Finally, on the second day of spring, a warm, sunny afternoon.  The oval was buzzing with the RDFL finals and their shouts, horns etc echoed across the course.  The spring growth was just beginning so plenty of work to come to keep the place under control.  4BBB Stoke allows teams to score individually and as a team, the best stroke score, after handicap,  on a hole is the team’s score.  While just about every golfer played some very ordinary golf here and there the conditions saw some excellent team scoring.  The day’s results were;

1st; Mal Mottram (8)/Ben Owen (19) – 65

2nd; Mitch Atlas (5)/Davey Kenney (13) – 66

3rd; Luke Lyons (9)/Dylan Harris (6) – 70

NTPs; 1st – Mitch Atlas, 15th – Brad Klaaysen

The rain held off and the sun broke through for a pleasant round of stroke for the Women’s August Monthly Medal.  It was heavy going underfoot as a result of the recent rain but the greens were receptive and the brave shot in was rewarded. Sherif Abdel-Sayed found the greens to his liking and recorded the least putts for the day with 29 for the round.
Results
Monthly Medal
1st.     Darlene Baker.        90/19/71
2nd.   Elaine Scanlon
3rd.    Kath Jekabsons
Daily Comp
1st.      Darlene Baker   90/19/71
2nd.     Hugh Williams  95/20/75
3rd.      Rob Slade.        102/16/86
NTPs; 1st.     Darlene Baker
Least Putts; Sherif Abdel-Sayed  29

Saturday dawned with  overcast skies with some drizzle.  As the morning progressed the clouds lifted a little and the sun thought about poking through.  Overnight rain saw wet fairways with  most balls constantly slowed up by the moisture on the grass.  During the front nine the greens were also quite wet and putting required a little more courage than usual.  Just about everyone had the odd bad hole but  only a few could come back with two birdies to get the card back into good order.  On a cool afternoon the results were;

1st and August Medalist;  Zac Scales – 113/44/69

2nd;  Pat Chisholm – 84/12/72 C/B

3rd;  Simon Donovan – 83/11/72

NTPs;  15th – Dean Kohler & Drive & Pitch 3rd  – Davie Kenney

Least putts;  Simon Donovan – 26 C/B Pat Chisholm

RGC Captain Mal Mottram with August Medallist Zac Scales

After the previous day’s deluge of rain the course was very heavy which made it difficult to score well.  Those who putted consistently were able to take advantage of the Stableford format to get their 2 points each hole. Hugh Williams was the most reliable on the day scoring a high of 33 points
Results
1st.    Hugh Williams        (20)  33 points
2nd.  Wendy Gosden       (32)  28 pts
3rd.   Kath Jekabsons      (37)  24 pts  C/B  Jenny Hartley

Rain late in the week again softened the course however, the fairways had good cover and the greens and surrounds continued in top condition. The sun came out early and it was a beautiful day for golf.  The W. E. Tom Shield final looked an intriguing affair, with Williams(9)/Chris vanDerVliet (27)  getting many shots the team of Harris (0)/Lyons(4) really had to play to their best.  Despite some excellent golf from Williams, Harris/Lyon turned the corner four up.  After both Lyons and Williams birdied the 14th Lyons sunk a long putt for par on 15th to take the final.  The Par field found the going tough, just one poor shot on a hole was the difference between a win and a loss.  On a cool but sunny afternoon the results were;

1st;  Davie Kenney (14) -1

2nd; Ben Owen (19) -2

3rd;  Zac Scales (44)  – 3 C/B Shaun Scales(25), Mitch Atlas (5)

W. E. Tom Final 

Dylan Harris (0)/Luke Lyons (4) D Scott Williams (9)/Chris vanDerVliet (27) – 4/3

2023 W. E. Tom Champions Dylan Harris & Luke Lyons

One of the walkers on the course recorded a temperature of -6° in the morning but by the time play started it was 3.5° A frosty but sunny day.  The event was par and there were oh so many missed chances!  But that’s golf.  The day’s results were;
1st.    Darlene Baker               (19)    -1
2nd.  Sherif Abdel-Sayed      (26)   -4
3rd.   Hugh Williams               (19)   -5

A wet morning cleared to a fine, cold afternoon with s steady wind in the mid to low 20Kphs from the N/NW. Again the damp fairways took distance off every shot so time in the air was all important.  After the first few holes the sun came out and for the rest of the round it was jumpers off then jumpers back on.  The stroke field saw some excellent golf from two players, the remainder struggled to play to their handicaps.  The  Semi-finals of the W. E. Tom were again close fought.  Harris/Lyon moved steadily ahead before dropping a hole against Chisholm/Nicholls Snr.  In the end long driving and excellent short games saw a clear winner emerge.  The Williams/Vandervliet Vs Wilkins/Laing match was close all day with the result turning on the 15th & 16th, two par 3s, wins were needed but halves were achieved.  The day’s results were;

1st; Rob Gillet – 80/12/68

2nd; Andrew Clement – 83/11/72

3rd; Mitch Clement – 85/10/75

NTPs; 15th – Steve Wilkins, 16th – Mal Mottram

W. E. Tom Shield Semi-final results; 

Dylan Harris (0)/Luke Lyons (4) D Pat Chisholm (6)/Mick Nicholls Snr (16) – 3/1

Scott Williams (2)/Chris vanDerVliet (17) D Steve Wilkins (0)/Andrew Laing (4) – 2 up

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

Dylan Harris (0)/Luke Lyons (4) Vs Scott Williams (9)/Chris vanDerVliet (27)

There was a strong turnout of both men and women for the club’s  stroke competition which was played in sunny but windy conditions.   The course had been freshly mown and the greens were fast and true.  Lorraine Robb excelled on the putting green and drilled in many a one putt throughout the day.  Luke Lyons had a beaut round off 77 off the stick and snagged two Nearest The Pins. The day’s results were;
1st:        Luke Lyons – 77/7/70
2nd:      Anthony Lakey – 89/16/73
3rd:       Wendy Gosden – 106/32/74
NTPs; 1st – Darlene Baker, 3rd &  15th – Luke Lyons, 16th – Anthony Lakey

With 10mm falling over Friday the course was again soft and a cold wind moving between SE and SW kept all players guessing as they addressed the ball.  The quarter finals of the W. E. Tom shield saw two teams have to withdraw providing walkovers for their opponents however the other finals were close fought affairs.  Laing/Wilkins held a one hole advantage over Atlas/Kenney for much of the round and it was only after the 19th hole that the match was concluded.  Harris/Lyons got well ahead early but Mottram/Lakey fought back to two down by the 16th.  The stroke event saw Pat Chisholm continue his recent run of good golf.  On a cool, windy afternoon the results were;

1st; Pat Chisholm – 84/12/72

2nd; Mick Squire – 79/4/75

NTPs; 1st – Dylan Harris, 15th – Pat Chisholm

Quarter Finals of the W. E. Town Shield

Pat Chisholm (1)/Mick Nicholls Snr (11) D Dean Kohler (4)/Simon Donovan (0) – Walkover

Scott Williams (6)/Chris vanDerVliet (21) D Andrew Clement (0)/Toby Clement (3) – Walkover

Malcolm Mottram (2)/Anthony Lakey (14) L  Dylan Harris (0)/Luke Lyons (4) – 3/1

Match Atlas (0)/Davey Kenney (8) L Steve Wilkins (10)/Andrew Laing (14) – 19th

Semi-finals of the W. E. Tom Shield 

Dylan Harris (0)/Luke Lyons (4) Vs Pat Chisholm (6)/Mick Nicholls Snr (16)

Scott Williams (2)/Chris vanDerVliet (17) Vs Steve Wilkins (0)/Andrew Laing (4)

Another sunny winter’s day for the group of golfers playing Stableford. Recent rain had reduced the run on most fairways which made some of the holes feel extra long.  The greens were in great condition and the fairways and rough in tip top shape. The day’s results were;
1st.  Darlene Baker            (18)  35 points
2nd. Sherif Abdel Sayed    (26)  33 pts
3rd. Kath Jekabsons          (37) 24 pts
NTPs; 1st. Rob Slade