There is nothing like the prospect of a pile of money and some good weather to attract 26 of the best (maybe I exaggerate) golfers in the Club out to compete for the Vin O’Meara, a stroke play event over two rounds in (not so) early December. The piles of money are down to the pool for the Calcutta and the buy-in and a couple of accidental ProPin jackpots from last week. The latter two were decided today but the results for the other two will need to wait another week for the result to be determined.
And, it looks like it will be a fight to the finish with ten players in the top five with only four strokes separating and there are a few others lurking just outside that limit but well within striking range of the leaders. Game on!
Best of the day were Damo and Jason who came in with a nett 64. Damo was a bit disappointed with a few of his bogies, particularly the one on the last but he was pretty happy with his birdie on the 17th. Jason’s work schedule has been playing havoc with his golf and practice in recent times but the bit of a break seems to have put a new spring into his step and he stepped up today. He couldn’t be persuaded to get any closer for the pic as he didn’t want to get too pally and, potentially, feel sorry for Damo next week.
Joe has benefited from the coaching that he has been getting from the young fella in the pram during the week and he probably thought he was going to collect some cash after he put his tee shot inside 2m on the 18th. Unfortunately JohnQ, who had just about sobered up by the time he got to the 18th, managed to put his ball to 1.08m and he took out the fixed ProPin. As a matter of interest, he also got his name on the inside card as well so he could be really well in it today. Keith recovered from a brief mathematical hiccup to move up into equal second place beside Joe. His putting started off a bit roughly until Targe pointed out what he was doing wrong and from there on he never looked back. However, does that count as ‘advice’? Targe is obviously a better coach than he an arithmetician (he marked Keith’s card as well).
Even though Gordon kept looking over his shoulder and kept his buggy very close at all times during the day (he was cashier for the Calcutta and buy-in), the stress did not affect his game too much and he was able to position himself for the rush to the line very well with his 66 nett score. Pepsi played a virtual match with Damo all through the round and they ended with identical off the stick scores as a result. Damo thought he had Pepsi on the 17th but he was gutted when Peps managed a par which came from a chip in from hard up against the big tree on the corner where he finished after a few wayward shots. Chrispy had his power fade working a treat but he was a bit disappointed with his start to the round. Then his ‘Collingwood’ putter came to the party and he started sinking them from all over the shop. Now, instead of giving it back to Michael, he is thinking of buying him a couple of bottles of a nice red.
Noodles came in next with a 67 nett and he reckons he left a few out there. When he first announced his score, a couple of people thought he said 57 and they wondered how you could have left a few out there with a score like that. Simon’s first drive headed in the general direction of the trees and the tank and he wasn’t a happy camper for the first few holes but the recent coaching kicked back in and he settled down to be up there and about just four strikes off the lead.
There was a goodly total of birdies today with seventeen in all. With an influx of players into the Eclectic count there was a lot of movement but it is early days yet and it will be interesting to see how the field shakes out as the year progresses. The mobile ProPin was on the 12th and Gordon was the one to get his name on the ticket to collect the money with a putt of 2.47 metres for the birdie, which he didn’t get by the way. The ball hole was on the 7th which is a pretty tough call from the ‘white’ markers but Damo was able to put his on and be close enough to win himself a couple of pills.
Today was the second round of the Strokeplay Championship and the leading scores in the nett score competition are pretty close and there will be some pretty fierce competition in this event as well with at least half a dozen who could consider themselves a chance. With Michael, unfortunately, out of the event, Pepsi has a bit of a grip on the gross score competition and he would have to break a leg not to take it out.
Dale was travelling pretty well until the 13th when things went astray in a big way and he had to register ‘legs eleven’ on his card. SOS still has some tenderness with his ribs and he was trying to take it easy but he did have a go for the green on the 17th. The ball finished just off the putting surface but SOS took anther four shots to get the little bludger into the hole. And you must get SOS to tell you about the ‘sad mudfrog’.
Craig was absolutely creaming his driver all day and was scoring well as a result with follow up shots to the green. On the 17th his drive started off line to the left and looked to be heading for a trip down river when it hit a tree right on the fence line and fell to ground very much in play if on a bit of a bare patch. Some days are diamonds…..
Bill was consistent in his inaccuracy but, with lots of encouragement for Gordon, who bought him in the Calcutta by the way, he was able to make some excellent recoveries to finish with an outside chance of a place and a justification for some of Gordon’s expenditure. Stefan also had a bit of an erratic day and was spotted trudging down past the 9th green to look for his drive from the 17th tee. Maybe things will be better next week for your birthday Stef. The Birthday Birdie says, have a good one.
Party time next week after the round. There is talk of an expedition to the Roo Bar (I think I’ve got that right) afterwards, so, if you fancy a night’s entertainment some of the guys could very well put on a performance.
Results for Saturday, 09 December 2017
Leaderboard Round 1: 1st Jason Hopkins(64) 1st Damien Lee(64) 2nd Keith Delzoppo(65) 2nd Joe Wagenecht(65) 3rd Gordon Hill(66) 3rd Andrew Petricola(66) 3rd Chris Priems(66) 4th Stephen Butterfield(67) 5th Simon Powell(68)
Seniors Leaderboard: 1st Keith Delzoppo (65) 2nd Gordon Hill (66) 3rd Simon Powell (68)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin No 1 12th Gordon Hill ProPin No 2 18th John Quinlan BallPin 7th Damien Lee