For some reason, handicapping was a hot topic of conversation around the Club today. Which is a bit of a pity because we should have been busy wishing a swag of people Happy Birthday. That is, we could have if they had been here. The Birthday Birdie reports that celebrations are forthcoming for Brendon (today actually) as well as el Pres JohnQ and ChrisV. Brendon did turn up late to hand his clubs over to Chrispy for the trip to Shep and quietly dropped that this was the day. JohnQ is out of town and we haven’t seen Chris for a little while but like Arnie – he’ll be back.
There were a few showers passing through early this morning and maybe this was enough to put a few people off so we only had a field of fifteen today and one of our longer term members was commenting that this was the wettest he had seen the course. Maybe his memory is failing him. He reckons his golf is and that he might just drive the drinks cart up at Shep next weekend. Come on Chrispy, at least you didn’t get the NARGA.
The going obviously wasn’t too soft for Brent who spent a lot of time explaining how this was the first time in a long time that he had played three weeks in a row. The practice obviously has paid off because he was easily able to exceed the early predictions that a square round would be enough to win the day. A plus three score-card and the winners penalty was enough to bring his handicap closer to where it should be if he can get his left-handers slice under control. There was one major aberration when he severely topped a drive, almost driving the ball into the ground and moving it only a metre or so from its starting point. This also happened to be well short of the red markers and counted as a draughtie. Ryan also fell victim to the draughtie syndrome on two occasions and a number of members are keen to be grouped with Porks next weekend as rumour has it that there are some largish distances from the back markers to the reds at Shep.
There were a few people hot on the tail of Brent and three of them tied it up for second place just a stroke behind with +2. Harry took about four holes to start warming up and looked to be somewhat out of the race after the front nine. A veritable blitzkreig on the back nine was a complete contrast leading to accusations that don’t bear mentioning. Jason has been getting in some practice on Thursdays and that is standing him in good stead to join in on the second podium spot. Ed, on the other hand, started strongly with +2 on the front but faded a bit on the back to maintain that score to the end.
Noodles was pretty steady right through the round with no disasters to speak of though he was heard to express his displeasure at one stage. There was at least one highlight when he was able to but his drive on the 18th to 4.57m of the pin on the 18th which was enough to collect him the ProPin for that hole on the day.. Simon lined up for a coaching session during the week and after about six holes he was all fired up to buy the coach a bottle of bubbly for fixing his game. A pair of square nines put him on a par with Noodles.
Now, Snags is not somebody that we see very often due to his commitments to keep the public transport system operating and on time but he did suggest that if the records were checked they would show that, the last eight times that he has played, he has been in the points every time. The records weren’t checked so the claim cannot be confirmed at this stage but he certainly made the grade for this round with his -1 card. He certainly showed that some of his fine touch had not been left on the buses and he took great delight in not letting Chrispy forget it. If there was a low-light in the round it would have to be the three chips that it took to get onto the 18th green from the grass bunker at the front of the green. Targe and Bob, who was barely heard, were able to match Snags, at least on the score card.
Then there was a 2 point gap to the final place with Dennis and MattN filling the final spot on the podium. Which left a mere four people out of the points on the day. No names, no packdrill. Michael, it must be said was not at all pleased about his 67% miss rate from 1.5m or less with the flat stick. The Beast held the view that his group losing two balls on the 1st was not a good omen. Chrispy had as good as a gimme on the 18th and he went to tap it in with his ‘not so’ trusty collingwood putter. The club did hit the ball but it was so much on the top of the ball that the ball did not move from its position. Not a bad trick. So desperate was Chrispy that he changed his ball at least three times during the round. He did express the view that he preferred using the pink Volvic although the word that he was using conjured up and entirely different image with the listener. Or maybe he wasn’t talking about the ball at all.
The first ProPin was on the 15th. The tee was not particularly far back and the conditions were generally benign so it is with some surprise that it must be reported that nobody got within the required closeness to the pin and so there will be a jackpot to the next week. The BallPin was on the 12th and Simon was very relieved to discover that nobody was able to get closer than he did.
Next week is the Annual Challenge weekend and a fair number of members are travelling to Shepparton to contest the highly regarded Mustard Jacket event. There will be golf at Ivanhoe with a competition if there are more than six members playing. Those planning to play at Ivanhoe should notify, either via the Registration page or by sending an email to Simon or Harry so that we know in advance how many players to expect. Please!
Results for Saturday, 12 August 2017
1st Brent Rowley (+3) 2nd Harry Boughen (+2) 2nd Jason Hopkins (+2) 2nd Ed Kloprogge (+2) 3rd Stephen Butterfield (□) 3rd Simon Powell (□)
4th Bob McDonald (-1) 4th Targe Mifsud (-1) 4th Craig Sharp (-1) 5th Matt Nicholls (-3) 5th Dennis Ward (-3)
Seniors Results: 1st Ed Kloprogge (+2) 1st Harry Boughen (+2) 2nd Simon Powell (□) 3rd Bob McDonald (-1) 3rd Targe Mifsud (-1)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin No 1 15th Jackpot ProPin No 2 18th Stephen Butterfield BallPin 12th Simon Powell