Today marked the start of a whole new year of competition for the Club’s comprehensive list of prestigious trophies. And, arguably, there is none more prestigious than the year’s kick-starter, the Vin O’Meara Christmas Cup. And, in case you haven’t already, you should make a point of feasting your eyes on the Club’s brand new Trophy Cabinet which will house the perpetual trophies in perpetuity. Sorry, guys, no more – straight to the pool room. Many thanks are due to SOS for sourcing the fine piece of furniture and to SOS and Gordo for doing the heavy lifting to bring it into service. The weather was cloudy and warm with a change due to bring wind and rain about lunch-time. So, the forecast was no impediment to the 24 members and two guests who turned out for the fray. There were some who thought that the change in the weather could very well arrive before they had completed their round. And, although it was compared in length to Tolstoy’s infamously long War and Peace, everybody was safely home before the weather set in. Seriously, though, keep in mind those little time saving tricks like, ready golf, mark your card at the tee, plan your shot before it is your turn, read your putt while waiting for others, one practice swing, and so forth.
Young Zimmer is on the come-back trail after an extended break from the Club. He put in his three cards to re-establish his handicap and the consensus view was that the number might have been on the generous side. Is that the case or this just a flash in the pan? The proof of the pudding will be in the eating and Zimmer will have to be on his mettle when he comes up against Stan next week. Now, Stan is a man who has not been with us all that long and maybe he has been hiding his light under a bushel. He certainly pulled one out of somewhere today and was able to tie it up with Kazim with their net scores of 66 strokes. Game on!
CJ chucked a bit of a hissy-fit during the week when he received all sorts of requests after the tee list went out. In future, guys, put in any requests by the close of registrations or they will not be considered. Any way, he seems to have settled down a bit and that seems to have reflected in his game with a very respectable, and in there with a chance, score of 67 on the bottom line. SOS was keen to get away to work but the pressure did not prevent him from being right in the mix with his 67 as well.
In one of the most bunched up fields that we have had in a long time, there are three players with the scent of a win in their nostrils on a dead-set handicap equaling round of 68. Michael, who is also back from a spell and could be ready to fire, Brendon, that unflappable precision player from New Ziland and JQ, who takes the occasional break from the mire of legalese to play, made up what could almost be styled the Three Musketeers on Third.
Yet, there are another four within back-stabbing distance of the leaders, and they comprise Craig, Adam (also back from a spell), Damo and Porks on everybody’s favourite number, 69. Titter, titter. Last in the game for hypothetical points was that old dark horse, Keith. Now, the big question is, will Keith come back next week for the kill. Or, will Gordo kill Keith if he does (and wins).
The other game in play is the Club Stroke Championship. In the scratch division of this event, there is a close run thing going on between Michael and Pepsi for the top spot with only a couple of strokes in it. From what Pepsi said today, a few what-ifs could have made all the difference. Craig and Porks have a bit of work (or some knee-capping) to do. Despite some woes brought on by an excess of three putt greens, Harry has managed to hang onto his lead with still a bit of a margin over Craig. Michael and SOS are a few strokes further back. The full table is on the web-site under the Competitions Menu.
The ProPin today was on the 12th and Porks went oh so close to snagging the elusive golfers dream, leaving the ball a mere 320mm from the pin. Naturally, he got the birdie and so contributed to the total of 21 that the field was able to card for the day. Gordo was able to squeeze one close enough on the 15th to collect himself a ball and it was up to Craig to get one close enough on the 18th to take out the final BallPin for the day.
A quick welcome to a couple of prospective members. Pat McSweeney has been along a couple of times now as a guest of Pepsi. He has decided to throw his hat in and join us, and he now has two cards to his credit. Matt Van Dam came along today as a guest of JQ and, he too, has expressed a wish to join our merry band, and he has his first card in the system. While we are on the subject of Membership, the Club membership of $30 and the GolfLink membership of $90 normally falls due in December. So, if you can see your way clear to pay your subs into the Club bank account (details on the web-site under Contacts) that would be much appreciated. The Committee is prepared to be a little more relaxed about deadlines coming out of this difficult time, but, we really do need to know your intentions about GolfLink before the end of December so that we can adjust the database before the census on 31st.
SOS also scored a birdie today on the fifth hole. Damo reckons that the score was down to him when his leg got in the way of SOS’s ball and prevented it from going into the rough stuff behind the green. Noodles broke a club today and he didn’t even mean to. He was playing a fairly simple shot and the shaft folded about halfway down the grip. Presumably he had to grip down on that club from then on.
MattA went a little astray on his approach to the 2nd green and finished on the 6th tee. Not a problem, he just chipped it over the bank, onto the green and it rolled in for the easiest of pars. Adam smashed his drive almost out of sight from the 16th tee and his tee peg finished past the red markers. He was wondering whether there should be a new tradition where the rest of the group buy him a drink for the feat. Peter was convinced that there was a curse on the ball that he was using and decided to change from the yellow to white. He was then searching for a yellow ball thinking it might have gone into a hazard, and completely ignoring his actual white ball, even to the extent of planning to drop another.
Blighty caused all sorts of havoc after the round by having forgotten to get cards and his handicap when he registered at the ProShop before the round. Much scribbling and transcribing of scores as the crowds waited on. We know they do things differently over the ditch but, do they really turn taps anti-clockwise (and in line with the pipe) to off as Brendon was noticed trying to do when he finished washing his cart. Bob sank a long turning putt for a birdie on the 18th for what he reckoned was his only decent shot for the day. Apparently, Bob and Damo were arguing all the way around about the scores, and they were still arguing up until the moment that the cards were handed in. Damo reckoned his head hurt from dealing with such large numbers.
Don’t forget, you still have to register for your game each Saturday even though, next week, the Leader Boards will determine the pecking order. The week after next will be the Stuart Clarke Champion of Champions and the Chump of Chumps. This will be followed by the Break-up and Trophy Presentations. Once again, this will be held at JQs house which is located at 24 Atkinson Street, Templestowe. If you haven’t already, can you please also register for this event so that we can be sure of the needs for catering.
Results for Saturday, 05 December 2020
Leaderboard Round 1: 1st Kazim Akdag(66) 1st Stan Blackshaw(66) 2nd Chris Priems(67) 2nd Stephen O’Sullivan(67) 3rd Michael Gourlay(68) 3rd Brendon Mitchell(68) 3rd John Quinlan(68) 4th Craig Cameron(69) 4th Adam King(69) 4th Damien Lee(69) 4th Ryan Porker(69) 5th Keith Delzoppo(70)
Seniors Leaderboard: 1st Stan Blackshaw (66) 2nd Chris Priems (67) 3rd Michael Gourlay (68)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin12th Ryan Porker BallPin No 1 15th Gordon Hill BallPin No 2 18th Craig Cameron