A few members are obviously trying to shake off the lassitude brought on by a surfeit of Christmas and other cheer over the last month. As a result there were only sixteen souls fronting to take on our beauteous home turf that has obviously been getting a fair old watering in recent times if the length of grass in some of the off fairway areas is any guide. There was more than a little muttering and tromping around in ever decreasing circles as people tried to spend their three minutes to best advantage. The weather was kind enough to stay fine and in the mid twenties and maybe this went a little way to helping the tally of birdies for the day to reach twelve. Rumour has it that one of Simon’s was something to write about but as that rumour came from Simon perhaps it wasn’t worth writing about.
As the early cards started to roll in and members looked askance when told they were leading the field the question being asked went ‘Was it really that difficult out there?’ Then, in walked Dennis and calmly plonked his card down on the table as if to say, Cop that! And cop that they did with the big four nothing emblazoned in the top right hand corner. And that included a couple of scratches and a couple of singletons. Just imagine what it could have been.
Ryan also scored one gash and three singletons so he could been right up there with Dennis but unfortunately the ‘if onlys’ don’t score you any extra points and so he had to be second with a very creditable second place. He wasn’t there on his patma as he was joined by a shankless SOS who also outdid him with a gash and four singletons. If Only!
Stef was playing with a mate and a mate of a mate and it seems he had a modicum of competition in the long driving department with his mate, Adam, who plays off plus 3 taking a driver and a wedge to the second (the tee was way back) and driving the green on the 11th with a 3 iron. There were also reports of clubs being mis-handled, but Stef still managed to make it to 33 points for the day. Targe was unfazed by the cut to his handicap last week and came in under the ton again to join up with Stef in third place. The bell at the 17th was rung before Targe had cleared the back of the green making him a possible Target but all he really needs is another tee.
Noodles seemed a bit happier with his game today. At least he didn’t complain about how many he left out there. Perhaps his mood was mellowed by the fact that his tee shot on the 12th finished 2.85m from the pin to take out the Jackpot ProPin. When asked if he was going to share, he reluctantly agreed but not if anybody else in the group got closer. JQ is back from his peregrinations and he showed that he hasn’t entirely lost his touch from last year by lining up beside Noodles. He also had a swag of trophies to collect after missing the break-up in December. Damo still couldn’t believe that he was in the points, even if only just, with his total of 30 points that wasn’t helped by balls lost in the long.
The ProPin on the 18th went begging and so there will be a Jackpot carried over to next week. The BallPin was on the 7th and, although Allan tried hard he was beaten out by Stef. At the Committee Meeting, on the basis that the surplus funds that were allocated to the extra ProPin have now run down, the system will be changed so that there will now be just one ProPin that will change location from week to week unless there is a Jackpot and there will be two BallPins, one of which will reside on the 18th while the other will move around. The accumulation in the Eagle’s Nest will revert to the old standard of half a ball per week.
Members seem to be adapting to the new Rules of Golf and our new Rules Official, Damo, will be directing an on-going education campaign as well as being available for determinations and research on questions of rules that arise from time to time. Leaving the pin in for putting seems to have found favour giving rise to the oft heard refrain around the greens, ‘infamy’.
It was very generally agreed that the 12th was a real stinker today and it wasn’t that any of our members had been eating really bad curry or cabbage.
Allan decided to try his fairway wood on the 17th tee and he also decided that he should tee the ball up. Despite a problem with the tee breaking, he still managed to go right under the ball and it headed skyward and landed about a metre in front of the red markers. A close call. Chrispy wasn’t so lucky. He teed off from the 11th and his ball ended pin high on the 1st. It hit a tree so hard that it nearly took out his mates standing behind him on the tee. Chrispy reckoned that it had to have been a rubber tree, the ball came so far back. The crew were trying to claim double, or even triple, draughties as a result on the basis of the number of tee markers traversed.
On the 6th, Simon put one into the trees and, according to reports, it hit at least three before popping back out onto the fairway. Gordo reckons that caused him to four putt the green because he was still shaking his head in disbelief. Dennis sprayed his drive from the 18th a bit and finished nearly on the 9th green. As if to prove that the rest of his round was not a fluke, he chipped onto the 18th and sank the putt for par.
Now, don’t forget that we are hosting the Jarrod Lyle Charity Day at the course on 9th April. Brendon and Simon are doing a great job organising sponsors and there will be lots of fun and prizes to be had. But, you do need to register and pay the registration fee ($55) to secure your place. Just go the the next week details at the top of the web-page and click on the link and you can register and pay in one feel swoop. A great cause and you can help to make it the success that it deserves to be. Sure, you won’t get any Championship Points but, then again, nobody will. If you don’t want to take part but are happy to help out on the day, just contact Brendon or Simon. Many hands make light work, as the electrician said.
Results for Saturday, 12 January 2019
1st Dennis Ward(40) 2nd Ryan Porker(37) 2nd Stephen O’Sullivan(37) 3rd Stefan Belevski(33) 3rd Targe Mifsud(33) 4th Stephen Butterfield(32) 4th John Quinlan(32) 5th Damien Lee(30)
Seniors Results: 1st Dennis Ward (40) 2nd Targe Mifsud (33) 3rd Allan Davies (29) 3rd Gordon Hill (29)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin No 1 12th Stephen Butterfield ProPin No 2 18th Jackpot BallPin 7th Stefan Belevski