Saturday December 26th – Boxing Day – Stableford

Well what can you say, after 10 days of 28C to 44C and searing northerly and westerly winds the course was suffering then, the predicted rain began to fall.  A small, but enthusiastic (others might use different adjectives), group of golfers gathered to talk and watch the rain fall.  The late start and the conditions convinced everyone to play the 12 hole “Old Course”.  Mick (Jnr) correctly predicted a short heavy burst followed by a real slowdown so off we went.  The slowdown lasted just long enough to get half way down the 1st fairway but once out there was no coming back.  With umbrellas up and buggies blowing over the field trudged around the course.  Then, at 10.30 it began to clear up, a little sun came out and the wind quietened.  The final few holes were a joy.  On a very wet and very windy Boxing Day the results were;

Winner; Anthony Lakey (14) 22 pts from Pat Chisholm (7) – 20 pts

NTP; 10th Mick Nicholls (Jnr)

And so ends the 2015 golfing year at Romsey Golf Club.  A year in which much was accomplished and one where we see far more clearly all the challenges of running an irrigated golf club with a purely volunteer workforce.  The year also saw the amalgamation of Women’s Golf Dalhousie District and Dalhousie District Golf Association.  We now have female President and Secretary and male VP and Treasurer.  A new start for our district, not before time.  

 

Saturday December 19th – Ambrose & Christmas Drinks

As a top temperature of around 40C was forecast the club activated its “Extreme Heat Policy”and play was set for an 8.30 am hit-off with a shotgun start so that all groups got away together.  The round was effected by a strong wind that gusted from the south to the west and back again.  Some holes were three clubs shorter whilst other played much longer than usual.  The little corellas are now in the park but so far have really only attacked the 15th green, hopefully their energies will be directed to the rough and the fairways over the next  four to six weeks before they move on.  It was great to welcome a few visitors as well as ex-members Carl and Gary vanDerVliet both of whom were surprised and impressed by the improvements across the course and to Romsey Park as a whole.  On a windy day it was the “Old Stagers” who hit it straight and who knew the vagaries of the course to win in a very tight count-back.  The days results were;

Winners; John Freestone/Dylan Sutherland/Ron Walker/Dave Sutherland – 73/13/60 C/B from John Laing/Lorraine Robb/Michael McCarten/Bruce Robb – 73/13/60

NTPs; 1st Mick Nicholls (Jnr) and 16th – Ron Walker 

RGC would like to congratulate junior Michael McCarten who has won the 2015 Dalhousie District Golf Association Junior I. P. Mein trophy.  Michael score 29 out of a possible 30 pts. 

 

Saturday December 12th – Stroke

The field hit off on a clear sunny afternoon.  There was a gusting wind moving from the south to the south-east which caused some problems on the more open fairways but where there were established trees its effect was less severe.  All players got good value for well struck drives but again anyone who wandered off the fairway found it difficult to “get up and down” from the thick, but well trimmed, rough.  The greens had responded well to a dose of “wettasoil” and in general held quite well; they rewarded all  golfers who attacked the cup.  For the 2nd week running a number of players tamed “Royal Romsey” with three coming in well under their handicaps.  On a sunny, windy day the results were; 

Winner; Anthony Lakey – 88/22/66 from Mick Nicholls Snr –  91/23/68, Pat Chisholm – 80/12/68, Scott Williams – 90/19/71 and Chris vanDerVliet – 101/29/72

Women’s Winner; Kath Jekabsons – 104/28/76 from Lyn Robison – 107/29/78

NTPs; 15th – Rob Rea 

 

Wednesday December 9th – Ambrose

The women’s final round for 2015 began on a warm to hot, sunny morning.  There was some moisture on the fairways early and a light southerly breeze provided a spot of relief from the growing heat of the day.  The Ambrose field played the “Old Course” which meant a quicker round and more time for a chat and a cuppa in the rooms.  The Nine-holers also enjoyed the morning.  The results were;

Ambrose Winners; Beryl Cole/Leila Beasley – 52/9.5/42.5 from Kath Jekabsons/Wendy Gosden – 54/10/44

Nine Hole Competition Winner; Jenny Hartley from Noreen Yorke.  

 

Saturday December 5th – 4Ball Aggregate Stableford

A good field assembled for the club’s 4Ball Aggregate Stableford event.  The sky was clear and there was only a zephyr from the south but the afternoon was predicted to reach well over 30C; hats, umbrellas and plenty of water were “de rigueur”.  A few teams struck trouble early whilst some scorched their way around the front nine.  The hot weather meant a number of players were pleasantly surprised by their length off the tee and they were able to take full advantage of their handicaps.  Scoring was a little more difficult on the back nine as the wind blew up a little and the afternoon’s heat began to take a toll.  Great front nines followed by slightly less productive back nines saw many teams scoring in the 70s and fighting out for a place at the top of the “leader board”.  On a very warm afternoon the day’s results were;

Team’s Winner; Anthony Lakey (22)/Pat Chisholm (12) – 75 pts from Chris vanDerVliet (29)/Hugh Drummond (21) – 73 pts, Anthony Freeman (22)/Kath Jekabsons (28) – 72 pts & Les Gaunt (5)/Mick Nicholls Jnr (28) – 71 pts

Individual winners; Anthony Freeman (22) – 43 pts, Michael McCarten (17) – 42 pts, Anthony Lakey (22) – 40 pts & Steve Poulton (26) – 40 pts

NTPs; 15th – John Laing & 16th – Scott Williams        

 

Wednesday December 2nd – North Pole Rules

A large number of golfers teed off for a fun round of Ambrose where the Captain made up all the rules; e.g. use lowest iron at all times on 1st fairway or 1 stroke penalty if any team member talks on the 5th tee and so on.  All teams had a festive air with a multitude of Christmas hats and sunglasses and elvish jackets to be seen all over the course.  The round proved to be quite challenging with many players over or under hitting (Depends which rule you were playing under) or losing points for congratulating another team member.  The day was capped off by a wonderful lunch where the players were joined by many guests who came to celebrate another year of golf with all its works and progress and the 70th birthdays of three of the competitors; Noreen Yorke, Lyn Robison & Kath Jekabsons.  On beautiful, early summer’s day the results were;

Winning pair; Mary Campbell/Jan Harver – 31 nett from Noreen Yorke/Pam Drummond – 34 nett

NTPs; 2nd – Jenny Hartley, 10th – Lyn Robison & 16th – Beryl Cole.

Winning Team; Santa’s Little Helpers – 103 nett from Rudolph’s  Red Noses – 106 nett

 

Saturday November 28th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts

The round began in reasonably still, warm conditions.  With all the year’s shields completed the field was quite large and all the “cracks had gathered to the fray”.  Despite the irrigation the strong, hot winds during the week had dried sections of the fairways so players, for the first time in many weeks, got excellent value for well struck drives. As the round progressed a southerly breeze blew up.  By the back nine a number of players had put themselves into a great position to take the medal only to push a ball into the rough or even wander “Out Of Bounds” and see their challenge fade away.  In the end it was the final group that produced the winner and runner-up.  On a lovely late spring day the results were;

Winner and November Medalist; Chris vanDerVliet – 97/30/67 from Anthony Freeman – 92/22/70 and Dave Muller – 84/12/72

NTPs; 1st Michael McCarten and 16th – Mick Nicholls (Snr)

Least Putts; Anthony Freeman – 25

 

Wednesday November 25th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts

The field hit off on a very warm morning.  The forecast had the temperature at 30+ by mid morning with a strong, gusting NE to SE wind.  Players had good, low shots well rewarded however anyone who put the ball up into the air was at the mercy of the wind.  If it blew you could head north or south, it if didn’t then the ball flew straight and true.  Whilst the Little Corella scouts have arrived the birds have not yet attacked the greens so putting was reasonably straight forward.  On a very hot, windy morning the results were;

Winner and November Medalist; Pam Drummond – 105/31/74 from Beryl Cole – 102/21/81

Least Putts; Kath Jekabsons; 32

Nine Hole Comp Winner; Jan Harver; 61/17/44 from Leila Beasley; 63/17/46 

 

Saturday November 21st – John Laing Shield Final & Par

A gusting southerly wind was blowing, clouds obscured the sun and it looked like rain was on the way as the field hit off on the club’s Par competition, the day also saw the final of the John Laing Shield.  Players soon found themselves taking jumpers off and then pulling them back on 15 minutes later this, and the wind, made it difficult to play consistent golf.  A number of players put together a great run of holes only to find their score destroyed by the wind pushing balls into the deep rough.  The final of the John Laing Shield seemed to be going one way with 2014 winner Les Gaunt getting to 3 up by the 8th however Anthony Freeman won the next three to be all square by the 12th.  The next few holes were squared but Freeman was able to pick up the 14th and 17th to seal a win 2/1. On a changeable, windy day the results were;

Winner; Dean Jones (4) +1 from John Freestone (20) -1 & Ron Walker (23) -1

NTPs – 1st Mick Nicholls Jnr and 16th – Les Gaunt 

The Final of the John Laing Shield;

Les Gaunt (0) L Anthony Freeman (17) – 2/1

RGC Life Member, John Laing (right) presents the shield to the 2015 winner Anthony Freeman.

 John Laing Shield 2015

 

Wednesday November 18th – Stroke – Flag

Another day to let you know summer was just around the corner.  Clear skies, almost no wind, the sun beginning to beat down and the course challenging everyone to “have a go”.  The first group took the flag and staked it into the ground where the final player in the group ran out of handicap shots.  The following groups picked the flag up, if they still had shots and carried it until they too ran out.  The eventual winner staked the flag just ~20 m short of the 18th green, about 3 m closer than the runner-up.  The social golfers, nine-holes, hit off at 10.30 and enjoyed a beautiful morning.  The green fairways were both softer under foot and far cooler than the much drier rough.  The morning’s results were;

Winner; Pam Drummond – 108/31/77 C/B from Beryl Cole – 99/22/77

Nine-hole Comp, Winner; Noreen – 69 from Jenny – 71 

 

Saturday November 14th – John Laing Shield Semi-finals & Stroke

A gusting southerly wind was blowing as the stroke field and the John Laing Shield semi-finalists hit off.  The course had excellent cover but the well trimmed rough was very thick and players who found themselves off the fairways faced a real battle to get the ball up and back into play.  The strong wind moved balls in the air and caused many shots to fall well short of the expected landing zone.  Most members expected the semi-finals of the Shield to be closely fought affairs and they were not disappointed.  Both matches were even or one-up for most of the round until Les Gaunt was able to move ahead of Ron Walker on the 14th, 15th and 16th to take the match 3/2.  In the other semi Jim Patton and Anthony Freeman fought a very tight match with Freeman finally triumphing on the 19th hole. The Stroke field also found it difficult to score with many players putting four or five good holes together before carding an eight or a nine on the next hole.  Only one player was able to put together a consistent round and come in below his handicap.  On a cool, windy afternoon the results were;

Winner; Rob Rea – 85/17/68 from John Freestone – 95/21/74

NTPs; 15th – Pat Chisholm, 16th – Rob Rea   

The Semi-final results were;

Anthony Freeman (3) D Jim Patton (0) – 19th

Les Gaunt (0) D Ron Walker (18) – 3/2.

The final will be;

Les Gaunt (0) Vs Anthony Freeman (17)

 

Wednesday November 11th – Stableford

The heavy rain of last week and the heat over the weekend meant excellent growth across the course however only the greens had been cut.  So, whilst the fairways were a little challenging the thick, long grass of the rough swallowed balls and clung tenaciously to clubs.  The round began under overcast skies but by the half-way mark the sun shone through and the jackets and beanies were back in the bag.  So, whilst competition and social golfers alike enjoyed the round scoring was tough.  The results were;

Winner; Kath Jekabsons (28) – 30 pts from Beryl Cole (26) – 28 pts.

       

Saturday November 7th – Quarter Finals John Laing Shield & Stableford

Following the extremely heavy rain of Wednesday and Thursday the course was very wet with most fairways having casual water and the greens a little hairy after being too wet and slippery to be cut.  Again, quite a challenge for the field who hit off in muggy, overcast conditions with a gusting NW wind.  A number of players had taken advantage of the Cup Day holiday so only one of the John Laing Shield quarter finals remained to be played.  As the afternoon progressed the sun did come out causing the conditions to become more humid; players as well as the course became steamy with approach shots stopping dead and putts pulling up well short of the cup.  On a difficult day the results were;

Winner; Hugh Drummond (21) – 35 pts from Pat Chisholm (11) – 34 pts and Ron Walker (23) – 33 pts

NTPs; 1st – Sharif Abdel-Sayed,  15th – John Freestone

Womens’ Winner; Lyn Robison (29) – 34 pts 

The quarter-final results of the John Laing Shield were;

Chris vanDerVliet Anthony Freeman 5/3

Jim Patton Michael McCarten 3/2 (Played earlier in the week)

Kev Dunn  Ron Walker – 4/3 (Played earlier in the week)

Les Gaunt D Pat Chisholm – 4/3 (Played earlier in the week)

The Semi-finals will be;

Anthony Freeman Vs Jim Patton 

Les Gaunt Vs Ron Walker

Wednesday November 4th –  Burke & Wills

This golfing format sees the course for the day completely redesigned with players approaching each green from a totally new direction.  The round included hitting through narrow gaps between larger trees or over clumps of smaller trees and bushes.  Quite a challenge but it does allow golfers to see their own course in a very different light.  A beautiful morning with all greens and fairways (those that were used) in top condition.  The social golfers played the usual layout, this meant everyone had to be very aware when hitting to a green as one group would be coming from a completely unusual direction.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Kath Jekabsons – 102/28/74 from Lorraine Robb – 105/30/75.

Men’s Winner; Michael McCarten – 73/18/55

 

Saturday October 31st – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

A spot of thunder and lightning only slightly reduced the field for the October Medal.  With wet fairways and greens and a gusting NW wind players were in for a challenging round, however the weather stabilised after a few holes and the sun came out making for a pleasant afternoon.  Golfers had to respond to the lack of run on the fairways, slow greens and an aggressive rough that gleefully hid balls and then often only allowed players to progress the ball by 20 to 30 metres.  As the round closed just two players were in with a chance, some excellent putting by one golfer was just eclipsed by wonderful approach shots and pin-point chipping from another.  On a day when the weather swung wildly the results were;

Winner and October Medalist; Ron Walker – 95/23/72 from Michael McCarten – 91/18/73

NTPs; 15th – Jim Patton

Least Putts; Michael McCarten – 27  

 

Wednesday October 28th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

A still morning with a slight dew across the course, all looked good for an enjoyable round.  A strong field teed off and it soon became a quite a battle for the October Medal.  Again, some poor shots on the back nine and luck going with or against players saw players approaching the 18th with or without a smile.  The results were;

Winner and October Monthly Medalist; Pam Drummond – 108/31/77/ from Lyn Robison – 108/29/279

Least Putts; Pam Drummond – 28

Another group of golfers also enjoyed their nine holes of social golf.

 

Saturday October 24th – Qualifying Round –  John Laing Shield – Stableford

Well, a cool start but the day soon warmed up. The wind was barely there and with the course again in top nick the low markers were looking to cement themselves well inside the top eight and move into the next round of the John Laing Shield.  Everyone else though they had a good chance too.  There were many players in an excellent position as they turned for home but a wayward drive here or a fluffed chip there soon put paid to most of their challenges. Again, it’s tough out there with well trimmed rough, lush fairways and rapidly improving greens.  On another wonderful mid-spring day the results were;

Winner; Chris vanDerVliet (30) – 36 pts C/B from Kev Dunn (23) with Les Gaunt (5), Jim Patton (19) & Michael McCarten (19) all on 34 pts

Women’s Winner; Sharon Mathers (14) – 32 pts

NTPs; 1st & 15th – Les Gaunt, 16th – Dave Muller.

The quarter-finals of the John Laing Shield will be between;

Chris vanDerVliet Vs Anthony Freeman

Jim Patton Vs Michael McCarten

Kev Dunn  Vs Ron Walker

Les Gaunt Vs Pat Chisholm

 

Wednesday October 21st – Texas Ambrose

Sadly this round only got to four holes before the steady rain convinced one and all that a quiet cuppa in the rooms was a top idea.

Pam Drummond continued her fine run of form with a win in C grade at the 2015 Trentham Women’s Tournament on Tues 20th Oct.  Pam returned a fine 100/31/69.  (She also took home five points in the WGDD Player of The Year.) 

 

Saturday October 17th – Stableford

The field hit off on a  cooler day with occasional puffs of southerly breeze.  Late rain on Friday saw the effects of Wednesday & Thursday’s heat greatly reduced and the greens have recovered very well from the coring, in a week or two they should be back to their best.  By mid afternoon the temperature was approaching the the mid 20s so with the course again in great nick all was set for some good scoring however “Royal Romsey” was having nothing of that.  She again showed just how tough it has got to match or better par.  On a beautiful day the results were;

Men’s Winner; Tony Freeman (22) – 34 pts C/B from Peter Scanlon (29), Rob Rea (17)  & Mick Nicholls (Jnr) (28) – 33 pts

Women’s  Winner; Lyn Robison (29) – 30 pts

NTPs; 15th – Ron Walker & 16th – Les Gaunt        

 

Wednesday October 14th – Stableford

It was a perfect morning for golf, clear blue skies, a light southerly breeze and the course in the best condition for many a year.  As for the scoring, all that can be said is that a few of the players were still slightly in shock after the deluge and hail of the previous weekend.  The morning’s results were;

Winner; Wendy Gosden (33) 33 pts from Pam Drummond (31) 27pts & Lyn Robison (28) 22 pts

 

Saturday October 10th – Stroke

After a long dry week the sudden storm, with heavy hail, on Friday night was a welcome relief.  Despite the re-cycled water already on fairways the course gobbled up the rain giving a new freshness across the whole park.   The round began under cloudy skies with a warm, heading to sticky, atmosphere.  Whilst most golfers got good distance in the air the slightly softer fairways did restrict run.  The newly cored greens were generally receptive to well played pitch shots but all players found them tricky to read often ending well short of the cup.  On a warm, if overcast day, everyone was able to enjoy both the course and the developments from last week’s working bee. The results were;

Winner; Tony Freeman – 91/22/69 from Scott Williams – 88/17/71 and Michael McCarten – 90/19/71

Women’s Winner; Sharon Matters – 96/14/82

NTPs; 15th – Tony Freeman, 16th – Bill McKee 

 

Wednesday October 7th – Rose Scanlon Count.

With the greens still recovering from the coring, sanding, seeding & fertilising many women members assembled for the annual vote count followed by a relaxed lunch.  The results were;

Rose Scanlon Shield 

1st; Kath Jekabsons – 34pts
2nd; PamDrummond – 25 pts
3rd; Lorraine Robb – 24 pts
Eclectic 

1st; Kath Jekabsons – 63
2nd; Leila Beasley – 64.5
3rd; Beryl Cole – 65
Putting 

1st; Beryl Cole – 29.8

2nd; Kath Jekabsons – 30.5
3rd; Pam Drummond – 32.16
Gobblers 

1st; Kath Jekabsons – 8
2nd; Lorraine Robb – 7
3rd; Lyn Robison – 6

 

Annual working bee 

This very succesful event was held on Friday October 2nd.

Much was accomplished, for more information see the report.

 

Saturday September 27th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

A strong field hit off on a wonderful, still, early spring day.  The course looked great, lush cover on the fairways and the trees showing all the colours of their new growth.  There was still plenty of lime on the fairways and there was some smoke from burning-off wafting across the course so not everything was perfect.  The day saw a large number of birdies and even a few eagles however only three players were able to put together a par or sub-par round.  On a beautiful day for a stroll in the park the results were;

Winner and September Medalist; Michael McCarten – 90/20/70 from Rob Rea – 90/18/72 & Pat Chisholm – 84/12/72

NTPs; 15th – Jarrad White, 16th – Michael McCarten

Least Putts; Pat Chisholm – 28  

 

Wednesday September 24th – Monthly Medal & Silver Spoon Play-off

The round began with a cold, gusting north-westerly wind blowing across the course, bins were up ended and may shots ended well wide of their intended destination.  The course had been limed so everyone trailed white lines behind their buggies and left clear footprints on the greens and to top it off there had been a deal of vandalism over the weekend with hole signs and greens damaged and numerous flags missing, golfers often shot to vacant greens or aimed at small branches that had been put in place of the flag.  So, all in all it was a tough day, the results were;

Winner & September Medalist; Kath Jekabsons – 112/26/86 from Wendy Gosden – 125/33/92

Silver Spoon Playoff; Wendy Gosden from Lorraine Robb

Least Putts; Kath Jekabsons – 33

Euroa Bowl; held Thurs Sept 17th, Wendy kept her Player of the Year (PotY) chances well and truly alive with a 3rd in Div 3.  Wendy now has a lead of 4 pts in the WGDD 2015 PotY.

Women’s Golf Dalhousie District; 27+ handicap event at Broadford on Mon 21st Sept; Pam Drummond won with 42 pts.  

 

Saturday September 19th – Round 3 – 2015 Club Championships

The sun was out, there as almost no wind and the course was in spectacular condition; excellent cover on the fairways with the greens consistent and true so all was set for a top round of golf.  Sadly the field could not live up to these expectations.  The warmer air saw all players caught out with many overhitting and going through the corner seeing difficult 2nd shots to the green.  The small greens were also a challenge leaving many with tricky “up and down shots”.  During the round many players  seemed to lose concentration and mishits, short chips or overly ambitious putts saw scores mounting.  On a beautiful day the results were;

2015 Club Champion; Les Gaunt – 250, from Bob McLennan – 261.

B Grade Champions; Shannon Wright – 281, from Rob Rea – 288

John Jeffrey Shield (Best nett performance); Kevin Dunn – 225

Laurie Thomson Shield (Best nett by a junior); Michael McCarten – 251

Peter Scanlon Shield (Best nett by player 55 and over); Kevin Dunn – 225

Daily Winner; Kevin Dunn; 101/25/76 C/B from John Freestone; 97/21/76 

B Grade winner Shannon Wright, RGC Captain Tony Freeman and 2015 Club Champion Les Gaunt 

B Grade & Club Champ 2015

RGC Captain Tony Freeman with Laurie Thomson Shield winner Michael McCarten

L Tompson Shield 2015

RGC Captain Tony Freeman with John Jeffrey and Peter Scanlon Shield winner Kevin Dunn

PS & JJ Shield Winner 2015

Wednesday September 16th – 12 Hole Stableford

Between the social golfers and the more competitive mid-weekers there was quite a good field for the day’s stableford competition. The weather was good, clear skies and some sun and the course was in top condition as the players tackled the more than difficult “Old Course” layout.  The good weather held until the final few holes when drizzle began to fall and the players were happy to get into the rooms and head off for a relaxed lunch.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Lyn Robison (27) – 22 pts from Pam Drummond (32) – 19 pts and Kath Jekabsons (26) – 18 pts 

 

Saturday September 12th – Round 2 – 2015 Club Championships

The morning was sunny and clear with almost no wind but as the groups teed off, the clouds rolled in and there were spots of rain. The wind, shifting from the west to north to east, occasionally gusted and made for some difficult approach shots.  After a few holes the rain petered out but the afternoon remained cold.  The course was in top condition with lush fairways and well trimmed rough so good scores and a fast round were expected.  As with last week the “old heads” again held sway, playing very measured golf and keeping the ball in play at all times. On a cool, breezy afternoon the results were;

A Grade Scratch; Les Gaunt – 78/161 from Bob McLennan – 86/173

B Grade Scratch; Shannon Wright – 86/179 from Rob Rea – 96/187

Daily Winner; Shannon Wright – 86/13/73 C/B from Les Wright – 78/5/73

NTPs;  15th – Mal Mottram & 16th – Anthony Lakey.

 

Wednesday September 9th – Stroke

With quite a few members still “wintering up north” the field was a little smaller than usual however that did not effect the usual, enjoyable round with plenty of good natured stirring and congratulations when good golf was played.  Players teed off under cool, overcast skies, there had been rain overnight and on the two previous days so the fairways and greens were quite wet.  After about five holes light drizzle arrived and stayed for most of the morning.  The course again proved challenging making it difficult to return a good score.  The day’s results were;

Winner: Mary Campbell (Trentham) – 92/17/75

Secret Nine; Pam Drummond – 55/17/39

Least Putts; Lyn Robison – 30

The women’s “Singles Knock-out Final” was played on Thursday Sept 10th, after a tight round current club champion, Kath Jekabsons was able to finally take out the title on the 18th; Kath D Pam Drummond 1 up

 

Saturday September 5th – Round 1 – 2015 Club Championships

The course was in great condition, fairways lush, greens fast but consistent and a spot of sun here and there, the only real concern was the inconsistent southerly/SW wind that cropped up now and then, often when a ball was already in the air.  The 1st round of the 2015 Club Championships drew a good field however a few late scratchings reduced the size of the A Grade competition.  With generally good conditions it was reasonable to expect some top scoring but this was not the case as “Royal Romsey”again bared her teeth.  Only excellent golf was rewarded, those who strayed from the fairways or overshot the greens found it extremely difficult to get “up and down in regulation”.  In the long run the round was dominated by the “old Hands” who have played numerous club championships and who understood that the three-week event is rarely won on the 1st Saturday.  The day’s results were

A Grade Scratch; Les Gaunt – 83 from Bob McLennan – 87

B Grade Scratch; Rob Rea – 91 from Shannon Wright – 93

Daily Winner; Rob Rea – 91/18/73 from Kevin Dunn – 99/25/74

NTPs; 1st Kevin Dunn, 15th – Mal Mottram,  16th – Michael McCarten.

     

Wednesday September 2nd – Stableford.

Those members who headed north for some end of winter warmth would have loved the still, sunny conditions that prevailed for almost the whole round.  A lovely day to practice those pitch and chip shots as the soft fairways meant that almost everyone was short of the green after their second shot.  The greens were in excellent nick and showing signs of rapid new growth.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Pam Drummond (31) 33 pts from Kath Jekabsons (23) 32 pts 

Nine-hole comp;  Denise O’Meara (36) – 17 pts

 

Saturday August 29th – Monthly Medal & Medal of Medalists – Stroke & Putts

A cold, gusting, southerly wind and steady drizzle met the field as they hit off in the August Medal and 2014/15 Medal of Medalists.  All of the 2014/15 monthly medals winners were in the field and hit off from the 1st, the remainder of the strong field hit off from other tees.   The drizzle and gusting wind kept up for much of the afternoon however the sun did poke through for about 20 minutes in the middle of the round.  The rain of Friday afternoon/evening and the day’s drizzle saw the course quite soft so there was little run on the fairways and the cold air again reduced distance off the tee.  Putting on wet greens was also a challenge with players often over hitting and running well past the cup.  During the round  a number of players looked good for either of the day’s awards however only one player was able to play out the round and card a score under his handicap. On a cold, wet afternoon it was up to one of the club’s juniors to show the way;

Winner, August Medalist & 2014/15 Medal of Medalist; Michael McCarten – 90/19/71 from Andrew Laing – 92/17/75

NTPs; 1st – Les Gaunt & 15th – Dave Muller. Least Putts; Andrew Laing – 24

Next week, September 5th, sees round one of the 2015 Romsey Golf Club Men’s Championships.

RGC 2014/15 Medal of Medalists winners Pam Drummond & Michael McCarten

 2014/15 Medal of Medalists  

Wednesday August 26th – Monthly Medal/Medal of Medalists

The round started out under cool, grey skies, there was a hint of sun poking through here and there.  As the field moved around the course the sun did shine through and the morning began to warm a little.  The re-cycled water has been able to cover for the lack of rain and the fairways continue to grow well but were again soft so there was very little run.  Results were;

Medal of Medalists & August Medalist; Pam Drummond – 115/32/83

9 Hole Comp; Lyn Robison – 53/14/39

Least Putts; Kath Jekabsons – 33 putts

 

  Saturday August 22nd – Stableford – Drummond Golf Charity Golf Weekend

After a reasonably fine week with plenty of sun the course was in top nick, the fairways thickening up and the greens fast but true.  Before the round got underway all players donated for Breast & Prostate Cancer programs (activity co-ordinated by Drummond Golf), raising $130.00 for these very worthy causes.  The sky was blue, the sun was shining and the wind was barely a gentle breeze so it looked like a great afternoon to be out on the park.  Carding a good score, however, again proved to be difficult. The warmer air caused some players to overhit and the speed of the greens continued to catch many players out leaving them with longish return putts.  Despite the conditions only two players were able to play to their handicaps.  On a beautiful day to be wandering around a wonderful environment the results were.

Winner; Scott Williams (18) – 36 pt C/B from Pat Chisholm (12) – 36 pts, Les Gaunt (5) – 34pts, Rob Rea (18) – 34 pts

Womens Winner; Lyn Robison (28) – 34 pts

NTPs; 1st – Scott Williams, 15th – Mal Mottram, 16th – Michael McCarten    

  

Wednesday August 19th – Irish Sixes

The round began under clear, sunny conditions, quite a change from recentcold, wet weeks.  The format of Irish Sixes (different scoring for par 3s, par 4s and par 5s) confused a few early on however all players quickly worked out how to score.  While we have had cold nights the warmer, sunnier day has seen good growth across all fairways and excellent growth from the many young trees.  On a beautiful, late winter’s morning the results were;

Winners;  Lyn Robison/Pam Drummond – 49 pts.

 

Saturday August 15th – 4BBB Stableford Guest Day

The 4BBB Guest Day got off to a great start; the sun broke through and the wind was virtually non-existent.  It looked like a good afternoon to be chasing a little white ball around the park with the hope of carding a good score.  While some players were well organised and had their guest partners sorted others had to take what the table gave them resulting some interesting and throughly enjoyable pairings.  The course again showed how tough it has become with the low markers struggling to record a good score.  With many approach shots falling short pitching had to be very exact as balls pulled up very quickly on the greens leaving overly long putts, chips however often ran on well passed the cup.  On an interesting day the results were;

Winners; Steve Poulton (24)/Allan Cullinger (13) – 39pts from Mick Nicholls Jnr (27)/Michael McCarten (19) – 38 pts

NTP; 15th – Les Gaunt.      

 

Wednesday August 12th – Stableford

Another cold, wet morning and this time common sense prevailed; everyone stayed inside, enjoyed a cuppa and discussed the upcoming Working Bee in early October.  RGC member Denise O’Meara enjoyed her visit to Axedale G. C. to participate in their 3BBB Stableford event.

 

Lyn Robison and Pam Drummond agreed to come back the next day to play their semi-final of the singles Knock Out competition

 

Sunday August 9th – Dalhousie District Bowl

Romsey hosted the 2015 Dalhousie District Golf Association Bowl (four player Stableford, best three scores to count), the field hit off at 9.30 am in chilling conditions.  The event was played over “The Old Course”, two rounds of 12 holes.  There was a NW wind blowing however no-one found the water on the 2nd and the wind was a positive influence for most on the 12th with its internal out-of-bounds.  Light rain overnight and a very heavy dew meant the fairways were again very soft and balls would pick-up mud so relief, to a handspan, on the fairway played, was given.  Given the conditions the morning round saw some excellent scoring from the Broadford contingent – Graham Hogg (7) – 26 Pts, Chris Hanson (5) – 24 pts & Craig Thorpe (9) – 28 pts.  At around noon the field headed to the rooms for lunch.  

 

The afternoon round was played in slightly warmer conditions and perhaps some hot soup and a good lunch spurred a few on as generally scoring was better than in the morning.  Good rounds came from; Alan Hopkins (Trentham – 11) & Aaron Frost Broadford – 6) – 24 pts, Mark Corradin – 1), Les Gaunt, (Romsey – 3), Chris Hanson & Craig Thorpe 23 pts.  On a chilling day the results were;

Winners; Graeme Hogg, Aaron Frost, Craig Thorpe & Tannah Kirkman (Broadford 2) 138 pts from Tony Potts, Chris Hanson, Wayne Ormsby & Don Hackett (Broadford 1) – 125 pts

A Grade; Mark Corradin – 45 pts from Les Gaunt – 42 pts

B Grade; Alan Hopkins – 45 Pts from Rod Campbell (Trentham ) 41 pts

NTPs; 1st – Mark Mullaly (Yea), 8th – Mark Corradin, 9th – Don Hackett & 10th – Les Gaunt

2015 DDGA Bowl Winners – Broadford 2 – Tannah Kirkman, Graeme Hogg, Craig Thorpe & Aaron Frost

DDGA Bowl 2015 - Winners

2015 DDGA Bowl Runners up – Broadford 1 – Tony Potts, Wayne Ormsby, Chris Hanson & Don Hackett

2015 DDGA Bowl Runners Uo

A Grade Winner – Mark Corradin with DDGA Captain Lance Carracher

2015 Bowl A Grade Winner

B Grade Winner – Alan Hopkins with DDGA Captain Lance Carracher

 201 5 Bowl B Grade Winner

Saturday August 8th – Stroke

A strong field hit off in the club’s Stableford competition, the afternoon was very cool but there was almost no wind so it was reasonable to expect some good scoring.  The cold air and soft fairways again saw all players lose distance forcing longer than usual irons for approach shots.  The greens again held well and generally putted very true. It was also great to welcome back local boy Shannon Wright for his first round at RGC in over a year.  The course savaged a number of players with quite a few recording double figures on a hole here and there.  The tough conditions meant no-one broke their handicap.  Romsey is getting tougher!  On a challenging day the results were;

Winner; Andrew Laing – 90/17/73 from Mal Mottram – 86/11/75 and Sharif Abdel-Sayed – 91/16 75

NTPs; 1st Dave Muller, 15th – Michael McCarten  

 

Wednesday August 5th – Foursomes

Another cold, windy morning for the club’s Foursomes event.  There was a heavy frost across much of the course and putting, was a little easier with the balls leaving clear lines on the greens.  Sadly the predicted rain soon arrived and the field made the intelligent decision to withdraw from the field of battle and repair to one of the local cafes for a warming drink and an enjoyable lunch.  Everyone was pleased to welcome many of the women who had attended the “Play Golf” clinics earlier in the year.  Results were;

Winners; All those who survived the four holes of golf played under increasingly difficult conditions followed by a great lunch 

 

Saturday August 1st – Multiplier Stableford

The forecast was for some rain and very cold, windy conditions, the rain held off but the NW wind blew up for most of the afternoon.  The Multiplier Stableford format was new however once the scoring method was outlined everyone enjoyed the round.  We were missing a couple of golfers who were over at the footy rooms celebrating the 40th anniversary of their 1975 premiership.  The course was again soft and this, combined with the cold air and the wind saw all players lose distance off the tee.  NTPs were at a premium with strong gusts often blowing balls well off line.  The greens again putted very true and two players who had been absent for over six weeks noted the improvement in speed and line, still work to be done though.  With most teams in reasonably early it was looking like a three-way count-back but as the final group came in a clear winner emerged.  The day’s results were; 

Winners; Mal Mottram (11)/Steve Poulton (23) – 63 pts

Individual; Pat Chisholm (12) – 36pts, Andrew Laing (17) – 36 pts

NTPs; 15th Tony Freeman, 16th – Mal Mottram

 

Wednesday July 29th – Monthly Medal & 4th Round Silver Spoon

The field hit-off under clear skies, there was virtually no wind and the sun shone through here and there.  The course was in top condition if a little soft in some places so keeping the ball in the air as long as possible was vital.  After a few weeks practise everyone was coming to grips with the faster greens and many more putts were dropping.  As players finished the front nine the sky clouded over and the back nine became a very chilly affair.  The day’s results were;

Winner and July Medalists; Lorraine Robb – 106/27/79 c/b from Kath Jekabsons – 103/24/79 

 

Saturday July 25th – Monthly Medal Stroke & Putts

Rain during the week and again on Friday evening saw very soft fairways and a couple of extremely wet greens nevertheless, on the whole, the course held up very well.  The afternoon was brisk moving on to bracing so everyone was well rugged up.  Play began under cloudy skies with a gusting north-westerly wind, this proved tricky moving balls both in the air and on the greens.  Despite the wetness all greens putted very true however a number of golfers got into difficulties when they allowed way too much for the slope only to see their balls cruise straight passed the cup.  In recent weeks it has been tough to equal let alone break your handicap and the July Medal was another one of those days.  In the end deadly accuracy from the fairway to the green was what won the day.  The results were;

 

Winner and July Medalist; Bob McLennan – 83/10/73 (Two Medals in a row!) from Les Gaunt 80/5/75

NTPs; 1st – Les Gaunt, 15th – Clinton Harkom, 16th – Les Gaunt

Least Putts; Les Gaunt 28, c/b from Bob Dwyer (Les also won the meat tray so a productive weekend!) 

The Dalhousie District Golf Association Bowl will be held at Romsey on Sunday August 9th.

 

Wednesday July 22nd – Pinehurst

Some heavy rain just before dawn and then gusting winds as the morning progressed made for another tough round.  The greens were a little slower but when the wind blows your ball way off line slowness is not a great concern.  Some areas of the course were reasonably sheltered, a combination of older pine trees and rapidly growing natives planted in the recent past so a few holes were a little easier.  The day’s results were

Winners; Lorraine Robb/Pam Drummond; 109/29.5/79.5 

 

Saturday July 18th – Stableford 

And now for something different, very cold, some casual water, inconsistent wind, soft fairways and fast greens, well, here we go again.  A good field took to the course with all the previously mentioned conditions but the saving grace was a promise of sun, the forecast said it would come!  The wet conditions again saw a handspan’s relief given on the fairway played.  All players found the conditions challenging; hitting a green in regulation was a real bonus and par on any hole was considered a very good score.  About half-way through the sun did peep out but obviously decided it was too cold and quickly ducked back behind the clouds leaving players well rugged up and eager to finish a very tough round and get into the rooms for some warm food and a quiet drink.  On another tough day the results were;

 

Winner; Les Gaunt (6) – 33 pts from Scott Williams (19) – 32 pts and Andrew Laing (18) – 31 pts 

Women’s winner; Elaine Scanlon (29) – 27 pts

NTPs; 16th – Les Gaunt      

 

Wednesday July 15th – Stableford

Steady rain over the preceding days saw the course very damp with casual water on some fairways.  The ongoing rain also meant that the greens were too slippery for mowing and, to top it off, both dams were at least half full and waiting for any miss hits.  So, on an exceptionally cold morning, it was going to be a real challenge for anyone to post a good score.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Elaine Scanlon(29) – 27 pts from Kath Jekabsons (24) – 22 pts 

 

Saturday July 11th – Par

A surprisingly good field, given the weather forecast, took to the course for the club’s par competition.  The thermometer was sitting on 6C, there was an inconsistent westerly wind blowing and after the first few holes rain and hail began to fall.  Well, water in the dams but at this time of the year golfers really do need to be a hardy breed.  About an hour into the round the rain stopped and the temperature rocketed up to 7.5C, players put away the umbrellas but, not trusting the sky kept their jackets on.  The cold air and soft fairways again saw all players lose distance off the tee, forcing longer than usual approach shots.  The greens, whilst a little wet, putted very truly and were again much faster than in Romsey’s recent history.  On another “tough day at the office” the results were;

Winner; John Freestone (20) -1 from Les Gaunt (6) -3

NTPs; 1st; Les Gaunt, 16th; Tony Freeman

 

Wednesday July 8th – Stableford

The round began on a still, chilly morning, a series of heavy dews and cold days had seen the fairways get even softer greatly limiting distance off the tee and from any fairway shots so the golf was always going to be tough. One golfer was heard to remark that judging by the number of shots she was taking she was certainly getting good value for her competition fee!  On a difficult day the results were;
Winner; Kath Jekabsons; (23) – 25 pts from Lyn Robinson; (28) – 21 pts

 

Saturday July 4th – Stroke, Final W. E. Tom 4BBB

Cold air, soft fairways and a flukey north-westerly wind made for a challenging day on course.  Only a few players were ably to adjust to the conditions early; many golfers had very ordinary front nines before settling down and recording much more presentable back nines however the damage had been done.  The soft greens were very receptive to well played pitches and generally putted very true however all greens were quicker than in the past and only a few showed the movement players have come to expect.  This caught many out with numerous putts holding their line and rolling past the cup.  The day also saw the final of the W. E. Tom 4BBB.  The final was a see sawing event with one team jumping away before things evened out then the team of Walker/Freestone showed just why they are such a formidable match-play combination.  On another very cold but enjoyable day the results were;

Winner; Keith Hocking – 100/29/71 from Bob McLennan – 84/10/74

Women’s winner; Lyn Robison – 1-4/28/75

NTPs; 1st Pat Chisholm

W. E. Tom 4BBB Final

John Freestone (1)/Ron Walker (3) D Scott Williams (0)/Steve Poulton (4) – 5/4 

It was also wonderful to see 1995 RGC Champion Daniel Gaunt finish 9th in last week’s German Open and make the cut in the current French Open.      

 

Wednesday July 1st – Par 3

Another good day for golf saw a strong field tee off in the Par 3 competition.  All holes had been modified with temporary tee markers placed between  150 m and 90 m from the centre of each green making the day’s par 54.  All handicaps were reduced by 2/3.  With many players consistently hitting the green the condition of the fairways, excellent, was of little importance.  Chipping and putting were again to the fore.  Recent drainage works on the 2nd green saw a few rough spots but the field was able to cope with these problems.  The round also saw the 1st semi-final of the singles K/O competition.  The day’s results were;

 

Winner; Lorraine Robb; 72/9/63 from Neryl-Lea Sparke; 78/14/64

Singles K/O results were;

Kath Jekabsons D Elaine Scanlon 19th    

 

Saturday June 27th – Monthly Medal, Stroke & Putts

A strong field teed off in the June Medal, it was another cold, clear day with a variable westerly wind.  The heavy dews had kept the fairways soft so relief, to a handspan on the fairway played was again given.  With the cold air and the soft fairways holding up many shots pitching and chipping to the green were most important if a good score was to be posted.  Many players had a run of solid holes before finding themselves in trouble under a tree or a duffed chip saw them over the back of a green, only one golfer was able to play consistent golf for all 18 holes and come in under his handicap.  Bob McLennan, fresh from a tour of Canada and Alaska showed all the value of a good break.  The day’s results were;

Winner & June Medalist; Bob McLennan – 79/11/68 from Dave Richardson 96/23/73

Women’s Winner; Lyn Robison – 105/30/75

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

Least Putts; 25 – Bob McLennan c/b from Michael McCarten   

 

Wednesday June 24th – Monthly Medal  & 2nd Qualifying Rd Singles K/O 

A perfect day for golf, the sun was out, the course was in great nick and the wind was barely a zephyr from the south.   However, after a run of cold wet rounds, players were busy enjoying the day and conditions rather than to paying too much attention to their own scores; so results did not reflect the the possibilities for such beautiful winter’s morning.  Results were;  

 

Winner & June Medalist; Kath Jekabsons – 101/23/78.

After two qualifying rounds the singles K/O semi-finals will be;

Elaine Scanlon Vs Kath Jekabsons

Pam Drummond Vs Lyn Robison

 

Saturday June 20th – Stableford, Semi-finals W. E. Tom 4BBB Shield 

The field hit off on another cold, relatively still afternoon, the fairways had good cover but the whole course was wet so balls would pick up mud.   The cold air pulled up all but the most cleanly struck shots and each player had to think carefully when selecting a club for any shot.  Approach shots had to be very accurate however just about everyone found themselves short having no hope of running up on to the green.  As the round progressed many players had a run of excellent holes before they fell foul of a few trees or badly played chip shots ate into their score.  The semi-finals of the W. E. Tom 4BBB shield were also being played.  On another tough day the results were;

 

Winner; Mal Mottram (12) 35 pts C/B from Anthony Lakey (21)

NTPs – 15th – Les Gaunt, 16th Mal Mottram

W. E. Tom Shield results;

Steve Poulton (4)/Scott Williams (0) D Tony Freeman (0)/Michael McCarten (0) – 1 up

John Freestone (14)/Ron Walker (16)  Les Gaunt (0)/Pat Chisholm (6) 6/7

The final of the W. E Tom Shield will be;

Steve Poulton (4)/Scott Williams (0) Vs John Freestone (1)/Ron Walker (3) 

 

Wednesday June 17th – Stroke – 1st Qualifying Rd Singles K/O

A strong field hit off in the 1st round of the 2015 Singles Knock-outcompetition.  Whilst the course was still soft it was in generally excellent condition.  The morning began under cloudy skies but the rain from earlier in the week had disappeared and there was virtually no wind, so, no real excuses and a number of players put their best foot forward.  Once in the rooms everyone was very impressed by the rapid progress of the works in the kitchen. On a cool but still day the results were;

Winner Elaine Scanlon – 102/30/72 on a C/B from Pam Drummond – 104/32/72 with Lyn Robison and Kath Jekabsons not too far behind.

Saturday June 13th – 4BBB Stableford – Qualifying Rd – W. E. Tom Shield – 4BBB K/O

The qualifying round of the W. E. Tom 4BBB K/O hit off under cloudy skies with a northerly to north-easterly wind blowing across the course.  The fairways remained soft and players had to clean mud from the ball after almost each shot.  Accuracy again proved the key, players had to expertly select their clubs for approach shots (allowing for the flukey breeze and the soft fairways) or risk being well over or well short of the green.  The wind came into play here and there pushing some shots over the top or holding others up.  Chips and pitches had to land close to the flag as the soft greens quickly sucked any motion from these shots.  So, while the 4BBB format encourages good scoring only one pair was really able to come in with an excellent result, it was again tough out there!  The day’s results were;

 

Winners Steve Poulton/Scott Williams – 45 pts from Mal Mottram/Chris vanDerVliet – 41 pts, Les Gaunt/Pat Chisholm – 41 pts, Ron Walker/John Freestone – 40 pts, Andrew Laing/Paddy Corcoran – 40 pts & Lyn Robison/Pam Drummond – 39 pts 

NTPs; 1st – Paddy Corcoran, 15th – Andrew Laing & 16th – Pat Chisholm

Semi-finals of the W. E. Tom Shield will be;

Steve Poulton/Scott Williams Vs Tony Freeman/Michael McCarten

Les Gaunt/Pat Chisholm Vs Ron Walker/John Freestone.

 

Wednesday June 10th – Foursomes

The recent rain and the heavy overnight dew again made for soft greens and fairways, scoring was always going to be a challenge.  The greens had recovered well from the heavy traffic of the 2015 Open weekend and development works to the east of the course had removed a number of the oder pine trees on the park boundary greatly changing the look of the eastern end of the course..  An uneven number of players saw one foursome of three.  After the round everyone retired to the rooms for a bowl of hot soup and to have a look at the kitchen renovation works.  A number of golfers had been very busy pulling out old cabinets and bench-tops before assembling new cupboards and beginning to install them.  The day’s results were;

Winners Pam Drummond (32)/Leila Beasley (32)/Lorraine Robb (27) – 108/30.3/77.6

 

Sunday June 7th – Day 2 2015 Romsey Open – 24 Hole Stroke

Both days of the 2015 Romsey Open were very successful, for more information please read the Report and Scores for the event

Saturday June 6th – Day 1 2015 Romsey Open – 4BBB Pairs 

Men’s Pairs winners Bob Dwyer (RGC) and Michael McCarten (RGC) with RGC Captain Tony Freemen

2015 Men's pairs

Women’s Pairs winners Mary Campbell (Trentham) and Lyn Robison (RGC) with RGC Captain Tony Freemen

2015 Women's pairs

Wednesday June 3rd – Stableford

The round began under clear, still skies.  The cool air and this week’s rain and heavy dews greatly reduced distance off the tee and run on the fairways.  The recent rain also meant there had been some run-off and there was water in the lower dam. The field enjoyed the cool but clear conditions however, as usual at this time of year, scoring was difficult.  The day’s results were;

Winner; Lyn Robison (32) – 30 pts from Pam Drummond (32) -26 pts and Leila Beasley (32) – 24 pts.

Saturday May 30th – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

Another chilly start to a round, there was a flukey north-westerly wind blowing and the fairways and greens had plenty of dew.  The strong medal field teed off in groups of three so a number of players had a good wait before they hit off.  Again the cold air and the soft fairways really took toll on all but the longest hitters; many shots ended well short leaving much longer approach shots. Players who shot at the flag, taking advantage of the soft greens, usually got a good return however all golfers had to putt with conviction to get the ball to the cup.  Romsey has been a tough course for a number of weeks now and only one player was able to complete a consistent round and actually come in under his handicap.  On a tough day the results were;

 

Winner & May Medalist; Scott Williams – 89/22/67 from Les Gaunt – 79/6/73

NTPs; 1st Dave Muller, 15th – Scott Williams

Least Putts; Michael McCarten (c/b) 28

 

Wednesday May 27th – Stroke – 3Rd Club Championships &May Monthly Medal

The final round of the 2015 Club Championships began on a beautiful autumn day; the sky was clear, the sun was out, there was virtually no wind and the fairway had good cover.  The morning warmed as the round progressed and players who kept the ball in the air generally got good value for well struck shots.  The softer fairways did pull many balls up but the bounce was consistent.  All greens had recovered well from recent works and and players who putted cleanly got good results.  Championship leader, Kath Jekabsons, could not repeat her round of last week but was able to hold off all challengers.  On a beautiful day for golf the results were;

Winner and May Medalist;  Pam Drummond; 102/32/73

2015 Club Stroke Champion; Kath Jekabsons; 106/23/83 

2015 Club Handicap Champion; Leila Beasley; 108/32/76

Saturday May 23rd – Stroke

Golfers took to the course on another beautiful autumn day.  The morning had been chilling but by noon the sun was out, there were clear skies and a somewhat inconsistent southerly breeze wobbled across the park.  Good scoring could have been expected but the cold air, soft fairways saw “Royal Romsey” again take full toll, good drives ended well short of the corner, approach shots refused to bounce onto the green and chips died well short of the hole.  Despite the generally beautiful day all players found the going tough.  The day’s winner was fresh from running a marathon last weekend, so I suppose that says something about golfers.  On a challenging day the results were;

 

Winner; Wayne Robb – 86/12/74 from Dave Muller – 86/11/75 & Ron Walker – 97/22/75

NTPs; 1st – Michael McCarten, 15th – Dave Muller, 16th – Pat Chisholm.

Sunday May 17th – Sponsors’ Day – Three player Ambrose

The weather was perfect for Romsey Golf Club’s  inaugural Sponsors’ Day.  The three-player Ambrose competition was played of the 12 hole  “Old Course” layout and all teams enjoyed the golf, the rapidly improving condition of the course and Romsey Park in general.  After the round everyone retired to the clubrooms for a most enjoyable lunch and presentations.  It was wonderful to welcome life member Laurie Thomson and immediate past president Bob Preece to the event.

Winners; (Representing Romsey Veterinary Clinic) Kev Dunn, Lyn Robison & Bruce Robb –  45/7/38 from (Representing CIIC Insurance) Les Gaunt, Elaine Scanlon & Peter Scanlon – 45/5.3/39.7

 

Saturday May 16th – Stableford.

After the cold winds and rain during the week the course was very soft and almost all shots would pick up mud so, relief, to a handspan on the fairway played, was given.  The cold air and an inconsistent northerly wind greatly reduced distance through the air and the soft fairways took care of any roll.  Conditions were difficult as “Royal Romsey” bared her teeth wreaking disaster on all golfers who did not concentrate fully when playing a shot.  The greens again held well but putters really had to work to get up and down in regulation.  No player was able to better par with most at least five shots over, during the past three weeks only five players have been able to better their handicaps.  Again it was one of the veterans who showed the field how to play conservative golf whilst also taking advantage of any positive bounces or other fortunate interventions.  On a tough day the results were;

Winner; Les Gaunt (6) – 36 pts

NTPs; 1- Mick Nicholls jnr & 15th – Les Gaunt

 

Wednesday May 13th – Stroke – 1st Round Club Championships

Well, golfers certainly need to be a tough breed; the 1st round of the championships began with a freezing south-west wind, followed by hail and then a spot of drizzle.  The wind slackened a little as the round progressed and the drizzle lifted. Over the final few holes the sun even poked out here and there causing the umbrellas and wet weather gear to be put away.  The fairways had good cover but the recent rain and heavy dews had greatly reduced any run.  Again the greens proved challenging however there were promising signs of new growth.  All players quickly learned to putt with conviction or risk ending well short of the hole.  On another challenging day the results were;

 

Winner; Pam Drummond – 111/32/79

Championship leader; Kath Jekabsons – 107

 

Saturday May 9th – Stroke

It was a hardy group that teed off in the club’s stroke competition.  A cold, gusting westerly/north-westerly wind was blowing drizzle across the course so beanies and waterproof jackets were required “clobber”.  The gusting wind saw many shots to fall well short or travel far further than intended causing much grief amongst the players.  The growth on the fairways generally gave good lies but relief (handspan fairway played) was given as there were still a few bare patches and balls would pick up mud.  A number of players seemed to be returning good scores but just about everyone have one or two horrible holes that saw them drop away.  Only one golfer was able to tame both the unruly conditions and the course to record a sub par round.  On a very challenging day the results were;

 

Winner; Bob McLennan – 81/11/70 from Lyn Robison – 103/30/73

NTP’s went to 15th – Chris vanDerVliet & 16th – Bob McLennan.

 

Wednesday May 6th – RWH 4BBB

A strong field took to the course to see who would represent Romsey Golf Club at the Dalhousie District final of the Royal Women’s’ Hospital 4BBB.  The round began under cloudy skies, with a chilly wind blowing in from the north west.  Again cold air and soft fairways limited the distance players got off the tee and long approach shots were the order of the day.  Towards the end of the morning the drizzle began to fall bringing out the wet weather gear and umbrellas.  In the end the event was very close and needed to be decided by a count-back.  With a damp and chilly course making for difficult golf the results were;

 

Winners;  Lorraine Robb (27)/Pam Drummond (32) – 37pts C/B from Elaine Scanlon (30)/Wendy Gosden (35)

Next week sees the beginning of the RGC women’s club championships.

Saturday May 1st – Stableford

Players took to the course under overcast skies and with a gusting north-westerly wind.  Again the cold air and the softer fairways saw players lose distance, something the club will have to get used to now that the re-cycled water is almost across the whole course.  Approach shots from around 140m to 160m became de rigueur and hitting the smaller greens from that distance proved very difficult for almost the whole field.  As the round progressed the sun came out and the jumpers were packed away however this only lasted for a few hours before the sky clouded over and the temperature rapidly dropped. In the end it was up to two of the clubs veterans to show the way.  On a cool autumn afternoon the results were;

 

Winner; Bob Dwyer (30) – 39 pts from Peter Scanlon (29) – 36 pts

NTPs; 1st – Michael McCarten and 15th – Ron Walker 

 

Wednesday April 29th – Three Club – Stableford

This event caused many players to take time to carefully check the condition of the course, with only three clubs available they had to be the right ones.  Play began under clear blue skies, the air was cold but as the round progressed the sun shone through.  Distance from good, and bad, shots was greatly reduced by the softer fairways and cold air so good scoring proved difficult.  On a beautiful, if tough for golf, day the results were;

 

Winner; Leila Beasley (32) – 32 pts, Denise O’Meara (40) – 31 pts & Kath Jekabsons (24) – 24 pts.

Lorraine Robb and Wendy Gosden represents RGC at the GolfVic Autumn Tournament at Trentham. 

Saturday April 25 – April Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts.

The day began at midday with Rob Smithies playing “The Last Post” and “Taps” followed by a minute’s silence in honour of the service men and women who have done so much for our country.  Out on the course the sky was darkening and a cold wind was blowing in from the south west; it looked as if the rain could fall at any time.  Whilst the wind effected a number of shots many players were also caught out by the cold air and the lack of run on the damp fairways which caused well struck shots to finish well short of the expected landing area.  Players often found themselves pulling out low and middle irons for their approach shots.  The greens again held very well but recent works made putting quite challenging, it is hoped that new growth will soon fill in the scarifying lines that have caused so much angst over recent weeks.  As the round concluded groups were hurrying to finish before the skies opened and in the end only one groups was caught out.  On a very challenging day the results were;

 

Winner & April Medalist; Pat Chisholm – 83/13/70 C/B from Scott Williams – 96/26/70, Les Gaunt – 78/7/71 and Rob Rea – 89/18/71

Women’s Winner; Lorraine Robb – 109/27/82

NTPs; 1st Jim Patton, 15 & 16 – Dave Muller.     

 

Wednesday April 22nd – April Monthly Medal – Stroke

The April Medal field hit off on a cool, overcast autumn day.  The softer fairways had many golfers playing their 2nd shot well away from the greens and the scarified greens had some scratching their heads and balls moved alarmingly on their war to the hole.  A number of new members played in their first medal and all were very pleased with the steady return of course after the trenching  and other re-cycled water works.  The day’s results were;

 

Winner and April Medalist;  Pam Drummond – 107/31/76 C/B from Lyn Robinson – 106/30/76 and Elaine Scanlon – 110/32/78 

Saturday April 18th – Stableford

A strong field took to the course for the club’s Stableford competition.  It was a warm, sunny afternoon with virtually no wind however the recent rains, consistent dews and the re-cycled water saw the fairways softening and greening quite consistently; there was much decreased run and balls did pick up mud.  The autumn scarifying, fertilising and seeding of the greens is almost finished but all players had to deal with greens of inconsistent speed and they had to accept that some putts would make a sudden deviation on their way to the hole.   The softer greens allowed the low markers to aim directly at the flag knowing their balls would hold and greatly decreasing the distance of their putts.  There was a wonderful atmosphere in the rooms after the round as everyone caught up with people they may not have seen for many months. 

 

Men’s Winner; Dave Muller (11) – 40 pts from Les Gaunt (7) – 39 pts, Scott Williams (24) 38 pts, Michael McCarten (20) – 37 pts & Bruce Robb (28) 36 pts

Women’s Winner; Lyn Robison (31) – 40 pts

NTPs; 15th – Bob McLennan & 16th – Rob Rea

Saturday April 11th – Final Algie Mitchell Shield & Par

Over 30 mm of rain early in the week and cooler weather assisted the greens and fairways to cope reasonably well with the unfortunate lack of re-cycled water.  The tinge of green was slowly moving across the fairways but the actual new grass was very young and the rain had flattened the older, dry grass leaving some areas quite bare so relief, on the fairway played, was given.  The day was beautiful, reasonably still with the temperature in the low 20s so those whose golf fell below par at least enjoyed a relaxing walk in the park.  Other players enjoyed both the walk in the park and the results of their golfing endeavours.  The final of the Algie Mitchell shield looked like an early blow-out but John Laing fought back to have it all square by the 11th.  The final few holes at Romsey are always challenging and Rob Rea was able to pick up the next four to come home very strongly.  On a lovely autumn afternoon the results were;

 

Winner; Michael McCarten (21) +5 from Mick Nicholls (Snr) (18) +1, Bob Dwyer (30) +1, and Neil Jarman (13), Peter Scanlon (29) Andrew Laing (19) all square.

NTPs went to; 15th – Mick Nicholls and  16th – Rob Rea 

Algie Mitchell results

Rob Rea (0) D John Laing (9) – 4/3

Saturday April 4th – Stroke & Semi Final – Algie Mitchell Shield

Another warm still day on a hard, dry course; a day where good scoring was expected.  The remaining semi-final of the Algie Mitchell Shield was also being played.  It was a family affair with dad, John Laing taking on son, Andrew Laing.  The Laings were out early and both saw most parts of the course, even a trip into the semi dry dam in front of the 6th tee!  The greens were generally good however the autumn scarifying has begun so there were three greens where almost anything could happen.  The fairway irrigation was slowly producing results but the ongoing hot dry weather and steady winds were quickly sucking most of the moisture away.  Scoring was compared as groups passed each other and it quickly became obvious that the course had been tamed  by a number of players.  On a beautiful autumn day the results were;

Winner; Sherif Abdel-Sayed 80/17/63 from Mick Nicholls (Snr) – 87/19/68, Mick Nicholls (Jnr) 104/36/68, Mick Sadler – 104/36/68, Scott Williams – 92/24/68, Dave Muller – 1/12/69, Les Gaunt – 77/7/70, Jim Patton – 89/19/70 & Pat Chisholm – 83/13/70

NTPs; 15th Sherif Abdel-Sayed, 16th Michael McCarten

Algie Mitchell results

John Laing (8) D Andrew Laing (0) 

Next week’s final will be;

Rob Rea (0) Vs John Laing (9)

Saturday March 28th – March Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts

The strong field who hit off in the March Medal found the day still and warm.  The course was steadily greening however most of the fairways were still dry and hard.  The sections of the fairways where the sprinklers had been activated were much softer and new growth was peeking through.  Some of the greens had been lightly scarified and the birds had returned for a late supper on the 7th so players had a few problems here and there and they putted.  The course sorted out a few golfers and only a few had its measure.  Current club champion Les Gaunt showed his metal with a reasonable front nine backed up by a one-under back nine.  One of the semi-finals of the Algie Mitchell Shield was also played.  This was a battle between two hardened match players and it was expected to go right down to the final few holes.  On another good day on the course the results were;

 

Winner and March Medalist; Scott Williams – 93/26/67 from Sharif Abdel-Sayed – 87/18/69, Les Gaunt – 77/7/70, Mick Nicholls (Snr) 90/20/70 & Heath Rea – 88/18/70

NTPs; 1st Mick Nicholls (Snr), 15th – Les Gaunt

Least Putts; John Laing – 27

Algie Mitchell Shield semi-final

Rob Rea (0) D Peter Scanlon (12) 19th

Saturday March 21st – Quarter Finals Algie Mitchell (H/C Matchplay) & Stableford

The field hit off on a very warm afternoon; a strong southerly wind blew early in the round but after the first few holes this died down.  The just completed re-cycled water system saw irrigation on some of the fairways but the recent heat and winds had dried most of this leaving the fairways hard and dry.  After a few more weeks this irrigation will begin to have an effect and the fairways will green up considerably.  The quarter finals of the Algie Mitchell Singles K/O saw a few surprises.  The top golf of last week was hard to replicate and a few very experienced pennant players brought all their matchplay skills to bear in their matches.   The stableford players also had a hard day of it with only one player equalling his handicap, a far cry from recent weeks when many players have shot well under their handicaps.  On a hot, dry day the results were;

 

Algie Mitchell Quarter Final results;

Rob Rea (0) D Michael McCarten (4) – 4/3

Peter Scanlon (15) D Steve Wilkins (0) – 3/2

Andrew Laing (0) D Steve Poulton (4) – 6/5

John Laing (16) D Bob McLennan (0) 19th

 

Algie Mitchell Semi Final will be;

Ron Rea (0) Vs Peter Scanlon (12)
Andrew Laing (0) Vs John Laing (8)
Stableford results were;

Winner; Les Gaunt (7) – 36 pts from Mick Nicholls (20) 35 pts and John Freestone (18) 35 pts

NTPs; 1st – Les Gaunt, 15th – Tony Freeman, 16th – Rob Rea.

Saturday March 14th – Stroke – Algie Mitchell Singles K/O – Qualifying Round – Top Eight

Players took to the course under clear skies and with a gentle southerly wind.  The green tinge of last week was slowly growing stronger however much of the course was still very dry and hard.  As the afternoon wore on the temperature rose and it was very hot in the sections where the older trees blocked the breeze.  With a place in the quarter finals of the club’s 2nd oldest shield (First played in 1970) up for grabs some serious golf was expected and a number of golfers rose to the occasion.  Whilst the day eventually belonged to one of the club’s juniors a number of Romsey’s longest term members also did very well.   The day’s results were;

 

Winner; Michael McCarton – 87/23/64 from Bob McLennan – 80/11/69, Steve Poulton – 93/24/69 & Peter Scanlon – 100/30/70 

NTPs; 15th – Bob McLennan, 16th – Les Gaunt

Quarter Finals of the Algie Mitchell Singles Knock-out;

Michael McCarton Vs Rob Rea

Peter Scanlon Vs Steve Wilkins

Steve Poulton Vs Andrew Laing

Bob McLennan Vs John Laing

Saturday March 7th – Stableford

An early hit-off because of the 1st round of the Macedon Ranges Junior Golf Tournament saw the field enjoying cooler conditions and loving the condensation on the greens; especially the beautiful tracks left as balls fell in, or just missed, the cup.  There was also a tinge of green across the whole course courtesy of the overnight rain and some recent morning dews; drives or long iron shots did not travel nearly as far as in recent weeks.  Everyone was also very pleased to see that our Little Corellas seem to have moved on, we can now get down to repairing and improving the greens they have damaged.  On a clear, fresh morning the results were;

 

Winner; Tony Freeman (21) – 42 pts from John Laing (27)  – 38 pts, Mick Nicholls (21) – 38 pts and Steve Poulton (24) – 37 pts.

NTPs; 15th – Mick Nicholls, 16th – Andrew Laing.

Saturday February 28th – Week 4 Summer Cup – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts 

There was a spot or two of rain early in the morning but by the time the field hit off the sun was shining and the temperature was climbing.  Again the hard, dry fairways gave excellent value often resulting in players with approach shots of well under 100 m.  The final round of the Summer Cup saw a number of golfers in contention so extra careful, deliberate play was the order of the day.  As the round progressed it became clear that the February Medal would be fought out between six players and it was only over the closing few holes that one player emerged from the pack.  On a hot, dry day the results were;

 

Winner & February Medallist; Mick Nicholls – 87/22/65 from Kevin Dunn – 93/27/66, Peter Scanlon – 97/31/66, Jim Patton – 87/21/66, Tony Freeman – 89/21/68, Michael McCarten – 93/25/68, Dave Richardson – 93/23/70 & Dave Muller – 82/12/70

NTPs; 1st – Mal Mottram, 15th – Jim Patton, 16th – Dave Muller.

Least Putts; Kevin Dunn – 27 

Saturday February 21st – Week 3 Summer Cup – Ambrose

A strong field teed off on a very hot afternoon, the wind swung around from the north to the east then to the the west however it was rarely strong enough to effect balls in the air.  The rain of last week had quickly disappeared and it was back to hard dry fairways on top of that the day passed the predicted temperature of 34 to reach 36 at about 2.30 pm.  The fairway grass had stood up valiantly through December and January but by the end of February it was beginning to crumble and blow away leaving an increasing number of bare spots.  As the round progressed there were numerous roars of success, from both the golfers and the nearby cricketers, as birdies dropped or wickets fell.  All teams did well with most coming in under the par of 72 and, as with the Relay For Life golf day a few weeks ago, the final result was very close. By the end of the day most golfers were looking forward to the cool of the rooms and a cold drink.  On a very hot afternoon the results were;

 

Winners; Dave Richardson, Peter Scanlon, Scott Williams & Keith Hocking – 72/13.4/58.6 from Les Gaunt, Steve Poulton & Mick Sadler – 70/11.3/58.7 and Anthony Lakey, Sharif Abdel-Sayed, Mal Mottram & Michael McCarton – 69/9.5/59.5

NTPs; 1st – Mick Sadler & 15th – John Freestone.

Saturday February 14th – Week 2 Summer Cup – Stableford

It was very different to walk onto the course after the ~25mm of rain that fell during Friday night.  The fairways were a deal softer and much cooler, however players continued to get excellent value for well struck drives.  Reasonable cover on the fairways meant that balls did not pick up mud and the softer fairways meant that most balls bounced truly.  On a day when the wind blew from the north then from the south, a great variety of things could and did happen perhaps the most impressive was Mal Mottram scoring three consecutive birdies (would have had 4 if he not lost his 1st shot on the 14th in the native grass).  The 2nd week of the RGC Summer Cup also saw a number of players looking to increase their points from last week but as the round progressed only one of last week’s points scorers was able to add to his tally.  On a great day for golf the results were;

 

Winner; Michael McCarton (26) 41 pts from Mal Mottram (12) – 39 pts, Les Gaunt (7) – 37pts, Tony Freeman (22) – 37 pts, Dave Muller 9(12) – 37 pts, Bob McLennan (11) 37 pts and Scott Williams (27) 37 pts

NTPs; 1st – John Freestone, 15 & 16th Mal Mottram

 

Sunday February 8th – Relay For Life – 12 Hole Ambrose

Seventeen teams took to the Romsey Golf Course for the 7th Relay For Life Charity Golf Day.  The Four-player Ambrose format again proved very popular with many a canny golfer loading their teams with high handicappers to stretch the overall team handicap.  The slightly overcast skies and a gentle southerly/south-westerly breeze meant conditions were almost perfect for golf.  Hard, dry fairways gave everyone an excellent chance of a short approach shot however the re-cycled water trenches did interfere causing some balls to stop dead or leap, at 90 Degrees, off the fairway.  As the round progressed there was much friendly banter across the fairways as teams just made or just missed birdies or as teams passed each other on their way to a tee or a green.  By 12.30 teams were drifting into the rooms for a wonderful lunch, a quite drink and a chat.  On a very enjoyable day the results were;

 

Winners; Grumpy’s Mob –  42/8.7/33.3

Runner’s Up; Loco Golfers – 41/7.5/33.5

Naga; Wormburners – 54/11.5/42.5

Best Team Uniform;  Sreflog Ylerab.

 

All told, over $1,800.00 was raised for the 2015 Lancefield Macedon Ranges Relay For Life.

 2015 Winners, Grumpy’s Mob with RGC Captain Tony Freeman and RGC President Anthony Lakey

2015 RFL Winners

Saturday February 7th – 1st week of the RGC Summer Cup – Stroke

On a very warm afternoon the field was confronted by a steady wind, shifting from west to south west and hard, dry fairways.  Players again got great value for well played drives however, with approach shots, it was all to easy to land just short of the green and see the ball bounce well over the top leaving a difficult chip to get up and down.  Sadly our repair works on the 15th and 16th were to no avail as the corellas had returned and dug up the repairs just to see what was at the bottom of the hole!  As the round finished a few drops were beginning to fall.  On a warm, dry day the results were;

 

Winner; Anthony Lakey – 90/22/68 from Steve Poulton – 94/25/69, Scott Williams – 98/28/70, Michael McCarton – 96/26/70, Dave Richardson – 96/24/72 & John Laing – 99/27/72

NTPs; 1st – John Freestone, 15th – Scott Williams, 16th – Steve Poulton.

Saturday January 31st – Monthly Medal – Stroke & Putts.

Golfers took to the course under overcast skies and facing strong westerly/south westerly winds.  Hard, dry fairways again gave excellent value for drives causing a number of players to find themselves in unfamiliar territory not too sure as to which club to use for their approach shots.  In general the greens held well however our Little Corellas have renewed their attack on the 15th and 16th greens making for some interesting bounces and forcing many players to move around from holes and scratchings.  The wind moved around during the afternoon often forcing players to rethink their club selection.  On a challenging day the results were;

 

Winner and January Medalist; John Laing – 95/28/67 from Michael McCarton – 97/26/70, Les Gaunt – 78/7/71, Mal Mottram – 83/12/71, Steve Poulton – 97/26/71. Steve Wilkins – 87/15/72 & Dave Richardson – 96/24/72.

NTPs; 15th – Scott Williams, 16th – Anthony Lakey 

Least Putts; Les Gaunt 26, C/B from Steve Wilkins

Saturday January 24th – Stableford

The Bowls Club was holding its men’s and women’s championship finals  so there was plenty to see as the many golfers waited to hit the course (Congrats to 2015 champions Danny Fortune and Kath Kirwan).  Even though it was a fine, sunny day players had to contend with gusting westerly winds, hard fairways, loose sprinkler trenches and the odd bare patch here and there so inconsistent bounces were the order of the day.  The Little Corella holes and scratchings on the 9th, 15th & 16th greens seems to be reducing so with a spot of luck they will be moving on allowing us to repair the damage they have left.  With the wind helping on a number of holes and the hard fairways giving excellent value for well played shots a number of golfers returned good scores.  The day’s results were;

 

Men’s Winner; Steve Poulton (27) – 42, on a C/B from Sharif Abdel-Sayed (19) – 42, Dave Richardson (25) – 39, Scott Williams (28) – 38, Bruce Robb (28) 38, Mal Mottram (12) – 38, Dave Muller (12) – 38, Mick Nicholls (22) 38, Tony Freeman (23) – 38 & Michael McCarton (28) – 36.

Women’s Winner; Lorraine Robb (32) – 38 from Leila Beasley (30) 34.

NTPs; 1st – Steve Wilkins, 15th – Bob McLennan, 16th – Bruce Robb.

 

Saturday January 17th – 4BBB Stroke

A good field assembled for the club’s 4BBB Stroke event.  This is a reasonably uncommon format but one that saw excellent results for many pairings.  The recent rains had produced some new growth on the fairways but in general they remained hard and brown giving excellent value for shots and reasonable lies.  The greens were a touch inconsistent with some more receptive than others however, in general, they continued to putt quite true.  There was virtually no wind and with the rough well under control players did not have to look to hard to find errant shots.  On a beautiful summer’s day the results were;

 

Winners; Anthony Lakey/Michael McCarton – 86/24.5/61.5 from Scott Williams/Steve Poulton – 90/27.5/62.5, Keith Hocking/Scott Williams – 90/27/63, Steve Wilkins/Tony Freeman – 83/19/64, Ron Walker/John Freestone – 83/19/64 & John Laing/Peter Scanlon – 96/29/67

NTPs; 15th Les Gaunt, 16th – Dave Richardson

 

Saturday January 10th – Par

Over 35mm of rain on Thursday and Friday saw the fairways softening and the greens very soft.  This and the muddy trenches from the re-cycled water works and the scarifying from the little corellas saw “Relief, to a handspan through the green” granted.  The little corellas had continued their damage to the 15th and 16th greens, hopefully the wetter weather will provide them with feeding options well away from Romsey Park.  The air was cool and a steady south-easterly wind was blowing as players took to the course.  The expected rain held off and the afternoon warmed a little.  The softer fairways, cold air and wet greens saw many players often well short on their drives and needing to really commit to their putts or risk ending with a lengthy putt for par.  Despite the conditions a number of players performed very well.  The day’s results were;

 

Winner; Michael McCarton (29) +4 on a c/b from Les Gaunt (8) +4, Bruce Robb (29) +2, Keith Hocking (26) +1, Dave Muller (13) +1, Rob rea (19) Square & Sharif Abdel-Sayed Square

NTPs; 1st – Les Gaunt, 15th – Les Gaunt, 16th – Keith Hocking.

Saturday January 3rd – 4BBB Stableford, Guest Day.

Thursday January 1st – New Year’s Day Stableford

The New Year’s Day round began with an inconsistent, gentle southerly breeze but generally conditions were excellent for golf. The fairways had good, if rapidly browning, cover and the greens remained receptive to well played approach shots and putted very truly. A number of players ran up excellent figures over the front nine only to fall back to the pack over the final nine. One old stager continued his rich vein of top form to again easily take the day. On a beautiful day for golf the results were;

Winner; Mick Nicholls – (24) 45 pts from Anthony Lakey (22) 40 pts, Scott Williams (29) 38 pts, Andrew Laing (19) 38 pts and John Freestone (18) 37 pts.

NTPs; 1st – Anthony Lakey, 15th – Steve Poulton, 16th – Anthony Lakey.