play the Magpies next round, this tie should be broken (unless of course there happens to be a tie in the match). The Finals series will follow using the McIntyre Final Five system and it will be interesting to see how it all pans out particularly if it is possible to arrange for opposing team members to be playing in the same group.
The Birthday Birdie was a little disappointed that JohnQ wasn’t there today but he was probably out celebrating with his family. This week sees Zimmer getting a little older if not a little wiser.
Good to see Michael back with a chipper and putter in his hand and his shoulder slowly coming good. Seems he might have to get a wall at home repainted as he marks his progress to raise his arms higher up a wall day by day. The almost putt of the day was down to Harry on the 12th from 28m out across the slope to leave it about 20mm out on the top side of the hole.
Mehm showed off his Jedi skills today by deflecting a ball that was in great danger of damaging his manhood. He did it with the shaft of the putter that he was holding with one deft movement definitely worthy of a Jedi master. Something out on the course must have gotten to Chrispy as he came back into the Clubhouse banging his head against veranda posts, walls and anything else hard to be had. He wouldn’t elaborate but most likely because the cause was within earshot. Somebody asked Blighty if he had worms as he chowed into a sandwich during the round and yet another asked if he was eating wedding cake after the round. Interesting dietary combination worms and wedding cake even if they are both highly nutritious.
The Annual Challenge is fast approaching and Gordon will send out a final missive by email during the week. As announced, we will be playing off our official daily handicaps for Numurkah and a list will be distributed once any who played inside today have been entered by the Club management.
Anybody who is planning to play at Ivanhoe next week please let us know by email or on the registration page so that we can confirm the tee times that we have booked. Anybody who plays can organise their own comp and/or play in the inside comp and you will be credited with a social round for attendance purposes (as will all who attend the Annual Challenge). The following week will be a normal club event, as many clubs as you like up to 14, and it will be a Stableford Competition
Results for Saturday, 15 August 2015
1st Bill Eastoe(36) 2nd Damien Lee(35) 3rd Andrew Blight(31) 3rd Chris Vinecombe(31) 4th Mehmet Akdag(30) 4th Stefan Belevski(30) 4th Harry Boughen(30) 4th Gordon Hill(30) 5th Allan Davies(29) 5th Targe Mifsud(29)