The weather boffins were suggesting a wet and windy start and the 15 players today, including potential new member Leigh Harris (yes, Dave O does have some friends!), had a wet and windy start. Fortunately it was more wind than wet, the blustery conditions playing havoc with more than a few shots but still didn’t stop today’s winners recording good scores.
“I had a day out. Despite the trying conditions it was a masterful performance of sheer perseverance, pure guts and the company . . . they just loved me!” The man of few words, club jovial gnome and today’s winner, Doug Stewart, summed it up nicely. He barely missed a fairway and it showed on the scoreboard with an impressive 41 points. There’s no accounting for Hammo (at least until Monday) and today was no exception. The man with the beaming smile strode into the clubhouse just 8 strokes over plus 1 (much rued) wiped hole and 39 points in the bag including 7 pars and a birdie. He almost aced the par 3 third on Island in the process. Trevor Bindon completed the day’s trio with some flashes of short game brilliance, his effort on the hardest hole (Island Par 4 6th) with two booming shots through the green and a long (‘unbelievable’) chip in for birdie proving the best. Also achieved a ‘sandy’ along the way for good measure.
With such wintry conditions, anything could happen . . . and it did:
Ryan’s second shot on the 1st hole was no laughing matter. One innocent Kookaburra sitting on a branch one minute; gone to bird heaven the next having copped Ryan’s ball square in the temple;
Nigel also did a “Bindon”, chipping in from 40 metres out;
Plenty of casual water (‘ponds’) to catch stray golf balls and Hammo’s buggy!;
With a roaring tailwind, Craig, Leigh and Dave Ovel all drive to within about 90m from the green on the Par 4 396m 6th hole;
Leigh Harris is a handy golfer and decided to match it with Club Champion Craig Markham on the signature Lake Par 3 5th. Amazingly, both drives almost finished on Pines 1st fairway and a good 90m from the hole! Both still managed to salvage 5’s.
Putt Off
The Putt Off jackpot now stands at $225!! Lui almost did the “Old Heave Ho” with his Dockers ball, his putt doing everything right except falling into the cup, lipping out instead.
Winners:
1st: DOUG STEWART (41)
2nd: GARY HAMMOND (39)
3rd: TREVOR BINDON (38)
NAGA: ROBIN DALBY (24)
Nearest to Pins:
Pines 3rd: DOUG STEWART
Pines 7th: GARY HAMMOND (almost a hole in one)
Lake 3rd: ROBIN DALBY
Lake 5th: NIGEL SMITH
Lake 8th: DAVID OVEL
Nearest in 2: N/A
Nearest in 3: CRAIG MARKHAM
Longest Drives:
A Grade: DAVID OVEL
B Grade: NIGEL SMITH