The Eastern Golf Club hosted the State Final of the 2017 Silver Spoon.  This event was first played in 1921, until 1925 silver medals were given to each player and a gold medal given to the play-off winner. Today each player receives a silver spoon. Each club plays qualifying rounds with winners proceeding to the State Final. This year over 170 Victorian affiliated clubs participated with 109 of them being represented the final. Play began under warm conditions in Melbourne’s outer North-East however the mercury reaching 31C early in the afternoon.  There was little wind this became a factor for the players. In the afternoon session Darlene Baker was Romsey’s representative with Lorraine Robb as her trusted caddy. Because of the rising humidity and high temperatures Golf Victoria allowed all players to use motorised carts on a course that had very long distances between greens and the next tee.  Green side bunkers abounded but Darlene managed to avoid most of them. There was very dense rough just off the cut surface and players soon learnt to stay on the fairway or resign themselves to the fact that their ball would be lost in the unforgiving rough. In an afternoon field of 38 players Darlene scores 28 pts and was ranked a respectable, equal tenth.