The weather was kind, kind of! There had been some real frit teasers during the week, and the high ridging across the state promises more to come. However, there was just enough high cloud around to keep a bit of a blanket in place, and, although it was fresh, some members were questioning the need for the extra layer and/or the hand warmers at the start of the round. However, there weren’t too many stripped down to their jocks by the end of the round, so it didn’t warm up too much. We had the luxury of preferred lies, but there weren’t a lot of cases where they were really necessary, unless of course you needed the hand span to get out of an inconvenient depression where a pipe, or something of the sort, had been laid. It was our day to remember our good mate, Keith, and it was good to see twelve regulars, and Ben, front up for the competition. Occasional member, Joe, also came along to keep Ben company and to catch up with current members, old and new.
Brent started out with a birdie on the first, which elicited the usual remarks about the only direction from there was down. The auguries were not good when the drive on the second finished on the 6th fairway, and there was a bit of a struggle to finish the hole with a double. Future slightly straying shots proved to be recoverable, and on the 9th, there were hopes for an eagle to equal par for the front nine. The worm-burner from the tee put paid to that idea. Still, the back nine was untouched, and it ended up untouched by anything but par totals, bring him home with 71 off the stick, and, with his ‘ridiculous’ club handicap of 10, a net score of 61. However. By dint of not having played since the last Monthly Medal, Brent was not qualified to win the trophy.
Matt had many fish to fry today, including a session in a corporate area at a footy match, so he was keen for an early start and a quick game. He got both, and kept the pace of the game up by taking as few strokes as possible. As a result, he was able to tear away to start on his afternoon of eating and drinking (and maybe watching Josh play football) with a net score of 68 on his card. With Brent out of the way, would he collect the medal. Unfortunately, Matt, too, had not played to qualify for the trophy, and we had to seek further for a winner. Pepsi might have had a few more bogies on the front nine than he would have liked, although he did snag a birdie on the 6th. The back nine was much more of a par fest, and he was able to finish just two over the card for the nine to play right to his handicap with a 68 as well. Fortunately, Pepsi did sneak in a round last week, and, so, he was qualified for the trophy, and was crowned the June Monthly Medallist.
When asked how he was going at one stage, Ben rattled off the number of double and triple bogies that he had been having. And, he should probably count his lucky stars, as his approach to the 11th green hurtled across the green at a great rate of knots. The general consensus was that the ball would have finished out in the oval if it had not hit the wheel of Brent’s buggy on the 12th tee and stopped dead on the path as a result. With that little piece of luck, Ben was able to win a potato cake from Joe, and finish with a net score of 69, which is not too shabby. If Pepsi had not qualified for the medal, would Ben have won it? The computer says “No”! He, too, would not have qualified for the trophy. Brendon played a very steady hand the whole day. The front nine was completed three over the card, which is right to his handicap. The back nine was not quite up to the same standard, but was given a boost on the 18th. After a very confusing attempt to measure the length of his ProShop ProPin, Brent asked did Brendon want his ball moved. Not a problem. Whack went the club. The ball whizzed up the hill, passed millimetres from Brent’s ball, and rattled into the hole for a birdie, which slotted Brendon into third place alongside Ben on 69. Voted to be the ‘drainer’ of the day.
CJ could easily have given up the ghost after a quad on the second hole. However, it turned out to be little more than a stubbed toe, and his back nine was a very respectable four over par. This rescued him sufficiently to slot into 4th place with his net score of 71 from a total of 82 off the stick. Raj is still managing to keep the points ticking up, albeit only the one this week, for his fifth place for a score of 72 net. Porks was making a feature of his recent elevation to the exalted heights of ‘father of two’, and there was a suggestion that a lack of sleep could have affected the standard of his game. This was certainly not what the rest of the field could claim for not matching his fifth place score of 72 as well.
CJ had been cajoled into joining the first group because the was bound to be some excitement arising from the quarter-final match between Matt and brother Prez. Unfortunately, Rob did not appear to have brought his best game along today, and by the ninth hole, CJ was begging to be relegated to a later group. However, it must be said that it was noted that, at 0653, Rob was rubbing his wrist, and explaining how he had hurt it. Was this a ready-made excuse? Other than squaring the first, the match was almost a one way street, with Rob only able to win one hole and square another on the way to the match going dormie seven after the 11th. With an Everest to climb by winning seven consecutive holes to stay in the match, Rob could only square the 12th to hand the match to Matt, 7 and 6.
There were some jackpots to be had today. A Double Jackpot on the 4th for the ProPin was untouched until Brendon outdid Brent, in the same group, to get his name on the card at 1.815m. That will be hard to beat, said Brendon. Except that Pepsi was able to sneak inside it with a shot to 1.79m to take the money and to rob Brendon of his sneaky little ‘slush fund’. There was a jackpot to be had for balls on the 15th, and Porks was the closest of those in his group that got on or near to on the green. Unfortunately, Ben was able to get even closer, and he collected two balls for his collection. Brendon’s 12+m effort on the 18th was enough to collect the ball on offer there.
Bob didn’t have a great day with the putter today, and his claim was that it was because the shaft was bent. So convinced was he of this that he was seen trying to reshape the shaft by using his head as an anvil. Not to put too fine a point on it, but modifying your equipment during play, unless it is to repair damage incurred during play, is disqualification. On the 17th tee, SOS lined up and announced that he was planning to slice it around the corner onto the green. Instead, he hooked it into the Yarra. Such control!
After the round, Gordon and Lisa had arrived, and set up and cooked the usual fare of burgers, onions, and snags to go with the buns, bread, and trimmings. Members of Keith’s family, wife Marlene, and daughters, Mon and Simone also came along to catch up with members of the Club that had formed a significant part of Keith’s life over the years. Club Captain, Brendon spoke of the regard with which Keith was held in the Club, and recounted in gory detail the infamous ‘Ibis Incident’. Mon and Simone spoke of their appreciation of the input from the Club just on a year ago and their sadness at not having been able to meet with members at the time. Marlene then spoke of her memories and joys of being with and raising a family with Keith, and of his ‘obsession’ with golf and the Club and of taking part in golf trips all those years ago. She even handed out a couple of her ‘special handshakes’ and hugs all round. Vale Keith Delzoppo.
Results for Saturday, 06 Jul 2024
1st Brent Rowley (61) 2nd Matt Hunt (68) 2nd Andrew Petricola (68) MM 3rd Ben Akdag (69) 3rd Brendon Mitchell (69) 4th Chris Priems (71) 5th Rajesh Mahto (72) 5th Ryan Porker (72)
Seniors Results: 1st Matt Hunt (68) 2nd Chris Priems (71) 3rd Craig Cameron (73)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin – 4th Andrew Petricola BallPin No 1 – 15th Ben Akdag BallPin No 2 – 18th Brendon Mitchell