Saturday December 28th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

The day had warmed considerably by the time players took to the course and 30Kph-40Kph winds, gusting from north to west and back again, looked set to challenge all golfers.  Recent heat had dried the fairways giving an extra 30m of run so shorter irons were the order of the day for many second shots.  The greens were still in good nick and well played wedges bit and held.  Ex-member and long-time friend of RGC, Gary Watts, was down from Sydney for a Christmas visit and he played the course as if he had never left.  On a day when wind and temperature moved around a great deal the results were;
Winner and December Medalist; Andrew Laing – 90/20/72 from Mick Nicholls – 98/25/73 and John Laing – 100/26/74. Visitor; Gary Watts – 84/13/71,
Least Putts; John Freestone – 26 and NTPs; 15 – T. Emmons
 
Friday December 27th Twilight 4; 9-holes Stableford.
There was another good turnout for the nine-holes of stableford; the middle day of three consecutive days of golf at RGC.  The steady increase in temperature during the week had increased the roll on the fairways and the older, wiser (more cunning?) golfers took full advantage driving the ball low and chipping and running with great aplomb.  Once again it was a night for the veterans (these veteran golfers, cut the sun improve the score?) with a number returning good cards, none better than Mick Nicholls who returned a very respectable 22 points.
 
Thursday December 26th – Boxing Day Stableford.
A hearty and dedicated group teed off on Boxing Day under dark and threatening skies.  These soon cleared and by the fifth hole the sun was poking through.  From then on the weather improved and all enjoyed the round.  The course was again in top condition, fairways had good cover and the greens remained receptive to a well played wedge or high iron.  Putting still demanded commitment with many shots pulling up short of the cup, often for a simple tap-in bogey.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Sharif Abdel-Sayed (20) 37 pts from Tony Freeman (21) 34 pts
NTPs went to; 1 & 16 Sharif Abdel-Sayed and 15 – Steve Poulton.
A very relaxed and congenial Boxing Day round was enjoyed by all.
Saturday December 21st – Stableford.
A good field turned out for the last round before Christmas.  The course was in top nick even after the recent extremely hot weather with the fairways giving good run and the thicker rough drying out considerably thus reducing the damage from a wayward drive.  The greens were also in fine condition; they again challenged golfers to “put it in the air” and aim right at the flag, putting required a firm hand and a strong committment to the chosen line.  Whilst the day started out under heavy cloud cover and an implied threat of rain none fell, a steady, 20kph, SE wind followed the field for the round.  On a generally excellent day for golf, where a number of players took the opportunity to record scores close to, or better than, par the results were;
Winner; Pat Chisholm (16) 42 points from John Freestone (21) 37 points
NTPs; 15 – Tony Freeman and 16 – Rob Rea
Friday December 20th – Twilight 3; 9-Holes Stableford
After the week’s heat it was good to cool off in the confines of Romsey Park and enjoy the third round of the 2013/14 Twilight Golf.  The course had held up well and there were real excuses for a below par performance.  A number of players hit-off early while the odd one arrived too late to really have a chance of completing the nine-holes.  Again it was a night for the stalwarts of the club with Beryl Cole winning with 21 points.   A relaxed Christmas drink with the bowlers concluded the evening.
Saturday December 14th – Stroke
A week of milder weather punctuated by steady rain on Tuesday again saw the course in excellent condition, a tribute to the many volunteers who give up their time to maintain and improve Romsey Park.  The fairways gave a little more run than in recent weeks but the greens were very receptive to a well played wedge or the traditional Romsey “chip and run” so attacking golf was the order of the day. However stray shots into the longer rough took a heavy toll on the cards of a number of golfers.  A 25Kph – 30Kph southerly wind made some holes more difficult yet assisted on others forcing players to think carefully before choosing a club and executing a shot.  As the round progressed the afternoon improved and the field enjoyed the pleasant 20C conditions.  On a fine afternoon, on an improving course, the day’s results were;
Winner; Les Gaunt – 75/6/69
NTPs; 15th Les Gaunt, took out the $200 jackpot as well so a big afternoon for Les!
Friday December 13th – Twilight 2; 9-holes Stableford
The fine weather continued for the 2nd week of Twilight Golf and word must have spread as the field grew and included a number of young golfers eager to try their hands.  However their time is yet to come; this round it was another two old stagers who took the honours on the night.  Club legends, John Laing and Ron Cole fought out a great battle with Ron, 20 pts, edging John in a count-back.

Saturday December 7th – Par

After a week of astounding weather,  a couple of days well over 30C, heavy rain, hail, some flooding and periods of foggy drizzle Saturday was a pleasant surprise.  The day began cool and slightly overcast but by mid afternoon conditions were excellent for golf.  The very soft greens challenged golfers to test their various wedges however the fairways were also soft so fairway woods and long irons were the order of the day for approach shots.  The course continues to thrive under the ongoing spring-like weather so there remains plenty of work for the members to keep the growth under control.  On a beautiful day on a tricky course the results were;
Winner; Pat Chisholm (16) +2 from Les Gaunt (7) and Rob Rea (18) square
NTPs went to; 15 – Les Gaunt and 16 – Rob Rea.
Friday December 6th – Twilight 1; 9-Holes Stableford
There was a reasonable roll-up for the first round of RGC’s Twilight Golf.  Play began under wonderful conditions;.  warm, clear afternoons and with the best of company.  In the end the night belonged to RGC stalwart Mick Nicholls.  In a fine evening’s golf Mick carded 21 points over the nine holes.  A great evening was had by all.
Saturday November 30th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts
The November Monthly Medal began with gusting southerly winds and a the temperature in the low teens.  The day warmed up as the  round progressed and the wind grew more infrequent providing for a very pleasant afternoon’s golf.  Again the fairways were in top nick and the greens had softened after the rain late in the week so players, when the wind settled, were able to pitch the ball in knowing it would hold.  The light rough on the edge of the fairways was no problem but the rain that had softened the greens had both halted further cutting of the deeper rough and encouraged another spurt of growth.  Players who strayed into that deeper rough paid a severe price.  The day’s results were;
Winner and November Medalist;  Anthony Freeman – 89/21/68 from Steve Poulton – 103/30/73
NTPs went to; 15 – Adrian Poulton and 16 – Les Gaunt
Least Putts; Anthony Freeman – 27
Saturday November 23rd – Final – John Laing Shield/Par
The final of the 2013 John Laing Shield (Les Gaunt – 7 Vs Steve Poulton – 31) was played during the week. The day was clear and still and the course was in top nick. The front nine was very even with both Steve and Les picking up one win each however by the 14th Les was three up.  Steve rallied and won the 15th and 16th before chipping in to square the 17th.  The 18th was squared as well so on to the 19th (165m Par 3).  Les put the ball through the sand trap on the right of the green and was left with a difficult chip back.  Steve drove 15m short of the green on the left, he then chipped to the front of the green while Les’ chip caught the top of the bunker and fell back.  Steve then putted to about 20cm and the shield was over.
The Par field headed out in windy, wet conditions; heavy rain continued to fall at regular intervals throughout the afternoon.  The fairways were again in wonderful condition and the greens had been freshened by a spot of irrigation and the day’s rain.  However that same moisture made it more difficult to read the speed resulting in many putts finishing well short of the hole.  There had been a great deal of maintenance of the rough so players who were a little wayward could more easily find their ball, they also found it far easier to make good contact when playing their next shot.  On a wet and windy afternoon the results were;
Winner; Steve Poulton (31) +2 from Rob Rea (18) Square and John Freestone (20), Anthony Lakey (21) Wayne Robb (11) & Anthony Freeman (21) -2
NTPs; 15 – Wayne Robb.
Saturday November 16th – Semi Finals – John Laing Shield/Stableford
Apart from an inconsistently gusting northerly wind conditions seemed excellent for golf.  Verdant fairways and true greens had both John Laing semi-finalists and the stableford field looking forward to a top round and the strong possibility of posting a good score.  However, whilst the edges of every fairway had been neatened by at least three cuts of the rough mower, there were some areas of long rough not too far passed these cuts.  A number of players found this longer grass and many paid a severe price for their wayward shots.  Despite the generally good conditions scoring proved difficult.  The day’s results were;
John Laing Shield  Semi-finals;  Les Gaunt (7) D Pat Chisholm (15) W/O and Steve Poulton (31) D Tony Freeman (21) 3/1
Stableford; Winner John Laing (24) 35 pts from Neil Jarman (14) 33 pts
NTPs;  15 – Les Gaunt
Saturday November 9th – Quarter Finals John Laing Shield/Stroke
Players assembled under dark and brooding skies with a gusting wind moving from the south to the west.  The skies darkened during the first few holes and rain began to fall, fortunately this only lasted for about 15 minutes before the day brightened and a little sun poked though.  However, the clouds returned, jumpers and coats came back out and the field knuckled down for a tough afternoon.  The changing wind forced players to think carefully before pulling a club from the bag and also had many questioning themselves as to just how much allowance needed to be made when hitting into or across the wind.  The course was again in top condition with lush fairways and a generally very even cover on the greens.
Stroke results;
Winner; Adrian Poulton 104/26/78
John Laing Shield results;
Steve Poulton D Peter Scanlon 2/1, Les Gaunt D John Laing 2 up,  Anthony Freeman DDave Richardson 8/7 &  Pat Chisholm D Anthony Lakey 2/1
NTPs 16 – Les Gaunt
Saturday November 2nd – 2nd Qualifying Rd 2013 John Laing Shield – Stableford
Who could have asked for better conditions to chase a golf ball around the park?  The sun was shining, the air was still, the fairways were in top condition and all bar one of the greens were much improved.  The greens, in their present condition challenge the player to aim straight at the hole, once they settle down and the “curve” returns putting will be far more demanding.  Despite the generally benign conditions a few golfers decided, surprisingly early on, that the relaxing walk, the fresh air and retaining some sanity was far more important than the score on a small piece of card.  Later in the round a strong westerly wind blew up making it very difficult to score points over the final few holes.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Neil Jarman (14) – 37 pts from Steve Poulton (31) 36 pts
NTPs; 15 – Pat Chisholm & 16 – Steve Poulton
Rd 1 of the John Laing Shield will be;
Steve Poulton Vs Peter Scanlon. Les Gaunt Vs John Laing.  Dave Richardson Vs Anthony Freeman & Anthony Lakey Vs Pat Chisholm.
Saturday October 26th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts
Players teed off in the October Monthly Medal on a generally sunny afternoon with a steady south-westerly wind.  Rain during the week and many heavy dews had made the fairways a little softer however there was still reasonable bounce and run giving good value for shots.  For the first time in many weeks the wind hardly effected the field.  Again, whilst the greens were progressing well they continued to test the patience of all golfers.   In a few weeks most should be back to their best condition for some time.   A number of players had a run of good holes during the round before falling back to the field and really only one golfer was able to maintain the all important consistency required to prevail.  With the new GolfAus handicapping system being activated in January all players had to score shots, putts and their stableford points for each hole.  Whilst this proved confusing for some it was good practise for all stroke rounds from 2014 onwards.  On another beautiful but challenging day the results were;
Winner and October Medalist; Pat Chisholm – 89/16/73 (continuing his recent excellent form) from Chris vanDerVliet – 99/24/76
Least Putts; John Laing 26
NTPs; 15 – Bob Dwyer (At 86 the oldest registered cricketer in Vic) and 16 – Mal Mottram
Saturday October 19th – 1st Qualifying Round 2013 John Laing Shield – Stableford
The course was in top condition (a tribute to the club’s many volunteers), the sun was shining and all looked good for a great round however, as has been the case over the last few weeks, the northerly wind sprang up and played havoc for much of the afternoon.  The greens had recovered well but the sun and wind dried them out so that approach shots that landed and stuck early just bounced off later in the round.  Despite the challenges of the day all players were more than happy to be enjoying the afternoon in the wonderful environment of Romsey Park.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Pat Chisholm (16) – 37 pts on a c/b from Les Gaunt (6) with Steve Poulton (32) – 36 pts.
Women’s winner; Sharon Caroll (36) – 34 pts
NTPs; 15 – Steve Poulton.
Sunday October 13th – Presentation Day, The Old Course – 4BBB Stableford
Despite the dire weather predictions the conditions for the 2013 presentation day 12 hole 4BBB were quite good.  There was some steady rain for the first few holes but it moved on and the sun came out to make for a pleasent round.  The day was trying for many pairs whilst others seemed to revel in the varying conditions.  Once the round was completed everyone enjoyed a relaxing lunch whilst watching the rain, hail and drizzle fall, great for those inside and wonderful for the fairways and newly cored, sown and fertilised greens.  The day’s results were;
Winners; John & Andrew Laing – 29 pts from Kev Milner & Steve Poulton – 28 pts and Dave Richardson & Adrian Poulton 26 pts.
NTPs; 1 – Kev Milner, 8 – Andrew Laing, 9 – Tony Freeman, 10 – John Laing.
2013 RGC Award went to;
Club Champions; Les Gaunt & Beryl Cole. Men’s B Grade Champion; Andrew Laing
Algie Mitchell Shield (Singls Knock-out) – Kev Milner
Rose Scanon Shield; Beryl Cole
W. E. Tom/Ampol Shield (4BBB Knock-out) – John Freestone & Ron Walker.
Women’s Nett Champion; Leila Beasley.
Peter Scanlon Shield (Best handicap score by a player 55 yrs & older during the club championships); Les Gaunt
Helene & Ken Newnham Shield (Medal of Medalists); Pat Chisholm & Beryl Cole
John Jeffries Shield (Best handicap score during the club championships); Dave Richardson.
Women’s Eclectic; Beryl Cole
President’s & Captains’ Award (For Conspicuous Service); Bob McLennan.
Fund Raising  Raffle – Tocumwal Golf Club Package; Rob Rea
Saturday October 12th – Stroke
The strong winds and sunshine of the previous week had dried the course nicely and the fairways and light rough were in their best condition for many months.   The 4mm of rain on Thursday night had kicked the greens on, however they had still not fully recovered from the recent coring.  Despite all this and the beautiful, sunny day it was the gusting northerly wind that was on everyone’s mind as they teed off.  The wind played havoc with shots early in the round before dying down only to return for the final few holes.  On a challenging day only one player was able to get close to his handicap.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Chris vanDerVliet 99/24/75
NTP: 15 – John Laing.
Saturday October 5th – Stableford
The beautiful spring days that followed the coring, seeding and fertilising saw some good growth across all greens however, as we could not cut such young grass, and there were still plenty of core holes putting was quite a challenge. A few players found their approach shots landing on the green only to see them hit a core hole and bounce on a new line, usually away from the hole.  Early in the day the strong, gusting wind from the north and north-east also added to the difficulty of the round.  On a tough day only one player was able to rise to the challenge of the course and post a good score.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Les Gaunt (6) 39 points
Runner up; Keith Hocking (26) 33 points
Saturday September 28th – Grand Final day
There was no golf as the greens were cored on Friday 27th, that and the heavy rain during the week and overnight made the course unplayable.  Our thanks to Bob McLennan, Kev Dunn, Les Gaunt, Peter “Smokey” Scanlon, Bob Preece, Neil Jarman, Jan Harver, Tony Freeman and Dean vanDenHeuval who all worked very hard on the Friday to make sure the greens were seeded, fertilised and rubbed in.  Also for their work around the course mowing grass, levelling depressions (the recent rain made these depressions very easy to find), finishing off the new 17th tee, building a cross-over behind the 9th green and a carrying out a variety of mechanical repairs and maintenance on the club machinery.  Thanks also to Andrew Clement for the use of his front-end loader tractor, sure beat shovelling all that sand and soil, to Neil Jarman for organising the seed and fertiliser and to Jim Patton for his work to locate and deliver washed sand ready for the coring program.
Saturday September 21st – Round 3, 2013 Club Championships & September Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts
Field; Stroke scores. With over 60 mm of rain falling during the week the course had once again become extremely wet, there was casual water on most fairways and some areas could not be mown.  Relief, to a handspan through the green, was given. The conditions ensured there virtually no run of the fairways so players had to select their clubs carefully and hit the greens in regulation to have any chance of picking up one of the trophies on offer.  In A Grade veteran Les Gaunt began the round with a good buffer, he had the luxury of playing well within himself knowing that all challengers had to play very attacking golf to make up the difference.  Tyson Ellis, an outside chance for A Grade was also in a very good position to hold on and take out B Grade.  The round of the afternoon came from Dave Richardson, other good efforts were from Anthony Freeman and Andrew Laing.  The day’s results were;
September Medalist; Dave Richardson – 93/24/69

NTPs; 15 – Andrew Clement & 16 – Anthony Freeman

Least Putts; Anthony Lakey – 23

A Grade Stroke & 2013 Club Champion; Les Gaunt – 248

A Grade Handicap; Les Gaunt 248/ 230
B Grade Stroke; Andrew Laing – 285
B Grade Handicap; Dave ichardson – 226
Peter Scanlon Shield (Best handicap result by a player 55 and over) Les Gaunt – 230
John Jeffrey Shield (Best overall handicap performance) Dave Richardson – 226

Saturday September 14 – Round 2, 2013 Club Championships

Field: Handicap scores.  The day began under heavy, overcast skies but these were lifting as the 1st group hit off.  Some good weather during the week had dried out some parts of the course but occasional rain and heavy dews meant that relief was still given.  After a few holes the skies darkened and steady rain began to fall, whilst the rain only lasted for around 15 minutes it was enough to wet all the fairways again.  The afternoon grew cooler and the skies remained overcast for the remainder of the round.  Despite the seemingly reasonable conditions for golf it was difficult to post a good score.  The day’s results were;
Daily winner; Tyson Ellis – 87/20/67
A Grade Gross; Les Gaunt – 81/87/168
A Grade Nett; Les Gaunt – 156, from Andrew Clement – 160
B Grade Gross; Tyson Ellis – 91/87/178
B Grade Nett; – Tyson Ellis – 138 from Jim Patton – 152
NTPs; 1 – Jim Patton & 15 – Tyson Ellis
 
Saturday September 7th – Round 1, 2013 Club Championships
Field: Randon draw.  Players hit-off in the 1st round of the 2013 Club Championships on a beautiful spring day.  The air was still and the sun was shining however, although the greens were firm and true, the whole course was still quite wet so relief, through the green, was given.  A number of players had returned to play in the championships and whilst they could be excused for being a little rusty their scores belied this.  Others battled their way around the course spending more time in the trees than on the fairways.  The day’s results were;
Daily winner; Tyson Ellis – 90/20/70
A Grade Gross; Andrew Clement 81, Les Gaunt 81
A Grade Nett; Andrew Clement – 81/9/72
B Grade Gross; Tyson Ellis – 90, Andrew Laing – 94, Anthony Freeman – 94
B Grade Nett; Tyson Ellis – 90/20/70, Dave Richardson – 97/23/74
NTPs; 1 – Andrew Clement, 15 – Mitchell Clement, 16 – Dave Richardson.
Saturday August 31st – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts & 2012/2013 Medal of Medalists
The 2012/2013 Medal of Medalists (Helene & Ken Newnham Shield) and the August Monthly Medal were contested under clear, blue skies on a lovely sunny, very spring-like afternoon.  The course was again very wet and players were accompanied by a regular squelching sound on most holes.   Despite the wonderful day a number of players found it difficult to keep their ball on the correct fairway, some even found it difficult to keep their ball inside the course.  The Medal of Medalists was over quite quickly with Pat Chisholm playing a good front nine and then an excellent back nine to easily take out the shield.  Pat’s round was also good enough to take out the August Medal.  
Medal of Medalists; Pat Chisholm – 87/17/70
August Medalist; Pat Chisholm – 87/17/70 from Jim Patton – 95/20/75
NTPs; 15 – Mick Nicholls, 16 – Les Gaunt
Least Putts; Les Gaunt – 28
Saturday August 24th – Stableford
And now for something completely different, players took to the course with a clear sky, some warming sunshin and just a zephyr from the north.  In the air conditions for golf looked good however, once the ball landed it was a different matter.  All players had to carefully watch others’ shots as the very wet fairways and rough threatened to swallow any ball that did not have at least two pairs of eyes following it through the air.  There was virtually no run and players often found themselves hitting long irons or fairway woods as their approach shots, accuracy became paramount  The greens had held up to the week’s rain quite well but golfers had to be determined to get their putts close to the hole. On a beautiful afternoon on an extremely wet course the day’s results were;
Winner; Heath Rae (17) 34 pts from Bob McLennan (9) & Steve Poulton (29) 31 pts.
NTPs went to 15 – Keith Hocking & 16  Heath Rae.
Next week will see the August Monthly Medal and the play off for the Helene & Ken Newnham Shield – The 2012/2013 Medal of Medalists.
Saturday August 17th – Par
Regular rain during the week saw more casual water across much of the course severely limiting the areas that could be mown and  even after the cold nights the grass had continued to grow making for quite hairy fairways. Despite the water on course all surrounds had been cut providing a neat surface to pitch or chip from but players had to make sure they landed on the green as the lack of bounce and roll made “chip and run” approach shots virtually useless.  A steady, cold northerly wind also kept players on their toes.  The skies looked threatening for much of the round however the rain held off until all groups were safely in the clubrooms.   The day’s results were;
Winner; Shannon Wright (11) -1 from Anthony Lakey (18) and Andrew Laing (17) -3.
NTPs went to 15 – Les Gaunt.
Saturday August 10th – Stableford.
After steady rain throughout the latter half of the week there was a deal of casual water across the course and the fairways were again quite soft.  Some added pressure came from both dams, they were full to overflowing and sat like spiders in their webs just waiting to feast on an errant shot.  The round began under steady sunshine with almost no wind; the afternoon remained clear with a temperature of around 14C, the best weather conditions since early June.  To top off the day, for the first time in a number of weeks all players were thankful to get through the afternoon without any drizzle or rain. So on a fine afternoon, on a very wet course, the day’s results were;
Winner; Mal Mottram (17) – 36 points  from Les Gaunt (5) – 34 points
NTPs went to; 1 – Dave Richardson, 15 – Bob McLennan (another 5 cm would have picked up the $140.00) and 16 – Les Gaunt.

Saturday August 3rd – Stroke

Well, they say golfers are a hardy breed, that was certainly true for the Romsey members who tested the fates on Saturday.  Players were met by heavy, overcast skies, powerful, gusting northerly winds and drizzle sweeping across the course, just what you want on a Saturday afternoon. Conditions were so tough one player decided to stay indoors and another only lasted six holes before calling it a day.  Soft fairways provided little run, cold air  caused many shots to fall short and the gusting wind continually pushed shots well off line.  Recent vandal damage to some of the greens also increased the challenge of the afternoon.  To add some final spice the drizzle turned to steady rain over the final few holes catching all bar one group.  Despite all those tribulations it was a very happy, if somewhat damp, group who sat down for a quiet drink and a chat before the day’s presentations were made.  On a very difficult afternoon the day’s results were;
Winner; Les Gaunt – 83/5/78  from Anthony Freeman –  97/17/80 and Anthony Lakey – 98/17/81
NTPs  – 15 & 16 Pat Chisholm.

Saturday July 27th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts

The July Medal was contested under very trying conditions, the fairways were soft, the temperature rarely got above 8C, there were overcast skies and strong, gusting NW winds blew across the course.  The wind often caused havoc with many a player hitting the ball truly only to see the wind grab it and push it well wide of the fairway or green.  Those who could keep the ball low often got the best return. On another tough day at the office the results were;
Winner and July Medalist – Adrian Poulton; 99/26/73 from Pat Chisholm; 91/16/75  (The Medal of Medalists will be played on Sat August 31st)
NTPs went to 15 – Dean vanDenHeuval & 16 – Adrian Poulton
Least putts was a tie; 29 – Adrian Poulton & Steve Poulton.
Saturday July 20th – Stableford
After the rain and wind during the week and the cold, grey skies of the morning players were not sure just what to expect as they headed off to the tee.  Both dams were full and there was plenty of casual water on the fairways and on many of the greens making for testing approach shots and even more challenging putts.  The drizzle and cold northerly winds kept up for the first half of the round, then for a few brief holes the sun came out and the wind dropped.  The drizzle returned late in the day and again, only the final two groups were caught.  On a tough day at the office, where posting a good score was more than difficult, the results were;
Winner; Rob Rea – (17) 37 pts,
NTPs; 15 – Anthony Lakey
Saturday July 13th – Stroke
A determined group of golfers hit off under dark skies, steady northerly winds and intermittent drizzle.  The heavy frosts and some overnight rain meant that the course was quite damp and balls would pick up mud so relief was given.  The cold air and the steady wind found many players well short or wide of their intended landing zone.  The afternoon remained cool; fortunately the heavy rain held off until the final few holes and only the final two groups were really effected.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Heath Rea – 87/17/70 (A fine return after not playing golf for almost 12 months) from Les Gaunt – 78/4/74
NTPs went to; 15 – Heath Rea and 16 – Les Gaunt
Saturday July 6th – Par
The sky was overcast, there was light drizzle and a steady breeze, with occasional gusts, from the north moving to the NW as players, with some trepidation, took to the course for the club’s Par competition.  However, as so often happens on golf courses, after about four holes, the skies cleared and the sun came out making for an enjoyable afternoon to be strolling around in such a wonderful environment.  Nevertheless, as has been the case at RGC over the past few weeks, the wonderful conditions were not able to put a smile on the players’ faces and with one exception, the scoring was again well below par!
Winner; John Freestone (20) +1 from Andrew Laing (17) -3
NTPs went to 15 – Anthony Freeman & 16 – Ron Walker
Saturday June 29th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts
Well, for the second week in a row, the conditions for golf were excellent, clear skies and virtually no wind on a surprisingly warm winter’s afternoon.  The fairways had reasonable cover and were well mown and the greens were both fast and true.  However, for the second week, the course had laid down the challenge and no golfer was really able to rise to the occasion and post a sub-par round.
Winner, and June Monthly Medalist; Pat Chisholm – 89/17/72 c/b from Tyson Ellis – 92/20/72.
NTPs; 1 – Ron Walker, 15 – Anthony Freeman.  Least putts – John Laing – 29 c/b from Les Gaunt.
The Romsey team enjoyed the afternoon at the Dalhousie Bowl at Broadford on Sunday June 30th.  However this enjoyment do not flow over into the the results with RGC finishing well toward the tail of the 79 player field.
Saturday June 22 – Stableford
Players teed off in wonderful conditions, virtually a perfect winter’s day.  For the first time in many weeks there was almost no wind, clear skies and plenty of sun.  To top off the day it was wonderful to welcome ex-captain and much valued club member, Geoff Pyke, down from Brisbane and back in Romsey for a round and a reminder of what winter really is like.  The morning’s heavy frost had meant that the greens were not able to be mowed; this did add a little spice (extreme frustration?) to the round.  On such a great day for golf, the scoring was well below par. The fairways, good grass cover and true bounce, continued their remarkable recovery from the extended dry so no excuses there.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Pat Chisholm (17) 34 pts.  NTPs; 15 – John Boyce.
Saturday June 15th – Stroke
Very cool conditions, overcast skies and winds moving from the south to the east made for a challenging day on the course.  Both dams had filled considerably after the recent rains so quite suddenly a number of holes were much more challenging and more than one player lamented a “splash” landing.  The cold air and the shifting winds made club selection more difficult however the greens were holding well and putting very truly.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Steve Poulton – 99/29/70.  NTPs went to 15 & 16 Mal Mottram.
Our thanks and congratulations to Tony Freeman, John Freestone, Anthony Lakey, Jan Harver and Sharon Carroll who represented RGC at Woodend G. C. on Saturday 15th and/or at the Dalhousie Mixed Foursomes at Trentham G. C. on Sunday 16th.
Monday June 10th – Queen’s Birthday Stableford
Conditions were again very good for golf, only the odd gust from the NW and more than a peek of winter sun.  However the greens were a little tricky causing many a golfer to occasionally question just why he played the game. The public holiday brought out a number of golfers who had been taking a sabbatical from the game.   Despite the good conditions the scores were less than impressive. The day’s results were;
Winner; Keith Hocking (26) – 38 pts from a number of golfers with 32 pts (no name no pack drill)
NTPs; 15 – Steve Poulton & 16 – Anthony Freeman
Saturday June 8th – Par
The round began under clear skies, virtually no wind and even a little winter sun.  Fairways were in the best nick for many months and the greens were holding well and gave determined putter a good return.  The weather remained benevolent throughout the afternoon however the golf was another matter.  Many players often found themselves well short of the greens and faced with difficult chip shots to challenging pin placements.  Others played seemingly good shots only to see a flukey bounce sling their ball deep into the rough.  The day’s results were
Winner; Anthony Freeman (17) +1.  NTPs 15 – Les Gaunt.
Sunday June 2nd – Romsey Open Day 2 – 24 Hole Stroke
Misty rain was falling as players registered for the 32nd Romsey Open, they then enjoyed an egg & bacon breakfast while catching up with people they may not have seen since The Romsey Open in June of 2012.  By 9.30 am the drizzle had moved on to light rain assisted by steady winds from the south-west.  The par 45 course was challenging enough without these tough conditions, fortunately the rain lifted after a few holes but the occasional shower and gusting wind did roll across the park during the morning.  The highlight of the first 12 holes was a Hole-in-One by Dave Richardson (Romsey) on the 110m par 3, 10th.  By 12.15 all players were in the clubhouse enjoying a roast lunch, a quiet drink and a good chat with other players.  Half-way clubhouse house leaders were;
A Grade
Stroke; Lance Carracher (Euroa) & Danny BellChambers (Lancefield) 47
 Handicap; Lance Carracher (2 2/3) 44 1/3 from Phil Constable (3 1/3) 44 2/3
B Grade
Stroke;   Anthony Freeman (Romsey) – 54, Mal Mottram (Romsey) – 56
Handicap; Anthony Freeeman (11 1/3) 42 2/3 & Mal Mottram (11 1/3) 44 2/3
C Grade
Stroke; John Freestone (Romsey) 56 & Ian Reynolds (Goonawarra) 60
Handicap; John Freestone (12) 44, Ian Reynolds (12 2/3) & Dave Richardson (14 1/3) 47 1/3.
The afternoon round got underway with drifting showers that moved to steady drizzle then clear, cold conditions.  During the day players were reinforced with cups of hot soup and other refreshments from the mobile kitchen staffed by RGC veterans Peter Scanlon and Bruce Robb.  Many players were extremely happy to see these two as the wandered around the course.  By 3.30 all competitors were back in the rooms and chewing their way through the warm savouries and the many home made slices and other desserts.  The day’s results were
AM Handicap; Mal Mottram (11 1/3) 44 2/3,
PM Handicap; Mark Corradin (Euroa – 3) 42.
C Grade
Stroke; John Freestone – 119
Handicap; Ian Reynolds (24 2/3) 98 2/3
B Grade 
Stroke; Anthony Freeman – 108
Handicap; Graham Drummond (Northern) (22 2/3) 95 1/3
A Grade 
Stroke; Lance Carracher – 94
Handicap; Mick Prorock (12) 89
NTPs; 1st – John Loney Melb Airport), 8th – Ian Richardson (Euroa), 9th – Mick Corcoran (Northern) & 10th Dave Richardson.
RGC president, Anthony Lakey, began the presentations by thanking the event’s sponsors, Romsey Collision Centre, Commercial & Industrial Insurance, Hogans Hotel Wallan and Drummonds Golf Taylors Lakes for their support.  The many RGC members who had prepared the course, who had prepared and/or served the food and who staffed the bar were also thanked.  All winners were very positive about the day noting that no-one could control the weather.  One of the most distinguished golfers to come from Dalhousie District, Lance Carracher, accepted the 2013 Romsey Open Champion award ($100 David Jones voucher and a Barossa red) thanking all those involved in running the day and speaking effusively of the value of these club open tournaments across the district.  The 33rd Romsey Open will be held on the 1st Sunday in 2013.
Saturday June 1st – Romsey Open Day 1 – 4BBB
Very heavy rain from Friday afternoon through to midday Saturday saw a number of players have second throughts about taking to the course however all those who did take up the challenge found that the drizzle cut out after the 2nd hole and the conditions improved throughout the day.  By mid afternoon the wet weather gear, umbrellas and jumpers had been put away and golfers enjoyed the balmy conditions.  There was plenty of casual water on the fairways and on some of the greens so relief, through the green, was given.  The day’s results were;
Men’s Pairs – Rob Rea/Tony Freeman – 37 pts
Mixed Pairs – Lorraine Robb/Burt Quigley – 41 pts from Beryl Cole/Dean vanDenHeuval – 34 pts
Relative Pairs (A RGC Shield Event) John & Andrew Laing – 43 pts from Dave Richardson/Adrian Poulton – 41 pts
NTPs went to 1 – Andrew Laing 15 – Chris Lingard.

 

Saturday May 25th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts
The May Monthly Medal was contested under almost perfect conditions.  The sun was out and there was only the occasional gust of breeze.  The fairways were slowly greening up but there were still many brown patches.  The greens were in the best condition for quite a while and proved to be both fast and true.  There are still some patches of damage from our corellas but these are slowly repairing themselves.  However, on a good day for golf, the returns were very mixed.  The day’s results were
Winner & May Medalist – Mal Mottram – 88/17/71 from Dean vanDenHeuval – 86/12/74
NTPs 1 – Anthony Freeman, 15th – Mal Mottram (Got the $200.00 too!) Least Putts – John Laing – 24.
Our district, Dalhousie, is now entering its tournament season; Lancefield the weekend just past and Romsey the weekend coming.  These tournaments bring Dalhousie and other district’s golfers together allowing everyone to play new courses and to make new friendships.  More information on all Dalhousie tournaments can be found on our home page.
 
Saturday May 18th – Stableford.
Overcast skies and cold north-westerly winds were prevalent as players hit off in the club’s stableford competition.  The rain on Thursday had softened the fairways and balls picked up a deal of mud so relief, on the fairway played, was again given.  The cold air and inconsistent wind forced players to think carefully before pulling a club from the bag.  The greens played very true; those who putted with confidence achieved good results.  A number of players had a serious interest in the Essendon Vs Brisbane match so there was a deal of information, and possibly overly optimistic predictions, floating across the fairways.  With only two exceptions all players had difficulty carding a good score.  The day’s results were;
Winner – Tyson Ellis (20) 39 pts from Andrew Laing (17) 37 pts. NTPs went to 16 – Bob McLennan.

 

The 32nd Romsey Open will be played over the weekend Sat June 1st and Sunday June 2nd.  For more information please go to;
https://www.romseygolfclub.net/index.php?news&nid=11

 

Saturday May 11th – Stroke
And now for something completely different, strong, gusting winds from the north and north-west made for a challenging day on the course.  Again many good shots often fell victim to these inconsistently strong zephyrs.  After another week of clear, sunny days the fairways were still quite dry however, quite incongruously, there was some, uneven green cover so relief, on the fairway played, was given.  The greens had also dried out a little so many players quickly reverted to “chip and run” approach shots.  On a tough day the results were;
Winner; Chris vanDerVliet – 95/25/70 from Les Gaunt – 76/4/72.
NTPs went to – 15 – John Laing
Saturday May 4th – Stableford.
A few mm of rain during the week had kept the fairways alive and sparked up the many young trees across the park so there was a strong green flush across the course.  However the steady to gusting southerly and south-westerly winds made for a very difficult round.  Players were faced with strong winds above the trees and violent gusts that blew the best of shots well wide of the fairway or green.  After a difficult round the winner was decided by a count-back. The day’s results were;
Winner – Andrew Laing (18) – 37 pts on a c/b from Les Gaunt (5) 37 pts.
NTPs went to  – 15 – Rob Rea & 16 – Les Gaunt
Saturday April 27th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts
The April Monthly Medal was played under very tough conditions, gusting northerly and north-westerly winds played havoc with all players’ shots and made club selection on some holes extremely difficult. Under these conditions the par 3’s were vastly more challenging than usual.  The strong field saw a number of players well in contention until late in the round however the wind intensified making it tough to card good scores over the final few holes.  The day’s results were;
Winner and April Monthly Medalist – Pat Chisholm – 85/18/67.  Other good rounds came from Darren Freestone – 77/5/72 and Ron Walker – 87/15/72
NTPs went to –  15 – John Freestone.  Least putts – Darren Freestone – 28
Saturday April 20th – Algie Mitchell Final & Stableford
The afternoon began with overcast skies and cool SE winds but conditions soon changed as the sun came out and the winds dropped giving players great conditions for their rounds.  The day also saw final of the club’s oldest shield, the “Algie Mitchell Singles Knock-out”.  The final, Steve Poulton (29) Vs Kev Milner (9) began with players sharing the first few holes however Kev, playing very consistent golf, soon pulled ahead.  Steve managed to pick up a hole here and there but Kev lead two up as they headed into the back nine.  He pulled away over the next few joles and birdie to Kev on the 438m par 5, 14th saw the match wrapped up.  The stableford competition was one of highs and lows with players scoring pars or better on some holes then scraping in with a one pointer on the next few.   A number of players found the trees and had to decide whether to be adventerous and manufacture a great shot or “take their medicine” and just chip back onto the fairway, as per usual the manufactured shot often provided less than spectacular results.  The day’s results were;
Algie Mitchell Shield; Kev Milner (9) D Steve Poulton (29) 5/4.  2012 winner Les Gaunt presented Kev with the shield.
2012 winner Les Gaunt presents
Stableford; Winner – Anthony Lakey (17) 35 pts on a countback from Les Gaunt (5)
NTPs went to 15 – Les Gaunt.
Saturday April 13th – Semi Finals Single K/O & Stroke
A few heavy dews but no real rain for over two weeks saw the growth on the fairways stall making the grass cover quite inconsistent so relief, on the fairway played, was given.  The two Algie Mitchell Shield matches got through a few holes before the wind blew up while the bulk of the Stroke field had to contend with inconsistent, gusting NW winds for the whole round.  Our birds had returned for one last (hopefully) attack on the 7th green and a quick chew on the 9th however their work lacked conviction and whilst an inconvience, was reasonably quickly repaired.  Apart from these minor concerns the greens were in top nick.  The day’s results were;
Aglie Mitchell Shield Semi Finals;
Kev Milner (9) D Pat Chisholm (18) 8/7
Steve Poulton (29) D Shannon Wright (9) 4/3.  Kev will play Steve in the final next Saturday.
Stroke winner; Tony Freeman – 91/17/74.  NTPs 15 – Bob McLennan & 16 – Tony Freeman
Saturday April 6th – 1st Round Singles K/O & Par
The sun was shining, there was virtually no wind, the greens were in great nick and the fairways were well on their way back after the extended dry so it seemed the day was almost perfect for golf as players took to the course for the 1st round of the Algie Mitchel Singles Knock-out and the Par competition.  However, despite the excellent conditions, it proved very difficult to card a good score.  Many players underestimated the run and bounced well passed the green or found themselves chopping at a ball buried in the uneven new, green growth on the fairways.  The day’s results were;
Algie Mitchell Singles K/O
Kev Milner (9) D Tony Freeman (17) 3/4
Shannon Wright (9) D Mick Nicholls (20) 21st hole
Steve Poulton (29) D Les Gaunt (5) 19th hole
Pat Chisholm (18) D Bob McLennan (9) 5/4
Par Winner John Laing (22) +1 from Chris vanDerVliet (25) -1
NTPs; 15 – Steve Poulton.
Saturday March 30th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts
Conditions were ideal for golf, just over 20C, fairways greening up, receptive greens and only occasional gusts of wind so players expected to card a good score in the March Monthly Medal.  The recent rain had greatly reduced the irregular bounces on the fairways; players could shoot directly at the greens knowing that if they were short the ball would take a true line.  The greens continue to improve allowing golfers to attack the hole with confidence feeling sure that there would be no unexpected deviations.  The day’s results were;
Winner and March Monthly Medalist – Anthony Lakey – 86/18/68 from Bob McLennan – 79/9/70 and Pat Chisholm – 90/18/72.
Least putts – Kev Milner – 25.
NTPs went to 1 – Anthony Lakey, 15 – Bob McLennan.
The 2013 pennant captains were also announced.  Scratch – Bob McLennan, Handicap – Tony Freeman.
Wednesday March 27th
The Romsey round of the Royal Womens Hospital 4BBB was played under warm, dry conditions with intermittent, strong westerly winds.  The round was hard fought with the winning pair only pulling away over the final holes.  The day’s results were;
Winners – Jan Harver/Leila Beasley – 46 pts  from  Beryl Cole/Wendy Gosden – 39 pts.
Jan and Leila will now go on to represent Romsey in the Dalhousie District RWW 4BBB final later in the year
Saturday March 23rd – Singles Knock Out Qualifying – Stableford
Players in the qualifying round for the Algy Mitchell Singles K/O Shield were met by strong, gusting winds however, by mid afternoon, the winds had died down leaving only the occasional squall from the south west or the north west.  As the day wore on the strong field enjoyed the generally warm, dry conditions.  After about 15mm of rain during the week the fairways were a little softer and, whilst drives lost some distance, approach shots were more consistently struck.  The greens continued their steady improvement and gave steadfast putters a great return.  The day’s results were;
Winner – Kev Milner (9) 40 pts from Mick Nicholls (21) 39 pts, Mitchell Clement (13) 39 pts, Steve Poulton (30) 38 pts, Bob McLennan (10) 37 pts, Pat Chisholm (19) 37 pts & Les Gaunt (5) 36 pts.
NTPs went to 1- Shannon Wright, 15 – Kev Milner & 16 – John Laing.
Round 1 of the Algie Mitchell Shield will feature Kev Milner (9) Vs Tony Freeman (17), Mick Nicholls (21) Vs Shannon Wright (9), Steve Poulton (30) Vs Les Gaunt (5) and Bob McLennan (10) Vs Pat Chisholm (19).  These matches must be played on or before Saturday April 6th.
Saturday March 16th – Stroke
After months of dry weather it was amazing to see what a spot of rain and some warm earth could do. Weeks of hard, dry, brown fairways gave way to large areas of green all over the course. The greens were in excellent condition however the large field had to contend with gusting southerly winds and squalling showers that saw many a dusty umbrella out for the first time in over six months.  Despite the tough conditions a number of players were able to record good scores.  Highlights of the day were classy veteran John Laing picking up two birdies and talented youngster, Mitchell Clement (whose last round was well over 18 months ago) picking up an eagle on the 438m par 5, 14th.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Adrian Poulton – 90/28/62 from Kev Milner 78/10/68, John Laing – 94/23/71 & Anthony Lakey – 90/18/72.
NTPs went to – 1 – Kev Milner, 15 – Bob McLennan, 16 – Les Gaunt.
Sunday March 10th – Day 2 Macedon Ranges Junior Tournament.
 
For more information on the 2103 MRJT please go to MRJT 2013 Report and Scores
 

Saturday March 9th – Par

Another hot, dry day met golfers as they hit off in the club’s par competition.  A  steady northerly wind made some sections of the course a little cooler and effected approach shots on a few holes.  The recent rain had greened parts of the fairways but they remainded hard giving players good value for they drives.  A few flukey bounces also came into play throughout the afternoon.  However one player, continuing his recent run of good form, seemed to have the ball on remote control.    On another difficult day the day’s results were;
Winner; Mick Nicholls (23) +5  from Bob Dwyer (27) and Tony Freeman (17) all square.
NTPs went to 15 – Rob Rea.

 

Sunday March 3rd – DDGA Captains’ & Presidents’ Day
The annual Dalhousie District Golf Association Capts’ & Pres’ Day saw just under half Dalhousie District clubs represented.  The 4BBB stableford aggregrate competition was the first Dalhousie event to see competitors able to score points in the DDGA handicap players award.  The event allowed each club to enter two pairs, Captain & guest and President & guest.  There was much laughter in the room before hit-off as many players caught up with friends from other clubs.  A number of players had not been to Romsey for many years, they were pleasently surprised by the steady improvements to the course and the great condition of the greens (even allowing for our corellas!).  In a closely fought event the day’s results were;
1st, and winners of the 2013 Bill Chamley Shield, Romsey ( A. Lakey/D. Richardson 43 & A. Freeman/K. Dunn 41) – 84 pts from Euroa – 82 pts and Kilmore – 81 pts.  Best performance by a pair Seymour Capts (J. Mitchell/R. Oldman) – 45 pts.
NTPs went to 1 & 15 – Alan Jillett & 16 – Cameron Roper.
Saturday March 2nd – Stroke
Around 60mm of rain during the week did little to soften the fairways, it really just closed the cracks, and for the second week the winds moved from the SW to the NW making it tricky to fire directly at the flag on some holes.  The corellas seemed to have moved on however their damage to the greens will be felt for a number of weeks yet. However moving winds and some flukey bounces did not effect the play of a number of golfers. The day’s results were
Winner; Mick Nicholls – 92/23/69 c/b from Bob McLennan – 80/11/69, Jim Patton – 89/20/69 with Adrian Poulton – 99/29/70
NTPs went to 1 – John Laing, 15 & 16 Dean vanDenHeuval (Dean also won the $200 on the 15th -great first game after breaking a leg)

Wednesday February 27th – Monthly Medal. Inc 1st Rd Silver Spoon & 2nd Qualifying Rd Singles K/O.

1st   Beryl Cole –  86 / 23 / 63,  2nd   Wendy Gosden – 115 / 45 / 70 & 3rd – Lorraine Robb   101 / 30 / 71

 

Saturday February 23rd – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts

The February Monthly Medal started under hot, still conditions but the wind soon began to play a part in the day.  It blew from the south east then gusted from the south west before quietening and moving back to the south east.  Members had again been out early in the day to repair some corella damage on a few greens however the greens were in generally excellent condition encouraging players to attack the pin.  The fairways, having missed out on the recent heavy rains in the general area, continued to give excellent run.  The Medal was a closely fought affair with a number of players in the “frame” right up to the final few holes.  In the end it was a more steady final 9 that made the difference.  The day’s results were;
Winner and February Medalist; Ron Walker – 82/17/65 from Anthony Lakey – 88/20/68 C/B from Dave Richardson – 91/23/68 and Bob Dwyer – 95/27/68, other good rounds came from Peter Scanlon – 95/25/70, Rob Rea – 88/17/71 & Bob McLennan – 83/12/71.
NTPs went to 1 – Bob McLennan, 15 – Ron Walker & 16 – Jim Patton.  Least putts, on a C/B from Les Gaunt, went to Anthony Lakey – 25.
Wednesday February 20th – Stroke – Qualifying Rd Singles K/O
Winner; Lorraine Robb – 89/30/59 from Elaine Scanlon – 104/36/68 C/B from BerylCole – 91/23/68
Sunday February 17th – Charity Golf Day
Twenty teams of four took to the Romsey course at 10.00 am to help raise funds for cancer research. The skies were clear and there was barely a breath of wind.  The event, four player Ambrose, attracted teams from local and distant golf clubs, local businesses and many friends of members.  A number of teams were back for their 5th year.  “The Old Course”  par 45 layout proved more than challenging for many teams whilst others, usually containing a canny local, were able to post excellent scores.  However, as with most events on “The Old Course”, the three par threes (Known locally as “Amen Corner”) sorted out a few challenges.
The day’s winners were “IGA” – 41/9.5/31.5 from “In First Place” – 41/8.5/32.5 with “Grumpies Gang” – 44/11/33 coming in third.  There were a number of NTPs and Longest & Straightest Drive awards.
Before presentations club president, Anthony Lakey, thanked all those who competed in the event, the sponsors of the Charity Day, The Lancefield Hotel, CIIC Insurance and Black Range Business Supplies, the kitchen and bar staff also got a loud cheer from the players.
 The event raised $1,460.00 for the Lancefield/Macedon Ranges Relay For Life.
Saturday February 16th – 4BBB final & Stableford

The good rains of Thursday and Friday did not arrive at Romsey so the course remained dry with some serious cracking on the fairways.  There were also large, semi cultivated  areas in the rough and on some fairways, courtesy of our resident flock or corellas.  The teams in the 4BBB final, Les Gaunt & Graeme Clement Vs Ron Walker & John Freestone, got underway in still, hot conditions.  Things looked good from the start for Walker/Freestone as Ron birdied the 1st, pared the 2nd and birdied the 3rd.  Les and Graeme fought back to be one down on the 9th but excellent golf from Ron and John, including an eagle on the 14th, saw them record a fine win to take out the club’s oldest shield.  (On a brighter note Graeme did win 1st and 2nd prize in the raffle)

The stableford competition was closely fought affair.  The extra run in the fairways and the very receptive greens allowed many players to play attacking golf.  A number of golfers began the back nine in excellent fashion but a fluffed chip or an extraordinary bounce brought many back to the field.  The day’s results were;

4BBB; Ron Walker (17) & John Freestone (17) D Les Gaunt (5) & Graeme Clement (11) 6/4

Stableford Winner: Dave Richardson (24) – 38 pts from Bob McLennan (12), Bob Dwyer (27), Adrian Poulton (29) & Anthony Lakey (20) all with 36 pts.

NTPs went to; 1 – Ron Walker, 15 – John Laing & 16 – Bob McLennan

 

Wednesday February 13th – GolfVic Qualifying Rd – Doris Chambers – Stableford

Winners; Wendy Gosden & Elaine Scanlon (41) – 45 pts

 

Saturday February 9th – 4BBB Semi-finals & Par

Strong, gusting north and north-easterly winds made for a very difficult day on the course.  Our birds seem to have had enough of 7th, 15th & 16th greens and have now moved onto the 18th, 4th, 2nd and 5th.  Hopefully they will soon completely lose interest and move on.  The two 4BBB semi-finals were closely fought affairs and the par competition saw some successes however quite a number saw the strong winds blow out their scores.  The day’s results were;

4BBB Semi-finals; John Freestone (17) & Ron Walker (17) D John Laing (24) & Peter Scanlon (25) 3/2.  Les Gaunt (5) & Graeme Clement (11) D Bob McLennan (12) & Rob Rea (18) on the 20th.  The final of this shield will be played next Saturday.

Par competition; Winner Dave Richardson (25) +4 (Dave also won the meat raffle so a good day) from Anthony Lakey (21) +2, Kev Milner (10) +1, Pat Chisholm (19) square and Bob Dwyer (27) square.

Women’s winner; Leila Beasley (30) -1

NTPs went to; 1 – Dave Richardson, 15 – Bob McLennan & 16 – John Freestone

Saturday February 2nd – Qualifying Round – Ampol/W. E. Tom 4BBB Shield

The first shield event of 2013, The Ampol/W. E.Tom 4BBB Knock-out (the club’s oldest shield), attracted a strong field.  The qualifying round was 4BBB Stableford while the women’s event was stableford.  Many greens still suffered from the attention of the birds however a goodly number had decided to move on to sections of the rough and a few areas of the fairways.  Their dedicated efforts to scarify parts of the course will, however, make it easier to sow down these sections later in autumn  Such seemingly minor distractions and consistently strong southerly winds made for a challenging round however a number of pairs rose to the occasion to card excellent scores.  The women’s event also saw some excellent scoring.  The men’s and women’s results were;

4BBB winners; John Freestone (17) & Ron Walker (17) – 44 pts from Les Gaunt (5) & Graeme Clement (11) – 43 pts, Bob McLennan (12) & Rob Rea (17) – 42 pts and John Laing (24) & Peter Scanlon (25) – 40 Pts.  These top four pairs will now go on to the semi-finals of the shield.  The semi-finals and final will be handicap matchplay

Women’s winner; Leila Beasley (31) 44 pts from Jan Harver (41) 37 pts

NTPs went to; 1 – Bob Dwyer, 15 – Ron Walker & 16 – Bob McLennan

Monday January 28th – Stableford

A cheerful group of golfers met to contest the Australia Day Stableford competition.  Whilst gusting winds and errant bounces on the very hard fairways often challenged the civility of some players all were able to play out the round enjoying the course and the many good natured jokes and observations coming from within their groups.  The day’s results, after a “tough day at the office”, were;

Winner; John Freestone (18) 34 pts from Anthony Freeman (18) 33 pts.  No NTPs.

Saturday January 26th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts

Players hit off in the January Monthly Medal on a clear, sunny day with some gusting wind.  The greens were very receptive so golfers who attacked the flag got a good return, those who dropped short hoping to run up often found themselves well passed the green.  The fairways had good cover but were very hard; golfers had to select their clubs carefully.  The day’s results were;

Winner and January Medalist – Jim Menzies – 86/15/71 from Ron Walker – 89/17/72 and Graeme Clement –  85/12/73

NTPs went to; 1 – Graeme Clement, 15 – Mal Mottram & 16 – Rob Rea.  Least putts, 27 – Graeme Clement

Wednesday January 23rd – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

On a very pleasant day for golf players soon realised the the hard, dry fairways meant that those who could hit straight got a wonderful return for their efforts.  The ability to chip close to the hole was also an asset.  The day’s results were;
Winner and January Medalist – Jan Harver 103/43/60 from Wendy Gosden – 116/45/71 and Leila Bealsey – 104/32/72.
Least putts – Jan Harver 30.
January 19th – Stableford.

 

Players hit off under clear, blue skies and almost no wind so good scores were there to be taken.  The fairways gave excellent run and the greens had survived the ongoing heat and the seemingly endless attacks by our feathered friends.  With a bit of luck the cockies will have eaten all the grubs and will soon be moving on to give someone else a few headaches.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Steve Poulton (33) – 46 pts from Anthony Freeman (19) – 42 pts, Dave Richardson (25) – 41 pts, Mick Nicholls (25) – 40 pts, Peter Scanlon (26) 38 pts, Pat Chisholm (20) – 37 pts & Les Gaunt (6) 37 pts, Les also picked up an eagle on the 438m, par 5 14th.

Women’s winner; Jan Harver (45) 41 pts.

NTPs 1 – Les Gaunt, 15 – Dave Richardson & 16 – Kev Milner

Saturday January 12th – Stroke

After a number of  days of over 35C it was a pleasure to hit off under clear, sunny skies with the temperature in the mid 20s.  There was almost no wind and players were certainly getting good value from their drives.  However, approach shots had to be carefully thought out as missing the green could see you well passed with a difficult shot to get “up and down”.  Never the less a number of players took advantage of the conditions to register good scores.  The highlight of the day was Les “Twig” Gaunt paring the course.  The day’s results were;

Winner Les Gaunt – 72/7/65 from John Laing – 92/26/66, Rob Rea – 85/18/67, Graeme Clement – 80/13/67, Anthony Freeman – 90/20/70, Dave Richardson – 96/26/70, Neil Jarman – 85/15/70 & Bob Dwyer – 100/28/72

NTPs went to 15 – Les Gaunt, 16 – Andrew Laing

Wednesday January 9th – Stableford

A fine, sunny day met the women as they played their first round for the new year.  The birds had attacked the 15th green however mitigation works had greatly reduced the damage on the other two “curl grub” affected greens.  One of the highlights of the day was a birdie on the par 3, 165m 1st to Wendy Gosden (45), certainly brought a smile to her face.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Kath Jekabsons – (29) 35 pts from Lorraine Robb – (32) 34 pts and Beryl Cole – (24) 34 pts

Saturday January 5th – Ambrose

The searing heat of Friday finally put paid to any greenness on the fairways (however the fairways still had good cover) and those pesky birds had been at it again on three of the  greens; as soon as any damage is repaired they just seem to fly in for another go! So golfers had more than a few challenges in front of them in the club’s Guest Day Ambrose competition, still this is country golf in summer in Victoria.  The day’s results were;

Winners; Les Gaunt, Graeme Clement, Leigh Watts & Gary Watts – 62/6.3/55.6 from Luke Rebbechi, Anthony Freeman, Dave Richardson & Bob Dwyer – 67/10.5/56.5

NTPs went to 1 – Graeme Clement & 16 – Luke Rebbechi.

Tuesday January 1st – Stableford

After more hot, dry days golfers had to cope with very extended run on the fairways, some bird damaged greens and difficult rough as they hit off in the club’s New Year’s Day stableford competition.  The hardy Romsey G. C. regulars were joined by a number of ex Coburg District cricketers who had travelled to Romsey for a reunion.  The cricket discussion, of the halcyon days of the 1970s/80s CDCA, continued on the course and back in the rooms after the round.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Mick Nicholls (25) – 39 pts from Graeme Clement (13) 38 pts, Sharif Abdel-Sayed (20) 37 pts and Steve Poulton (33) – 36 pts.

NTPs went to 15 – Kev Milner and 16 – Daniel Wright.

The club wishes to congratulate Kev Milner on his recent success as 2012 Hume Veterans Champion.