Saturday December 27th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

The sky was clear and there was just a zephyr from the south as players took to the course for the December Monthly Medal.  The hard fairways gave those who drove well execellent value, the greens continue to hold well and there is a growing consistenty with their speed.  The large field say a few visitors from local clubs as well as interstate and the odd prodigal returned to the fold as well.  On an wonderful day for golf  the scoring was excellent.  The day’s results were;

Winner and December Medalist; Mick Nicholls – 89/24/65 from Ron Walker –  89/22/67, Joh Freestone – 86/19/67, Sharif Abdul-Sayed – 88/18/70, Les gaunt – 78/7/71, Michael McCarten – 100/29/71 & Darren Freestone – 82/10/72

NTPs; 1st – Bob McLennan, 15th – Dave Muller & 16th – Jim Patton

Least Putts – Mick Nicholls – 24

 

Friday  December 26th – Boxing Day – Stableford

Traditionally Boxing Day sees a field that has enjoyed a great Christmas Day and, as a result, the next day’s golf may suffer, a few scores backed this theory up.   It was wonderful to welcome back Alan Wiliams down from RAAF duty in Queensland.  Players took to the course with a gusting southerly wind, the fairways gave good run and the greens generally held well.  As the round progressed the wind tended to die down however it blew strongly now and then providing players with more than a few challenges.  The little corellas had again been at work on the 15th and 16th but a number of golfers took the greens damage in their stride and eliminated the putter by calmly chipping in.  All players were in the rooms by 12.30 pm and everyone enjoyed a quiet Christmas chat and drink.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Andrew Laing (19) 43 pts from Dave Muller (13) 39 pts and Steve Poulton (27) 35 pts.

NTPs; 15 – Dave Richardson & Les Gaunt, 16th – Keith Hocking.

Saturday December 20th – Ambrose – 12 hole Competition

A good field gathered for the Christmas Break-up, 12 holes Ambrose.  Conditions were almost perfect for golf, there was a steady southerly wind, the fairways were hard but still had good cover and the greens continued to be receptive to well played wedges and generally putted quite true.  Our friends, the Little Corellas, seem to have concentrated mostly on the fairways and rough however they have made a few trips to the 15th & 16th greens.  Currently this damage is fairly slight.  The teams were a good mix of age and experience and the excellent conditions promised some good scoring.  Four teams shot par or better with one team five under.  The 12 holes left a number of players thirsting for a few more but most of the field were happy to get back to the rooms for afternoon tea a quiet drink and a Christmas chat.  On a loverly day the results were;

Winners; Mal Mottram, Michael McCarten, Bruce Robb & Leila Beasley – 42/10.9/31.1 from Tony Freeman, Ron Walker, Denise O’Meara & John Freestone – 43/11.2/31.8 and Les Gaunt, Lorraine Robb & Anthony Lakey – 40/6.7/33.3

NTPs; 9th – Leas Gaunt, 10th Anthony Lakey

 

Saturday December 13th – Stroke

The round began under clear blue skies with an inconsistent southerly wind.  The wind moved to the east then back to the south before petering out completely.  Despite Thursday’s rain, and its accompanying green tinge, the fairways had dried considerably and players certainly got value for well struck shots.  A few players found themselves taking a drop from the ongoing recycled water works however all were more than pleased to do this and to ponder the improvements to the course when the re-cycled water is fully operational.  All greens have stood up well the the steady increase in temperature and players were able to attack the flag knowing their ball would hold.  Many golfers took advantage of the top conditions and it was not until the final few holes the event  that a possible winner became clear.  It was a battle between Mal Mottram and Dave Muller, a missed chip here or a short putt there was all that was needed to win or lose the day.

On another matter, whilst the club has worked hard over the last five years to plant around 700 trees/bushes to attract native insects and birds we were not planning on seemingly regular visits by corellas who have again taken up residence in the large trees around the boundary of the course.  So far they seem content to dig out and chew the onion grass bulbs.  We hope our treatment of the greens has eliminated one of their favourite foods; the cockchafer grubs.

Winner; Mal Mottram – 81/13/68 from Dave Muller – 83/14/69, Rob Rea – 88/17/71, Michael McCarten – 101/29/72 and Les Gaunt – 79/7/72

NTPs; 15th – Bob Dwyer, 16th – Kev Dunn.

Saturday December 6th – 3 Player Ambrose

Steady rain over night and drizzle throughout the morning saw the usual die-hards front up for their weekly round.  The drizzle lifted as players took to the course and the sun poked through here and there but the gusting southerly wind did not let up all day.  The Ambrose format allowed a number of golfers to be very courageous with their shots, sometimes this came off putting the team in an excellent position however the gusting wind often saw players well north of their intended landing zone.  Ambrose also tends to bring surprises and on an interesting afternoon there were surprises a plenty, miss hits shots that ended up in birdie, successive putts that just lipped out and drives that found the trees only to rebound back into the middle of the fairway.  The day’s results were;

Winners; Anthony Lakey, Mal Mottram, Scott Williams & Rob Rea – 67/10/57 from Michael McCarten, Pat Chisholm & Jim Patton – 72/10.3/61.6 and Tony Freeman, Dave Muller & Steve Poulton – 74/10.5/63.5

NTPs; 1st – Pat Chisholm, 15th Dave Muller & 16th – Anthony Lakey

Saturday November 29th – Monthly Medal – Stroke 7 Putts

A beautiful late spring day and the November Monthly Medal saw a strong field take to the course.  Play began with an inconsistent easterly wind this caught a few golfers out who found their opening shots rising high and falling short.  As the round progressed the wind swung around to the south-west again playing with golfers minds.  The fairways had continued to dry giving players very good results from their drives and the greens continued to hold.  A number of players took advantage of the good conditions to record excellent scores however some excellent golf by junior Michael McCarten soon put paid to the hopes of all others.

Michael should also be congratulated on his performance at the Kilmore G. C. Open where he was the junior champion.  RGC captain, Tony Freeman also performed well at Dalhousie District events and Dalhousie club opens to come in 2nd in the 2014 Dalhousie “Player of the Year”.  The award was won by evergreen Euroa champion Lance Carraher.

On a slightly windy but generally beautiful day the results were;

Winner and November Monthly Medalist;  Michael McCarten – 95/30/65 from John Freestone – 89/20/69, Tony Freeman – 92/23/69, Steve Poulton – 96/27/69, Dave Muller – 84/14/70, Rob Rea – 87/17/70, Jim Patton – 92/21/71 & Andrew Laing – 91/19/72

NTPs – 15th – Bob McLennan,

Least Putts; Rob Rea 28 c/b from Bob Dwyer & Steve Poulton

Saturday November 22nd – Final – John Laing Shield & Par

Congratulations again to club captain Tony Freeman on winning the C grade handicap event at the Marysville Tournament.  This puts Tony clear in 2nd place in the Dalhousie District player of the year event.

During the week members had been busy trenching, laying pipe, connecting sprinklers and back-filling so many fairways had lines of loose soil ready to catch and hold a ball.  Once completed these works will see all fairways irrigated to at least the 150m marker and all fairways and greens on a central electronic timing system.  A green golf course and Park will be a great asset for the community of Romsey and the surrounding districts.  Click here for more information on the re-cycled water works.

It was an overcast, humid afternoon with an inconsistent westerly to north-westerly wind blowing as Dave Muller (7) and Les Gaunt (0) hit off in the final of the 2014 John Laing Shield.  The front nine was all square but Les kicked away by the 14th to be three up with four to go.  Then the wind turned vicious.  It blew strongly, often gusting powerfully for the remaining holes.  A lost ball here, an unlucky bounce there and some excellent golf from Dave and he was able to pull it back to square on the 18th.  Les hit the green on the 19th with Dave about six metres short.  Dave then chipped up to about a metre.  Les had a five metre putt from the back of the green for birdie and the shield, he calmly lined up his shot and dropped the putt.

In the par competition scores were very mixed.  The rain of last weekend kept the fairways green however players again got good value for shots down the fairway.  The greens continued to hold and generally putted very true.  Players who were able keep below the wind had a great advantage and those groups who got off early only faced three of four holes of the gusting wind.  A few groups had to play five or six holes under very tough conditions, this saw many scores blow out.  Two players put in top rounds, Kev Dunn had a very good front nine and Pat Chisholm showed just what he is capable of, even under very tough conditions.  On a dry, windy afternoon the results were;

Par Competition

Winner; Pat Chisholm (13) – +6 from Kevin Dunn (27) – +4 and Mal Mottram (13) Square.

NTPs; 1st – Les Gaunt and 15th – Tony Freeman

John Laing Shield Final

Les Gaunt (0) D Dave Muller (7) – 19th hole.

RGC captain Tony Freeman presents the John Laing Shield to 2014 winner Les Gaunt

John Laing Shield 2014

Saturday November 15th – Semi Finals- John Laing Shield & Stableford

Congratulations to RGC captain Tony Freeman who won the B Grade 18 hole nett and to Dave Muller who won the B Grade 27 hole nett at last Sunday’s Mount Macedon G. C. Open Tournament.

At the end of another sunny, dry week the fairways had hardened considerably and players were getting excellent value for well struck drives.  The greens continued to hold so players could shoot straight at the flag.  As the round progressed the wind moved from the south to the south-west and back to the south.  These winds gusted every now and then causing much angst among the unlucky golfers who had balls in the air at that time.  They also brought the internal Out Of Bounds on the 18th into play causing all players to think carefully before they teed off on this final hole.  On an overcast, breezy and warm afternoon the results were

Winner; Mal Mottram (13) 37 pts c/b from Michael McCarton (29)

NTPs; 15th – Keith Hocking & 16th Mal Mottram

John Laing Shield results were;

Les Gaunt (0) D Bob McLennan (3) – 4/3

Pat Chisholm (0) L Dave Muller (2) – 20th

Next week’s John Laing Shield Final will be;

Les Gaunt (0) Vs Dave Muller (6)

Saturday November 8th – Quarter Finals – John Laing Shield & Stroke

The sky was clear, the course in top condition and there was a steady northerly breeze blowing as players took to the field for the quarter finals of the John Laing shield and stroke.  The quarter finalists got away just after 11.45 am with the stroke field teeing off from 12.00 pm.  During the round the wind strengthened and swung around to the north-east before settling back from the north.  The recent warmer weather also saw the fairways drying out, giving players far more run than in recent weeks.  This proved to be a positive on the longer holes and a negative on some of the shorter ones. Players who were able to keep their ball below the tree line prospered, whilst those who crept a little higher often saw their ball heading south at an alarming rate.  The John Laing Shield quarter finals saw two very close matches however one followed the wind and blew out just a little.  The tougher conditions saw only two of the stroke field able to better their handicaps.  On another enjoyable, yet challenging day the results were;

Stroke winner; Dave Muller – 84/14/69 from Adrian Poulton – 95/25/70

NTPs went to; 15th – Steve Poulton, 16th – Adrian Poulton

John Laing Shield results were;

Bob McLennan (0) D Michael McCarten (20) – 2/1

Les Gaunt (0) D  Anthony Lakey (15) – 2/1

Dave Muller (0) D Mick Nicholls (10) – 6/4 (Played earlier in the week)

Pat Chisholm (0) D Tony Freeman (10) – 4/3

The semi-finals of the John Laing Shield will be;

Les Gaunt (0) Vs Bob McLennan (3)

Pat Chisholm (0) Vs Dave Muller (2)

Saturday November 1st – Qualifying Round – John Laing Shield – Stableford

A warm week again produced good growth across the course however 6mm – 10mm of rain on Saturday morning saw the fairways soften and players facing longer than expected approach shots.  The field teed off with drizzle falling and a gusting westerly wind, as the afternoon wore on the drizzled changed to steady rain and then back to drizzle.  The wind continued to gust causing many shots to veer wildly.  As the groups turned for home the sun came out and the wind died down, the lull lasted for about six holes before the rain began to fall again and the wind had umbrellas and golfers in all sorts of trouble.  The final groups had to play their last four or five holes under very challenging conditions.  Players did well to get close to their handicaps to have a chance to move on to the quarter finals of the John Laing Shield.  On a very difficult day the results were;

Winner; Michael McCarten (33) – 37 pts from Les Gaunt (7) – 34 pts and Dave Muller (16) – 34 pts

NTPs; 1st – Mal Mottram, 15th – Brad Klassen & 16th – Les Gaunt

The handicap matchplay quarter Finals of the John Laing Shield will be;

Michael McCarten Vs Bob McLennan

Les Gaunt Vs  Anthony Lakey

Dave Muller Vs Mick Nicholls

Pat Chisholm Vs Tony Freeman

Saturday October 25th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts
Players took to the field under overcast skies, there was a gentle northerly breeze and the afternoon remained warm and mild. nbsp; The week’s sunny, drier weather saw the fairways hardening and players getting excellent value for their drives.  As with last week a number found themselves “through the corner” whilst others, learning from experience, chose their clubs a little more carefully and put themselves in good position for their approach shots.  The greens remained receptive and generally putted quite true.  As the round wore on it became a battle of three players; each was in with a chance right up to the final few holes.  The day’s results were;

Winner and October Medalist; Dave Muller – 84/16/68 from John Freestone – 90/20/70 & Les Gaunt – 79/7/72.

 

NTPs; 1st – Bob McLennan, 15th – Dave Muller & 16th – Rob Rea.

 

Least Putts;  Dave Muller – 27

Sunday October 19th – 2014 Macedon Ranges Spring Cup

A good field assembled for the inaugural Macedon Ranges Spring Cup; this new event, sponsored by Drummond Golf, Niddrie will rotate between Romsey and Mount Macedon Golf Clubs.  Clubs represented were Romsey, Mount Macedon, Goonawarra, Kyneton and Gisborne.  The Cup was played over Romsey’s 12 hole par 45 “Old Course”.  The morning round saw players battling another strong northerly wind.  The Romsey players were well used to this however visitors found it more than challenging.

The rounds of the morning were from Mount Macedon pair Jim Hynes – 44/2/42 and Marcus Ward – 52/8/44.  Not to be outdone Romsey pair Beryl Cole – 60/16/44 and Lorraine Robb – 67/22/45 flew the home flag.  By 12.30 pm everyone was in and enjoying a good talk with other players and a wonderful lunch.

The wind died down considerably during the afternoon round and scores reflected the more benign conditions.  The round of the afternoon came from Romsey’s Les Gaunt who carded an excellent one over the card 46/4.6/41.3.   Romsey’s Sharif Abdul-Sayed had played steady golf in the morning but his afternoon round was just that little bit better.  Jim Hynes and Marcus Ward also maintained their quality golf.  Romsey captain Lorraine Robb came home with “a wet sail” and was able to take the women’s trophy by five shots.  On a very varied day the 24 hole results were;

Men; 1st – Sharif Abdul-Sayed –  113/24/89. 2nd – Marcus Ward – 106/16/90 on a C/B from 3rd– Jim Hynes – 94/4/90

Women; 1st – Lorraine Robb – 133/44/89.  2nd – Beryl Cole – 126/32/94.

NTPs; 1st – Jonathan Langmaid (MMGC), 8th – Mick Nicholls (RGC), 9th – Jim Patton (RGC) & 10th – Les Gaunt (RGC)

Straightest Drive; – John Peart (Goonawarra)

Team’s Event; MMGC Vs RGC – top 14 handicap scores; Romsey

Romsey President, Anthony Lakey and Chris Milverton (Drummond Golf, Niddrie) thanked all those who had put so much work into getting the tournament up and running, the volunteers who had prepared the course, the kitchen and bar staff and all the members of Romsey and Mt Macedon who had supported the day.  Visitors from the other clubs were also thanked.  This, the 1st Macedon Ranges Spring Cup was a great success and it is hoped that next year and into the future it will grow and develop into a wonderful event on the Macedon Ranges golfing calendar.

Niddrie Drummond’s Chris Milverton with the day’s winners.

MRSP-'14Winners

Saturday October 18th – Stableford

The round began with a strong northerly wind, reasonably clear skies and the sun trying gallantly to shine through and warm the afternoon a little.  Early on the wind proved very challenging however, as the round progressed it died down and the sun did shine through.  The warmer air and the slightly dried fairways certainly saw balls travelling around 30m further than in recent times; a number of players found themselves in uncommon locations and facing quite difficult shots to get to the green.  Steady work by a number of members had the course in excellent condition and even if the golf was not so brilliant, it was a top place to spend a Saturday afternoon.  Nevertheless, on a beautiful day, the scores were a little disappointing.  The day’s results were

Winner; Dave Muller (16) – 33 pts

NTPs; 1st – Les Gaunt, 15th – Bob McLennan

 

Saturday October 11th – Stroke

Another stunning spring day; warm, clear skies with nary a breath of wind.  The course was again in top nick however vigerous spring growth saw heavy clippings on some fairways so players were allowed to mark their ball, lift, clear the area then replace.  It was great to welcome Brad Klaasen back to the club.  After an almost two year lay-off Brad did an excellent job to play close to his handicap of 9.  The top conditions saw everyone in with a chance however as the round progressed only one player was able to take hold of the course and record a good score; this with at least four putts that just failed to drop.  On a great afternoon to be out in the park the day’s results were;

Winner; Pat Chisholm – 83/14/69 from Anthony Lakey – 95/21/74 and Rob Rea – 91/17/74

NTPs; 15th – Bob Dwyer and 16th – Mick Nicholls

Saturday October 4th – Stableford

It was a wonderful spring day, the sky was clear and the air was warm however there was a strengthening northerly wind blowing so not everything was in the players’ favour.  It was also the first round of pennant bowls so the rooms were quite full both before and after the round. The warmer air saw many players driving through the corners on some holes and facing difficult shots over the ever taller trees to make par, this proved too challenging for some.  Despite the fairways having been mown earlier in the week the spring weather saw rapid growth across the whole course, even the greens (mown late Friday night) were a little fluffy.  In the end it was up to the two youngest golfers in the field to show the way home.  Michael McCarten, who won the Laurie Thomson shield in the recent club championships had an excellent round but the day belonged to Daniel Wright who shot 71 off the stick.  This from a golfer who has played perhaps six rounds in the last 12 months.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Daniel Wright (8) 46 pts from Michael McCarten (36) 41 pts and Dave Richardson (24) 34 pts

NTPs; 15th – Mal Mottram & 16 – Daniel Wright.

Saturday September 20th – Round 3 – 2014 Club Championships & September Medal.

The final round of the 2014 Club Championships began with cold, gusting north-westerly winds bringing the out-of-bounds on the first right into play.  Once through the 1st the wind blew almost straight towards the dam on the right of the 2nd, many players found themselves well over par as they hit off on the 3rd.  The fairways had firmed considerably from last week and the greens had responded well to a recent fertilising program so players who were able to keep their ball on the fairways were able to post a good score.  As the round progressed the sun came out but the wind did not let up.  The day began with Les Gaunt holding a five shot lead over Mitchell Clement.  Les was able to steady over the final nine to record a seven shot win.  In B Grade John Freestone held a one shot lead over Ron Walker, very steady golf saw this become a nine shot win.  The day’s results were;

Winner & September Medalist;  Jim Patton –  91/21/70 from Andrew Clement – 83/11/72

NTPs;  15th – Mitchell Clement

Least Putts;  Andrew Clement – 25

 

2014 Romsey Golf Club Championships Results

Club Champion; Les Gaunt 245 from Mitchell Clement – 252

B Grade Champion; John Freestone – 278 from Ron Walker – 285

Laurie Thompson Shield Winner; Michael McCarten – 361/253 (Best nett result by a junior)

John Jeffrey Shield Winner;  John Freestone – 278/215 (Best nett result)

Peter Scanlon Shield Winner; John Freestone – 278/215 (Best nett result by a player 55 yrs & over)

2014 Club Chamnpion Les Gaunt with RGC Captian Tony Freeman

2014 RGC Champion

B Grade Champion, John Jeffrey Shield & Peter Scanlon Shield Winner John Freestone with RGC Captian Tony Freeman

RGC-P.ScanlonJ.Jeffrey'14

 

Saturday September 13th – Round 2 – 2104 Club Championships

For the second week running conditions for golf were excellent, a clear sunny day with nary a breath of wind.  The extremely heavy rain of Tuesday, and follow-up rains on Thursday, had left pools of casual water on some fairways and had softened the whole course so “Preferred Lies” (To a handspan) through the green was granted.  Again the course and the whole of Romsey Park was in top nick, a credit to the members who ride the mowers and care for the park’s gardens.  On such a great day good results were expected but the golf course again punished loose shots and made the low handicappers work very hard for a creditable score.  After the 2nd round of the Club Championships both A Grade and B Grade  have two players well out from the field.  On a beautiful day the results were;

Winner; Dave Muller – 86/14/72 from Mick Nicholls – 96/22/74, Mitchell Clement – 86/12/74 & Les Gaunt – 80/6/74.

NTPs; 1st – Mick Nicholls, 15th – Mal Mottram & 16th – Tony Freeman.

A Grade Scratch; Les Gaunt (6) 160 from Mitchell Clement (12)  – 165

B Grade Scratch; John Freestone (21) 184 from Ron Walker (21) – 185

 

Saturday September 6th – Round 1 – 2014 Club Championships

Conditions were almost perfect for the 1st round of the Club Championships, a beautiful early spring day with just a southerly zephyr now and then. Groups of three teed off from the 1st at 10 minute intervals and the afternoon flowed very smoothly.  A number of players found the fairways a little softer than expected and many found their ball picking up mud so approach shots, once on the green, occasionally resulted in unusual bounce or roll.  Once again, “Mr Accuracy” Bob McLennan showed the way home with excellent shots from tee to green on both the 1st and 15th.  Romsey Park and the golf course are in excellent condition at the moment and, as the round progressed, players took advantage of the conditions to stake their claim in either A or B grade with some excellent scores being recorded.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Ron Walker – 87/21/66 from Mitchell Clement – 79/12/67, John Freestone – 88/21/67 and Peter Scanlon – 102/31/71

NTPs; 1st – Bob McLennan, 15th – Bob McLennan

A Grade Scratch; Mitchell Clement – 79, Les Gaunt – 80

B Grade Scratch; Ron Walker – 87, John Freestone – 88

 

Saturday August 30th – Monthly Medal & 2013/14 Medal of Medalists

Apart from a very inconsistent northerly wind conditions were almost perfect for golf.  The sky was clear, the fairways had good cover, the rough was very neatly trimmed and the greens were quite true.  The recent dry, sunny days had dried the course and firmed-up the greens so approach shots had to be to be short of the hole or players risked rolling off the green and the wind blew in at the most inopportune moments for some players causing a few to question just why they ventured on to a golf course.  The previous Monthly Medalists were competing for the Helene & Ken Newnham Shield whilst everyone was competing for the August Medal.  In the end both events were close run affairs, the day’s results were;

Winner – Medal of Medalists; Ron Walker – 94/21/73 from Les Gaunt – 81/6/75 on a c/b from Dave Muller – 90/15/75

Winner – August Medal; Jim Patton – 95/22/73 on a c/b from Ron Walker – 94/21/73 and Steve Poulton – 99/25/74

NTPs; 1st – Tony Freeman, 15th – Ron Walker and 16th – Mal Mottram

Least Putts; Rob Rea – 25

 

Saturday August 23rd – Stableford

The day began with the club welcoming new junior, Mick Sadler, for the round of stableford.  It is wonderful to again see more juniors around the club and out on the course learning the skills of the game.  The field teed off under clear blue skies, the air was cold, but still.  However after about 15 minutes, the skies clouded over and a gusting north-easterly wind blew in, providing many challenges for all players. The wind lengthened a number of holes and shortened others.  The flukey wind also caused players to reconsider their usual club selection, for fear of being well short or “over the back”.   The course was again in excellent nick, but the conditions meant that no-one was really able to take advantage.  On a very challenging day the results were;

Winner; Dave Muller (15) 34 pts from Mal Mottram (13) 31 pts

NTPs; 1st – Rob Rea, 15th – Rob Rea & 16th – Mick Nicholls

Saturday August 16th – Guest Day – 4BBB Stroke

Players could not really have asked for better conditions, the air, though cold, was still, the fairways had good cover, the greens putted truly and were recovering well from a fungus attack and the rough was neatly trimmed.  A number of guests had not played Romsey before, they were very pleased with the course and most effusive in their praise of the volunteer work done by the club’s membership.  Whilst the scoring format had a few players scratching their heads the round generally flowed smoothly.  A highlight of the round was the pairing of Life member John Laing with the club’s newest junior Michael McCarten, a sage old head partnered with a deal of youthful enthusiasm.  On a very pleasant day the results were;

Winners; Bob McLennan/Anthony Lakey – 81/16/65 from Tony Freeman/Kevin Dunn – 92/23.5/68.5, Mitchell & Andrew Clement – 83/11.5/71.5, John Laing/Michael McCarten – 101/29/72 and Les Gaunt/Mal Mottram – 81/9/72

NTPs – 1st – Mitchell Clement, 15th – John Laing & 16th – Rob Rea

 

Saturday August 9th – Par

The course was in top notch condition, however golfers had to contend with very cold air and a gusting northerly wind as they teed off in the club’s par competition.  The cold air and the wind tested most of the field and the softer fairways took many metres off all but the very best shots.  Once again players could  fire directly at the flag knowing that good approach shots would hold on the soft greens. Well trimmed fairways and rough, and only a few small areas showing casual water, meant play generally moved quickly making for a fast round.  As the round progressed the conditions conspired to make it difficult to post a good score with only two players beating of coming close to their handicaps.  On another tough day the results were;

Winner; Mitchell Clement (12) +2 from Bruce Robb (29) -1.

NTPs; 15th – Dave Muller & 16th – Mal Mottram

Saturday August 2nd – Stroke

Hail was falling as players assembled for the club’s stroke competition however by the time groups teed off the sun was out and the air was warming.  The course was in great nick having mostly survived the strong winds and rain of the previous few days and whilst the few fallen branches had been cleared players did have to contend with a deal of  small branches and other detritus across the fairways.  The recent rains meant that Preferred Lies were again granted as balls would pick up mud when they landed.  The greens remained soft with well played approach shots holding well.  As the round progressed the weather improved; many vests and jumpers came off as players enjoyed the spring-like conditions.  Despite the good conditions scoring was difficult.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Pat Chisholm – 83/14/69 from Anthony Lakey – 94/21/73 and Mal Mottram – 86/13/73

NTP’s; 1st – Daniel Wright, 15th – Jim Patton & 16th – Dave Muller

 

Saturday July 26th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

The July Monthly Medal round began under cool, slightly overcast skies, the rain during the week meant the whole course was again quite soft so preferred lies – to a handspan through the green – were allowed.  Friday afternoon’s rain caused the greens to be too slippery to be mown; that and the very soft surfaces meant approach shots had to be very accurate or players faced even more demanding putts.   The strong field were confronted with many challenges during the afternoon and a number of players posted good scores for a few holes before falling back to the field.  In the end it was up to two of Romsey’s most experienced golfers to fight out the final few holes and grab the July Medal.  On another tough day the day’s results were;

Winner & July Medalist; Rob Rea – 87/17/70 from Mal Mottram –  87/14/73 & Dave Richardson – 99/24/75.

NTPs – 15th – Rob Rea.

Least Putts – Tony Freeman – 26.

Saturday July 19th – Stableford

Light rain was falling and a gusting southerly wind was blowing as the field hit off.  The rain continued for about 45 minutes before it disappeared completely. The wind moved to the west before spending the remainder of the afternoon wobbling back and forth and causing all sorts of havoc for the players.  The gusting winds and the very cold air also made club selection very tricky seeing players often falling short or overshooting the green.  Ongoing wet weather again made for very wet fairways and even wetter and softer greens.  Approach shots had to be very accurate or players faced very long distance putts.  Scoring remained difficult for the round with only one player getting close to his handicap.  On a cold, blustery afternoon the results were;

Winner; Rob Rea (17) 34 pts from Les Gaunt (5) and Peter Scanlon (31) 32 pts

NTP;  15th – Tony Freeman

Saturday July 12th – Ambrose

With some rain early in the week and steady rain falling all day Friday the course was again very wet.  Casual water had pooled on a few fairways and on some greens.  The day began cold but clear however mist, steady drizzle and drifting rain all fell as the round progressed.  The Ambrose event allowed players to take a few more risks than usual and in some instances this paid off seeing teams putting for birdie.  The wet greens forced all players to “putt with conviction” or risk ending well short of the hole.  The cold, wet afternoon again saw players often well short, none more so than on the par 3s where no-one was able to hit any of the greens.  On a very varied afternoon the results were;

Winners; Andrew Laing/Dave Muller/Michael McCarten – 76/11.3/64.6 from Les Gaunt/Tony Freeman/Jim Patton – 73/7.3/65.6

Saturday July 5th – Stroke

An excellent field turned out for the afternoon round, this despite the steady drizzle, the north-westerly wind and the very wet rough and fairways; Preferred Lies – handspan – through the green were granted.   During the round there were brief periods of dry weather but the sun was never able poke through the grey skies.  Once again the cold air, the soft fairways and the wind saw many players well off line or well short of their intended landing zone.  As the afternoon progressed water began to pool on a few greens adding to the challenge of the day.  As with last week a few players put themselves into good positions during the round but there was only one who could “hold it together” for the complete 18 holes.  On a wet and windy afternoon the results were;

Winner; Rob Rea – 89/17/72

NTPs; 1st – John Freestone, 15th – John Freestone & 16th Bob McLennan.

Saturday July 28th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts & 4BBB Final

For a 2nd time this year the women joined the men for a Monthly Medal round.  The field assembled with gusting northerly winds and a light, misty rain falling.  During the round the wind moved to the north-west and back a number of times and the mist moved to a steady drizzle but the final four holes were played in unrelenting, heavy rain.  It was a very cold, wet group of golfers who headed to the rooms for a warm pie, a quiet drink and a chat.  The round of the day came from Les Gaunt.  A number of others looked good during the afternoon but the wet course, the cold air and slippery grips saw them fall away.  The final of club’s oldest shield, The Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB was also played.  This match was always going to be hard fought and the harsh weather really tested both teams.   On a very difficult day  the results were;

Winner and June Medalists; Les Gaunt 79/6/73 and Kath Jekabsons – 107/25/82

NTPs; 15th – Dave Muller

Least Putts;  Les Gaunt – 22 and Lorraine Robb – 28

Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB Final

Bob McLennan (0) & Mal Mottram (3) D Pat Chisholm (2) & Jim Patton (10) – 2/1

 

Captain Tony Freeman and President Anthony Lakey with 4BBB Winners Bob McLennan & Mal Mottram

RGC-2014 4BBB Winners

Saturday June 21st – 4BBB Semi Finals & Stableford

The 4BBB semi-finalists and the stableford field hit off with light drizzle falling on an already wet course.  During the round the drizzle regularly changed to misty rain and then back to steady drizzle.  Overnight rain also made for a few very soft greens.  Once more softer fairways and the colder air saw many shots dropping short causing some tricky chips and pitches to the green.   A number of players had learnt from last week and fired as close as possible to the flag safe in the  knowledge that the greens would hold, others again found themselves with numerous long distance putts.  The two 4BBB matches were quite a contrast.  One finishing early and the other going down to the final hole.  On another challenging day the results were;

Stableford Results;
Winner; Les Gaunt (6) 33 pts from Rob Rea (17) 32 pts
NTPs;  15th - Rob Rea & 16th - Les Gaunt 
Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB Semi Final results were;
Jim Patton/Pat Chisholm D Steve Poulton/Anthony Lakey - 8/7
Mal Mottram/Bob McLennan D Andrew Laing/John Moody - 2/1
The 2014 Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB Final will be;
Mal Mottram/Bob McLennan Vs Jim Patton/Pat Chisholm.  The final will be played on, or before, July 5th

Saturday June 14th – Quarter Finals 4BBB & Par

Light drizzle was falling as the players took to the course, within a few minutes the rain strengthened and  the umbrellas and wet weather gear came out.  The rain kept up for almost an hour then the sun poked through and the afternoon improved considerably.  The course was very wet and balls picked up mud after almost every shot so “Preferred Lies (Handspan) – Through the green” was applied.  The colder air and the soft fairways again saw many players well short of their usual driving distance making approach shots all the more difficult.  The greens continue to hold well although a few were quite wet causing balls to stop exactly where they landed leaving many golfers with much longer putts.  On a wet afternoon the results were;
Par Competition; Winner – Mal Mottram (13) +2 from Ron Walker (20) -1
NTPs; 15th – Wayne Robb, 16th Les Gaunt
Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB Quarter Final results were;

 

1. Bob McLennan/Mal Mottram Walkover
2. Andrew Laing/John Moody D Les Gaunt/Neil Jarman – 4/3
3. Anthony Lakey/Steve Poulton D Tony Freeman/Dave Muller  – 6/5
4.  Pat Chisholm/Jim Patton D John Laing/Mick Nicholls – 8/7
Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB Semi Finals will be;
1. Anthony Lakey/Steve Poulton Vs Pat Chisholm/Jim Patton
2. Bob McLennan/Mal Mottram Vs Andrew Laing/John Moody

 

Saturday June 7th – Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB Shield – Qualifying Round – Stableford – Top 8
Works to remove dead/dangerous trees and limbs saw a number of spaces along some fairways, a few, more open, tees and greens and some track marks across a few fairways so it was quite a different course to that of the previous weekend.  Ongoing rains and warmish winter days again saw steady growth and good cover across the course.  The afternoon’s colder air and the softer fairways saw all players lose distance however the greens held well so players could confidently aim directly at the flags.  Later in the day a southerly wind blew up and rain began to fall.  On a testing day the results were;
Winners; Bob McLennan (11)/Mal Mottram (14) – 42 pts from Tony Freeman (18)/Dave Muller (13) – 41 pts and Andrew Laing (18)/John Moody (12) 40 pts.
NTPs went to; 1st – Neil Jarman & 15th – Mal Mottram
The quarter finals of the Ampol/W E Tom 4BBB will be
1. Bob McLennan/Mal Mottram Vs Walkover
2. Andrew Laing/John Moody Vs Les Gaunt/Neil Jarman
3. Tony Freeman/Dave Muller Vs  Anthony Lakey/Steve Poulton
4. John Laing/Mick Nicholls Vs Pat Chisholm/Jim Patton
Saturday June 1st – Day 2, 2014 Romsey Open – 24 Hole Stroke

Light rain was falling as the field gathered for an egg and bacon breakfast and a catch-up with players from other clubs.  Over 25mm had fallen during the night so the course’s dams were filling and there was a deal of casual water on the fairways and on a few of the greens. Fortunately there was almost no wind.  The heavy overnight rain meant very wet fairways where balls would pick up mud so “Preferred lies”, to a hand-span on the fairway played, was granted.  Unfortunately the morning was punctuated by phone calls from players withdrawing due to the weather so it was a much reduced field that took to the course.  Clubs represented were Lancefield, Romsey, Kilmore, Broadford and Melton.

The weather was inclement for most of the morning’s round varying from moderate drizzle to steady rain.  Almost all players found the conditions very challenging however one, Dennis Davenport (3 1/3 – Lancefield) proved that a class golfer performs no matter what the conditions.  In such a tough environment his round of 46, one over the card, was one of the best rounds ever recorded in the Open.  By 12.30 the field was inside enjoying a traditional Romsey roast lunch.  The rain began to slacken and the afternoon certainly looked the better half of the day. Other good rounds came from Chris Hansen (3 1/3 – Broadford) 52 and Dave Muller (8 2/3 – Romsey) 54.  Good handicap scores came from Dennis Davenport – 46/ 42 2/3, Dave Muller – 54/45 1/3, Sharif Abdel-Sayed (Romsey) – 58/46 and Dave Richardson (Romsey) – 62/46.

Within 10 minutes of the afternoon round beginning the rain had ceased and conditions improved.  Gloves, hands and grips could be kept dry and the wet-weather gear was stowed away.  The run of good weather was not to last and at about 2.45 the drizzle began again, this time it lasted only about 10 minutes.  Hot sausage rolls fortified the players as they finished off the final few holes.  Before presentations were made sponsors Romsey Collision Centre, CIIC Insurance, Romsey & Wallan Hotels and Black Range Business Group were thanked for their on-going support. All competitors thanked the volunteers who prepared the course, those who prepared and served the wonderful meals and the bar staff who supplied hot and cold drinks on and off the course.  After  a very challenging morning and more pleasant afternoon the results were;

A Grade;

 Stroke; Dennis Davenport 98.   R/U; Chris Hansen 108.  H/C; Dave Muller 110/92 1/3

B Grade;

 Stroke; Sharif Abdel-Sayed 120.  R/U; John Freestone 123.  H/C; Ron Walker (Romsey) 125/97

AM Handicap; Dave Richardson.   PM Handicap; Adrian Poulton (Romsey)

NTPs 

1st; – Dennis Davenport 8th; – Dave Richardson
9th; – Chris Hansen 10th; –  Ron Walker
Best 2nd shot, 4th Hole; Geoff Hogg(Broadford)

Saturday May 31st – Day 1, 2014 Romsey Open – 4BBB
Day one of the 33rd Romsey Open saw a field made up of golfers from Romsey, Lancefield, Mt Macedon, Woodend, Kyneton, Talbot, Tocumwal, Bacchus Marsh West, Goonawarra and Trentham Golf Clubs.  The day started out cool with a slightly overcast sky however, as the afternoon wore on the sun shone though for brief periods.  An inconsistent, easterly wind made a few holes much longer than their actual metreage. The fairways had consistent cover and the greens were in good nick, apart from the odd area of damage caused by a late season attack of dollar spot fungus.  It was a close tussle in each of the three events. The Relative Pairs (A RGC shield event) and the Men’s Pairs were both decided by just one point, the Women’s Pairs had a two point difference.  The sky darkened quite quickly at around 4.15 but by 4.30 everyone was back in the clubrooms enjoying a wonderful afternoon tea; the pumpkin soup was a highlight as were the beautiful sponges and other sweets.  The forecast rain did not begin to fall until well after the final putt was sunk.  On a very enjoyable afternoon the results were;
Relative Pairs; Winners – Andrew Clement (11)/Mitchell Clement (12) – 44 pts, from Anthony Lakey (21)/Dave Richardson (24) – 43 pts
Men’s Pairs; Winners – Mick Keating (11)/Kevin Keating (24) – 42 pts,  from Bob McLennan (10)/Rob Rea (17) – 41 pts
Women’s Pairs; Winners –  Wendy Gosden (37)/Cheryl Payne (39) – 45 pts, from Mary Campbell (14)/Elaine Scanlon (32) – 43
NTPs; 1 – Andrew Cullinger, 15 – Bob Dwyer & 16 – Beau Warrener
 
Saturday May 24th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts
After five warm, clear days and some rain late the week there was again good growth across the course.  The rain saw the fairways softening however there was was not enough to put any water into the course’s two dams.   The softer fairways and the cooler air saw players needing to think carefully when selecting clubs for their approach shots or risk falling well short of the green. Friday’s rain and the overnight’s heavy dew also saw a number of greens very soft so usually good chip shots often stopped dead where they landed causing more than a little angst with some players.  As the round proceeded the sun shone and the afternoon blossomed so, on a beautiful late autumn day on a tough little course, the results were;
Winner and May Medalist; Dave Muller – 85/13/72 from Les Gaunt 79/6/73
NTPs; 15th – John Moody (Got the $100 jackpot too!) & 16th – Rob Rea.
Least Putts – Dave Muller – 25
Congratulations also  to Andrew Laing and John Freestone who took out Lancefield Golf Club’s 4BBB event with 46 pts.  Ron Walker and Mick Nicholls also performed well with 40 pts.
 
Saturday May 17th – Stableford
Another round that began under overcast skies with the threat of rain but in the end everything cleared and players enjoyed an almost perfect round.  The recent warmer weather and the heavy dews again saw good growth across the whole course.  The weather has also been perfect for many of the 500 odd trees the club has planted over recent years.  They have thrived and are now getting up to a height where they both make players pay for errant shots and where they are beginning to provide some shelter from Romsey’s gusting winds.  On a generally good day for golf the results were;
Winner; Dave Muller (14) 36,  On a C/Back  Andrew Laing (19) 36,  and Mal Mottram (15) 35.
NTPs; 1st Dave Muller  15th Ron Walker  16th Pat Chisholm.
 
Saturday May 10th – Stroke
Light drizzle was falling and there was quite a chill in the air as the field hit off in the club’s stroke competition.  Rain and heavy dews during the week again saw the fairways softening, this combined with the cool air saw many good shots falling well short of their intended destinations.  The drizzle let up after the first hour and the remainder of the round was played in very pleasant conditions.  The greens had handled their first serious frosts quite well and continued to hold and putt true.  Despite the generally good conditions many players found it extremely difficult to play to their handicaps.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Mal Mottram – 85/15/70, from Bob McLennan – 82/11/71 and Dave Muller 86/14/72.
NTPs; 15th – Andrew Laing and 16th Mal Mottram
 
Sunday May 4th – Rd 5 Pennant – Woodend Golf Course
This was a must win for the Romsey boys, even then a few other results had to go our way.  The Woodend course was in top nick but the steady breeze and the early rain/drizzle certainly made for a hard start to the round.  The Romsey team battled well to take their match against Broadford 5/2 but Woodend was able to prevail against Trentham and so end our hopes of a final.  In the end this year’s results reinforce the fact that to get through to the final  teams must win when playing at home. The final will now be Woodend Vs Kilmore, venue to be decided.  We wish both teams all the best as they play for the Div 3 Handicap Pennant on Sunday May 18th.
Romsey D Broadford 5/2 (Wins; Rob Rea – 3/2, Neil Jarman – 19th, John Freestone – 3/4, Sharif Abdul-Sayed – 3/2 & Dave Muller – 3/2.  Losses; Pat Chisholm – 4/3  & Ron Walker -1down )
Woodend D Trentham 6/1
Kilmore D  Lancefield 4/3
 
Saturday May 3rd – Ambrose
Players took to the field under overcast skies with rain threatening, luckily there was virtually no wind.  Fortunately the rain held off for the first 45 minutes then came down for the next 45.  As the weather cleared the temperature dropped and there was the odd shower here and there for the remainder of the round.  Wet gloves and slippery grips seemed to effect some groups however the top three groups did not seem to have these concerns.  The course was again in good nick; fairways keep improving and the greens continue to putt true.   It was wonderful to see Les Gaunt back on the course after a four month lay-off caused by a serious shoulder injury.  On another challenging day the results were;
 
Winners; Andrew Laing, John Freestone & Ron Walker – 70/9.75/60.25 from Les Gaunt, Bob McLennan & Tony Freeman – 67/6/61
NTPs; 1st – Bob McLennan, 15th – John Laing & 16th – Anthony Lakey
 
Sunday April 27th – Rd 4 Pennant – Romsey Golf Course
A strong wind moving between the south and the east made the initial holes quite a challenge and a number of players found themselves OOB on either the 1st or 3rd.  However the day settled and everyone enjoyed both the course and the beautiful, sunny autumn afternoon.  The matches were generally close with almost all going down the the final few holes.  To progress to the final Romsey will need a great victory against Broadford at Woodend next week

Lancefield D Romsey  4/3  (Wins; Rob Rea – 3/2, Neil Jarman – 3/2 & Jim Patton 2/1.  Losses; Andrew Laing – 1 down, John Freestone – 2/1, Ron Walker – 2/1 and Pat Chisholm – 3/2)

Woodend D Kilmore – 4/3
Broadford D  Trentham – 4/3
 
Saturday April 26th – April Medal – Stroke & Putts
The round began under overcast skies and by the time the first group was halfway down the first fairway the rain came down.  A steady northerly wind also added to the complications of the day.  Early in the round wet gloves and slippery grips saw many players lose control of their shots often ending up under trees forcing them to drop shots and severly damaging their chances of winning the April Medal.  About 45 minutes into the round the rain began to peter out and a little sun poked through the clouds leading to a much better second half of the round.  Despite the cool nights, the fairways show steady growth with generally good cover and the greens, whilst a little slow because of the rain, continued to putt true.  On another challenging day the results were
Winner and April Medalist; Dave Muller – 86/15/71 from Anthony Lakey – 94/22/72 and John Laing – 97/22/75.
Least Putts; Sharif Abdul-Sayed – 25
NTPs – 16th – Rob Rea
 
Friday April 25th – Stableford.
Players assembled at 12.00 pm to commemorate ANZAC Day;  Taps and Reveillie played by local muscian Rob Smithies and a minute’s silence before hitting off in the club’s Anzac Day stableford competition.  The field took to the course on a still sunny afternoon and on a generally excellent day for golf good scoring was expected.  Whilst some players feel well below their handicap a couple showed the way.
Winner; Steve Poulton (26) – 42 pts from Sharif Abdul-Sayed (19) – 39 pts
NTPs went to 1st – Steve Poulton and 15th – John Freestone
 
Monday April 21st – Ambrose
The round began under overcast skies with a gusting northerly wind.  When the sun came out the afternoon warmed up quickly but the wind soon moved the clouds along and things cooled down just as quickly.  The gusting wind also proved quite a challenge.  On a generally tough day for golf results were quite good.
Winners; Bob McLennan, Bill McKee, Andrew Laing & Sharif Abdul-Sayed – 67/8.5/58.5 from Tony Freeman, Anthony Lakey & Steve Poulton – 73/11/62
NTPs; 15 – Steve Poulton
 
Saturday April 19th – Stableford.
A strong field assembled for the club’s Stableford competition.  Conditions were again excellent with almost no wind and the sun shining through for most of the afternoon.  Recent rain, heavy dews and mild sunny days had seen good growth across the course and for the first time in a number of weeks the fairways had been mown. The recent growth provided good lies so relief was no longer needed.   Renovation works to some tees and new turf on others saw a number of unusual tee locations causing some wry smiles/grimaces.  On another good afternoon for golf the results were;
Winner; Dave Muller (15) – 40 pts from Anthony Lakey (22) 39pts, Andrew Laing (19) 37pts, Bob McLennan (11) 35 pts and John Moody (12) 35 pts.
NTPs went to; 16th Dave Muller
 
Sunday April 13th – Rd 3 Pennant – Trentham Golf Course
Another top day for golf at the beautiful Trentham course;

Romsey D Trentham – 4/3. (Wins; Rob Rea – 19th, John Freestone 2/1, Jim Patton – 4/3 & Mick Nicholls – 20th. Losses; Bob McLennan – 6/5, Pat Chisholm – 20th & Tony Freeman – 2/1)

Woodend D Lancefield5/2
Kilmore D Broadford4/3
Saturday April 12th – Stroke
Players hit off with a steady easterly wind and an overcast sky however this cleared quickly and the easterly wind died down (before later swinging around to the south and providing a few challenges late in the day).  In general, it was an almost perfect afternoon for golf.  The steady rain during the week (40 – 50 mm) saw more than a green tinge across the course and very receptive greens so whilst players got less run on the fairways they knew that balls landing on the greens would hold.  The wetter greens again favoured those who attacked the hole.  On a beautiful day for golf the results were;
Winner; Anthony Lakey – 91/23/68, from John Laing – 93/23/70, John Freestone – 89/19/70 & Bob McLennan – 83/11/72
NTPs went to – 1st – John Laing, 15th – John Freestone.
 
Sunday April 6th – Rd 2 Pennant – Broadford Golf Course
On a beautiful, still day the six teams battled out round 2 at Broadford.  Our boys were again right in the competition with three matches that could have gone our way.
Kilmore D Romsey4/3 (Wins; Rob Rea – 3/2, Ron Walker – 4/3 & Mick Nicholls – 2up. Losses; Tony Freeman – 1down, Dave Richardson – 2/1, Jim Patton – 5/4 & John Freestone – 19th)
Woodend D Broadford  – 5/2
Trentham D  Lancefield – 5/2
 
Saturday April 5th – Stableford
The Stableford field hit off on a cooler day with clear skies and a southerly zephyr.  Fortunately, after a few holes, the sun came out and it was a glorious afternoon for golf.  Some rain and heavy dews during the week had continued the softening of the course and whilst there was a deal of green beginning to show, many areas of the fairways had very little cover so relief was again given.  The greens had recovered well from the recent scarifying and seeding program and held well so players could confidently attack the flag.  Putting was still a little chancy but those who really believed in their line generally got good results.  On a wonderful day the scoring was good with players having to card 38 pts to score a ball.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Mick Nicholls (22) 41 pts from Dave Richardson (24) 39 pts, Mitchell Clement (13) 39 pts and Sharif Abdul-Sayed (19) 38 pts
NTPs went to; 15th – Ron Walker & 16th – John Freestone.
 
Sunday March 30th – Rd 1 Pennant – Lancefield Golf Course
In 2014 RGC entered only one team in the Dalhousie District pennant competition.  Our team was placed in Handicap Division Three, co-captain Tony Freeman was named as captain of the team.  We were to play teams from Lancefield, Kilmore, Woodend, Broadford and Trentham Golf Clubs.  Round 1 results were;
Romsey D Woodend – 4/3.  (Wins; Rob Rea – 20th, Jim Patton – 3/2,  Mick Nicholls – 3/2 & Ron Walker – 5/4. Losses; Pat Chisholm – 5/3, John Freestone – 7/6 & Tony Freeman – 2/1)
Kilmore D Trentham – 4/3.
Broadford D Lancefield – 4/3.
It looks as if this division will be a very close fought competition.
Saturday March 29th March Medal – Stroke & Putts
The round saw both men and women in the field contesting their monthly medals on a beautiful early autumn afternoon.  With newly scarified, seeded, fertilised and unmown greens and some rain during the week players knew they were in for a tough round.  Whilst the greens proved difficult to predict golfers who chose a line then putted with conviction usually came up with close to or the desired result, others were often left well short of the hole.  The week’s rain had completely flattened the cover on the fairways and had also taken at least 30m of run so, for the first time in many weeks, players found their approach shots more challenging. On an interesting day the results were;
Winners and March Medalists; Elaine Scanlon – 91/25/66 & Pat Chisholm – 82/14/68.  Other good rounds came from John Moody – 83/12/71, Anthony Freeman – 90/19/71, Mal Mottram – 87/15/72 & Anthony Lakey – 95/23/72
Least Putts; Sharif Abdul-Sayed – 26
NTPs; 1st – Pat Chisholm & 15th – Anthony Freeman
Saturday March 22nd – Final Algie Mitchell Singles Knock-out & Par
Just as the early rains of autumn snuck into town and slightly heavier dews began to settle we were again visited by a flock of  “Bona Fide Travellers” who must be allowed refreshment.  After attacking the 7th, 16th and 1st greens we hope they have had their fill and will now continue their travels.  Some rain overnight softened the fairways but also uncovered a few more bare patches where balls picked up mud, so last week’s relief was much appreciated.  The greens continued to hold and putt true but golfers had to be aggressive to get their shots home.   A gusting northerly wind blew for most of the round providing challenges for golfers especially on the 18th where an in-course out-of-bounds lurked eager to catch any errant shots.
The final of the Algie Mitchell Shield Andrew Laing Vs Jim Patton, was an up and down affair.  Andrew was 3up at the 9th and then quickly went to 5up however Jim fought back winning the 13th, 14th & 15th to be 2down with three to go.  On the 16th Andrew chipped to 50cm while Jim had a 3m putt to square the hole.   Jim’s putt just failed to fall and Andrew had it all wrapped up.
The Par competition saw some excellent scoring as all players took advantage of the extra run and the consistent greens.  The day’s results were;
Algie Mitchell Shield; Andrew Laing (17) D Jim Patton (18) 3/2
Par competition; Mal Mottram (16) +6 c/b from Steve Poulton (27)  +6, Pat Chisholm (15) +3, Anthony Freeman (19) +3
NTPs; 15th – Mal Mottram, 16th – Rob Rea.
Club Captain Tony Freeman presents the Algie Mitchell shield to 2014 winner Andrew Laing
2014 Algie Mitchell 2014
Saturday March 15th – Semi-finals Singles Knock-out & Stroke
The stroke field and the Algie Mitchell Singles Knock-out semi-finalists were eager to get out on to the course as wild winds and wet weather were predicted by mid afternoon; everyone was looking to be back in the rooms as soon as possible.  The round began under clear skies with an intermittent southerly wind, this wind did come into play every now and then bringing a smile of relief or a grimace of chagrin to those it effected.  The course had had a deal of golfing traffic over the last two weeks and the cover on the fairways was now flattening and beginning to thin out so relief, to a club length on the fairway played and a hand-span through the green, was given.  The continuing dry now saw the beginning of serious cracks on some fairways so the odd unusual bounce came into play.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Bruce Robb – 93/30/63 from Keith Hocking – 93/26/67, Anthony Lakey – 92/24/68 & Bob McLennan – 82/11/71
NTPs went to; 1st Bob McLennan, 15th – Mick Nicholls & 16th – Steve Poulton
Algie Mitchell Singles Knock-out results;
Jim Patton D Anthony Freemen 4/2
Andrew Laing D John Moody 20th
Next week’s final will be;
Jim Patton Vs Andrew Laing
 
Saturday March 8th – Quarter-finals Algie Mitchell & Stableford
Another still, sunny day, perfect for golf and perfect for the club’s quarter finals of the Algie Mitchell Shield and non-shield competitor’s stableford.  The ongoing heat and lack of rain saw the cover on the fairways beginning to deteriorate however the greens were holding up well and continued to give good value for attacking shots.  A number of players were able to negotiate the increased run to record good scores in the stableford competition however the Algie Mitchell Shield match-play saw many close matches.  On a good day for golf the results were;
Stableford winner; Keith Hocking (27) – 42 pts c/b from Bob Dwyer (24) – 42 pts, other good rounds came from Mal Mottram (17) – 40 pts and Chris vanDerVliet (25) – 38 pts.
NTPs; 1st – John Moody, 15th – Neil Jarman & 16th Pat Chisholm.
Algie Mitchell Shield Results were;
John Moody D Steve Poulton – 19th
Andrew Laing D Mick Nicholls – 1 up
Anthony Freeman D John Laing – Forfeit
Jim Patton D Pat Chisholm  – 3/2
Next week’s semifinals of the Algie Mitchell Shield will be
Anthony Freeman Vs Jim Patton
Andrew Laing Vs John Moody
Sunday March 2nd – DDGA Captains’ & Presidents’ Day – Seymour G. C.

 

The 2014 Dalhousie District Golf Association Captains’ and Presidents’ Day was held under clear, sunny conditions at Seymour Golf Club.  Clubs were contesting “The Bill Chamley Trophy”.  The event is played as a 4BBB with each club in the Dalhousie District providing a Captain’s and a President’s pair.   Defending champions, Romsey Golf Club, rose to the occasion to record a fine win with 84 points.  The two Romsey teams; Bob McLennan/Tony Freeman (40 pts) and John Freestone/Ron Walker (44 pts) were very pleased to have defended the title won in 2013 when the event was played at Romsey.

Best individual team score M Mirrabella/J Mirrabella (45 pts) Broadford.

Our very proud team of John Freestone, Tony Freeman, Bob McLennan & Ron Walker

The wining team of John Freestone, Tony Freeman, Bob McLennan and Ron Walker

 
Saturday March 1st – Qualifying Round Algie Mitchell Shield – Stroke
A strong field teed off in the qualifying round of the club’s oldest shield, The Algie Mitchell Singles Knock-out.  The round began under clear, sunny skies with an inconsistent southerly breeze.  The fairways again gave excellent run allowing many players to put themselves in a top position for their approach shots.  The greens continued to hold and putt true so players could address their ball with confidence.  Towards the end of the round the wind began to gust causing some problems for the final groups over their last few holes.  On an excellent day for golf the results were;
Winner; John Freestone – 85/20/65 C/B (over the back 9 then the last 6) from both Steve Poulton – 93/28/65 and John Laing – 89/24/65  (John’s not having much luck with these countbacks!)  Other good rounds were from; Mick Nicholls – 89/22/67, Anthony Lakey – 93/23/70, Pat Chisholm – 85/15/70, Andrew Laing – 90/19/71 & Adrian Poulton – 96/25/71
NTPs; 1st – Pat Chisholm & 15th – Dave Richardson
Quarter Finals of the 2014 Algie Mitchell will be;
1. Steve Poulton Vs John Moody 2. John Laing Vs Tony Freeman
3. Mick Nicholls Vs Jim Patton 4. Pat Chisholm Vs Andrew Laing
 
Thursday February 27th – Goonawarra Bowl.
Leila, Kath and Denise supported Goonawarra in their bowl. They have now automated their score cards, which made an interesting start to the day, as we printed out our own for the day’s play. The course was in excellent condition and it was wonderful to play on green fairway grass. The greens were large and assisted Kath with winning B Grade, with a score of 35 Stableford points. The bunkers proved to be friendly with several players in them together more than once. At the end of the day we checked in our own cards which saved the lady captain having to do this. The computer made any necessary corrections.
Sunday February 23rd – Four Player Ambrose – 12 holes, Par 45.
16 teams lined up for the 6th Romsey Golf Club “Relay For Life Cancer” research fundraiser.  Conditions were excellent for golf with clear skies and only a slight southerly breeze.  It was an enjoyable round with much boisterious banter across the course as teams passed each other.  At around 1.00 pm everyone sat down for a wonderful lunch before presentations were made and the multitude of raffle prizes were drawn.  Sponsors of the event were John Boyce (CIIC Insurance), The Nolan Family, The Romsey Fruit Shed and Hanging Rock Winery.  All told $1,515.00 was raised for the 2014 Lancefield/Macedon Ranges Relay For Life.  This money will be passed on to the Cancer Council of Victoria.  Results were;
Winners; The Dreamers – 44/8.6/35.4 from Spicks & Specks – 46/8.6/37.4 on a c/b from Wag’s Warriors – 42/4.6/37.4.  Encouragement award went to The Rascals – 60/10.6/49.4.
NTPs (Male/Female) 1st – John Moody, 8th – Keith Hocking, 9th – Mick Hunter & 10th – John Moody/Beryl Cole.
Saturday February 22 – February Medal – Stroke & Putts
The February Medal began under overcast skies with a southerly wind gusting to 40 Kph.  On many occasions players found the wind both difficult to predict and extremely damaging to their shots with many balls pushed on to the wrong fairway or even out of bounds.   The 10mm of rain that had fallen on Thursday had quickly been soaked up by the dry ground or siphoned away by the wind so there remained plenty of run on the fairways.  It was a round where players who were able to keep the ball low and capitalise on the the extra run could really post a good score, however golfers who were able to consistently attack the flags were really in the running for the Medal. On a day when a flukey wind could restore a bad shot or completely destroy a good one the results were;
Winner and February Medalist; Ron Walker – 84/21/63 with runner-up Jim Patton – 91/21/69 on a c/b from John Laing – 94/25/69.  Other good rounds came from Anthony Freeman – 91/20/72 and  Steve Poulton – 100/28/72.
NTPs 1st – Steve Poulton & 15th – John Moody.  Least Putts; Rob Rea – 26.
Saturday February 15th – Ambrose
The round began in hot and humid conditions and it looked like rain was on the way.  Unfortunately when the rain finally arrived, very late in the afternoon, it was just a short, sharp shower that evapourated almost as soon as it landed.  As the afternoon progressed there was a great deal of friendly banter and casual observations on various golfing skills, or lack thereof, as the groups passed each other on the fairways.  With very little wind, rock hard fairways and excellent greens good scoring was expected and a number of the groups turned in very fine results.
Winners; Steve Poulton, Bob McLennan, John Moody & Neil Jarman – 64/8/56 from Adrian Poulton, Anthony Lakey, Bob Preece & Jim Menzies – 69/12/57.
NTPs went to; 15th – Bob Dwyer and 16 – John Moody
 
Saturday February 8th – Stableford
For the second week running the club’s extreme heat policy was activated and players teed off at 8.30 am.  The on-going heat and almost complete lack of rain had seen the ground dry out even more however there was still a reasonable cover of grass so a good lie was available anywhere on the fairways.  Again players had to be careful with drives and approach shots as they travelled further in the rapidly heating air and after landing bounced and rolled a surprising distance.  Neil Jarman continues to do a sterling job on the greens; they remain in top nick giving all players something to aim at safe in the knowledge that well played approach shots will hold and putting is very true.  Despite the tough conditions a number of players turned in more than respectable scores.  So, after another very warm round the day’s results were;
Winner; John Freestone – (21) 42 pts from Bob McLennan – (10) 41 pts, Anthony Freeman – (20) 39 pts, John Moody – (12) 38 pts and Mick Nicholls – (23) 36 pts
NTPs; 1st – John Moody, 15th – Bob McLennan & 16th – John Moody
 
Saturday February 1st – Stroke
With the day’s temperature predicted to be in excess of 35C the club’s extreme heat policy was activated and play began at 8.30 am.  The field hit off with clear skies, rapidly rising temperature and an inconsistent wind swinging from N to NW and back.  The warming air and the rock-hard fairways surprised a quite a few players with some drives running up to 50m more than expected, often well through the fairway; providing more than a few difficult second shots to the green.  Despite the continued very hot and dry weather the greens were still in very good condition and again accurate lofted shots at the flag were well rewarded.  After the closeness of last week’s monthly medal no-one was surprised when this round also went down to the last hole with two of the club’s elder statesmen fighting out a very close back nine.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Bob Dwyer – 92/25/67 from John Laing –  93/25/68
NTPs; 1st – Bob McLennan and 15th – John Moody.
Saturday January 25th – January Medal – Stroke & Putts
After a refreshing 10mm of rain, falling steadily throughout most of Friday, a slight tinge of green had returned to the fairways and rough making the course both more friendly to the eye and more enjoyable to play.  The birds continue their “renovation works” to the greens but now seem satisfied with their progress on all bar the 15th, 16th and 8th.  Hopefully they will soon be called to other, more distant courses, where their talents will cause less aggravation. Their work, whilst most original, did challenge the patience of a number of players.  The round began under mild, overcast conditions with a gusting  25-35Kph wind which moved from the S to the SE an unusual wind for the course catching out more than a few golfers.  Nevertheless the day produced some fine scoring and there was a real challenge, right up to the last hole, for the January Medal.  The day’s results were;
Winner and January Medalist; Mal Mottram – 84/17/67 from John Laing – 95/26/69, Neil Jarman – 83/13/70,  Anthony Freeman – 91/21/70, Keith Hocking – 99/27/72 and Bob McLennan – 82/10/72 (Obviously six weeks in France playing on snowy courses with a white ball had seen the return of Bob’s legendary accuracy)
NTPs; 1st – Dave Richardson, 15th –  Steve Poulton and 16th – Neil Jarman
Least Putts; Anthony Freeman – 23
 
Friday January 24th – Twilight 8; 9-holes Stableford
Last week +40C this week steady soaking rain; know which one the golfers preferred.
 
Saturday January 18th – Stableford

 

 

Following days of searing, +40C heat the last signs of life were finally sucked out of the fairways however there remained a good cover of now brown, dry grass so players were still able to get good lies.  The field teed off with temperatures in the mid 20s and a light breeze but 45 minutes later this blew up and gusting 25 – 35Kph  winds had to be contended with.  Suddenly lofted shots became much more unpredictable.  On a better note, despite the vicious heat and the bird attacks the greens remained in top condition, a credit to the the club’s volunteers.  Whilst the round saw many players return good scores the extra run on the fairways and local knowledge really helped out a few old stagers.  On a much more pleasant afternoon the day’s results were;
Winner; Mick Nicholls (23) – 39 pts from Bob Dwyer (26) – 38 pts and Anthony Freeman (21) 36 pts
NTPs; 1st & 15th – Rob Rea, 16th – Steve Poulton.
It was wonderful to welcome ex-member John Moody back to the club and we all wish life-member Peter Scanlon the best as he recovers from a few minor inconveniences.
 
Friday January 17th – Twilight 7; 9-holes Stableford
Extreme temperature caused the cancellation of Twilight Golf.
 
Saturday January 11th – Stroke
The steadily increasing heat and the almost total lack of recent rain has meant that the recently verdant fairways now show only a faint tinge of green.  Drives got good carry in the warm, dry air and excellent run once they landed.  Chip and Run shots had to be played very carefully or you would be well through the green facing a difficult chip or pitch to get up and down.  The greens remained in good nick and well played lofted shots still held however a number of green have been under sustained attack by the cockies and many members spend Saturday mornings filling and levelling the holes the birds leave.  The day’s southerly wind, 20 – 25 kph, kept the temperature in the mid 20s so conditions were generally quite pleasant for a stroll around the park.  The day’s results were;
Winner; Steve Poulton – 98/29/69 from Neil Jarman – 85/14/71 and Rob Rea – 89/17/72
NTPs; 1st – Neil Jarman and 15th – Chris vanDerVliet

 

 
Friday January 10th – Twilight 6; 9-Holes Stableford
Another clear warm day and evening and another good turnout for the clubs 6th “Chicken Run”.  This event has really become one for the ages, I.E. you have to have a fair bit of age on your side to get close to a win.  Despite the apparent ease with which our veteran golfers regularly take out this weekly event one and all have a great time on the course and back in the rooms.  This week’s winner; Mick Nicholls 24 pts

 

Saturday January 4th – Guest Day – Ambrose
With predicted westerly winds of only 20kph and a top temperature of around 20C players looked forward to a round where, for the first time in many weeks, skill would be the major arbitrating factor. However, as sometimes happens, the weather forecast was not entirely accurate and players hit-off under dark and threatening skies.  Nevertheless the clouds soon broke and the sun shone through for a very enjoyable afternoon.  The projected winds cam,e then quite unexpectedly, moved to the south (didn’t see that in the forecast).  The course, continuing to dry out, gave players excellent value for their drives and long irons however damage to the mower meant that the greens had not been mown so putting required a firm hand and a great deal of conviction.  The field enjoyed the day with the sound of  laughter (of course supportive) echoing across the fairways.  On an excellent day for golf the results were;
Winners; Andrew Laing, Anthony Freeman, Chris van DerVliet & Sharif Abdul-Sayed – 69/10.25/58.75 from Andrew Clement, Mitchell Clement & Daniel Wright – 64/4.75/59.25
 
Friday January 3rd – Twilight 5; 9-Holes Stableford
Another good field took to the course on a lovely summer’s evening for the club’s fifth round of twilight golf.  The course remained in good condition with the fairways provided excellent lies.  A few old stagers got out early and brought home good scores so it was tight on the leaderboard until late in the day.  The best round of the evening came from Sharif Abdul-Sayed (20) with 22 pts.
Wednesday January 1st – Stroke. 

The first competition of 2014 got underway beneath darkening skies with 35 kph  north to north-easterly winds, it looked another tough round of golf!  The recent heat had further dried the course and the fairways were losing a little of their green.  Cockatoos had also dropped in for their Christmas/New Year visit.  As usual they paid close attention to a number of greens, digging down here and there to check the soil structure.  To add to the gusting winds and the bird damage on some greens rain began to fall about midway through the round, however it dried up after a few holes.  So, on another challenging day the results were;

Winner; Mick Nicholls (24) – 38 pts from John Laing (26) 36 pts
NTPs; 15th – John Laing