It seems as if the winter blues have set in although, astronomically speaking, winter actually hasn’t started yet. Preferred lies look like being something of a fixture for a while and the winter weeds are starting to thrive even if the turf isn’t just yet. But the complaints about the lack of run and plugging balls have started to get their run alongside the condition of the tees and the placement of the pins. Still, at least fifteen members decided to brave the conditions and were duly rewarded, or not, as the case may be. Joe started out but had to pull the pin part way due to a household emergency, something to do with petrol in diesel or vice versa. Whichever way, it didn’t sound good or cheap.
The rumours around the course had it that it was all over bar the shouting with somebody on 23 points at the turn but as they say, hope springs eternal and it ain’t over till the fat lady sings and everybody just kept on keeping on with the hope of at least scoring a point or two. A four pointer on the 10th suggested that the back was going to be a repeat of the front when all of a sudden the engine sprang a bit of an oil leak that, by the 16th and 17th, had grown to a veritable flood. A par on the last stemmed the flow just enough to get Brendon home with 37 points for another first placing and a leap to quite a significant lead on the Championship Table. Not a lot of damage to the handicap though. The course of the matchplay finals will be interesting and some Championship contenders are hoping for some upset results.
Although Chrispy didn’t get to open his shoulders at Rich River and see what the new clubs really could do (something to do with boggy roads or the effects of the night before or both) he obviously has settled them in and held the Clubhouse lead for a while with his card of 36 points. It also could have been the effect of the winter weight pants that he was wearing that seem to have made him almost unrecognisable out on the course in contrast to his usual shorts or jeans. According to one report they made him look shorter or were they confusing him with Targe?
SOS was playing alongside Brendon and went close to matching the champ on the front nine and actually did match him on the back so that he finished two points off the pace to come in third place with 35 points. Maybe they were just too close and the form evaporated in synchrony. As it turned out, SOS was joined in 3rd place by Noodles who (along with his marker) managed to miss one of his index holes and sold himself a point short.
That left a pair only in 4th place and the first of the Seniors with Blighty and Harry tying it up with 34 points apiece. Last, but not least on the podium today was Bob with 32 points. Targe might have been there alongside him but for a misallocation of points on one hole. And that was after much crosschecking of scores after the round. Still, they did have to swap cards around after Joe was called away. Bob gets a couple of Seniors points and Targe collects one which, unfortunately for Simon, tipped him out of the list for this week at least.
The BallPin today was on the 4th and Whitey put in one of his better shots today to within a couple of metres. He missed the putt by the narrowest of margins and so did not contribute to today’s, fairly ordinary, total of 8 birdies. The ProPin was on the 15th and, although the winner felt that he didn’t really deserve it, he took the Jackpot anyway. It was a bit of a highlight for Steve as he did get the birdie from 4.11 metres.
Actually, Steve did have an interesting golfing story to tell from during the week. A message from a mate at RACV Torquay nominated a tee time. Steve arrived but no sign of his mate so messaged – on practice green, where are you. Mate responded – me too don’t see you. Turns out Steve was at Torquay, mate was at Kingston Heath. Talk about crossed lines!
Whitey didn’t have the best day out on the course today and he swears that the 3rd has a jinx on him, and the 11th, and the 17th. Then again maybe it was just that he was keen to get away to some mega-buck auction. Not that he was going to bid – or so he said. Harry, Blighty and Dennis bemoaned the fact that they were too honest putting the ProPin marker out on the nominated hole after all three finished within measuring distance on the 18th.
When asked about the effect of the course condition on his game, Mehm responded that he wasn’t sure whether to blame the conditions or the person holding the club. Everybody can relate to that thought, Mehm. JQ is one that has had a bit to say about some of the pin placements out on the course. The pin on the 11th had been placed on one of the few high points on the green, in all probability to protect it from being located in the centre of a pond. So, what does JQ do but land his chip a bit short of the pin and after a couple of bounces it plops into the hole for the par. At least it saved him from the possibility of a 4-putt option to a particularly tricky spot. Simon was another one who rescued a par from an unlikely spot by chipping in.
DennisW hasn’t played for a little while and the rust showed a bit for the first few holes. He was particularly astray on the 3rd with the ball heading well out of bounds for sure. That is until it hit a tree branch that brought it back into play and ahead of the red markers, though not by very much. How different it could have been. It seems that the field was draughtie free today. Either that or nobody was owning up.
Noodles had to send out a carrier pigeon this morning to reserve himself a spot in the last group. Something about having to go into work. Not two words that you often see associated, Noodles and work. And while on the subject of pigeons, Ed was noticed wandering around the course today. The shoulder is reported to be coming along fine so maybe it won’t be too long before Ed is able to pick up a club again.
Next week is to be a social round. It will be an Ambrose teams and the rules have been circulated to everybody (that has an email address anyway). There will be some balls on offer but no championship points. Not too sure about the Eagles Nest but I’m pretty sure that it won’t be in play. So that we can have some idea of the handicap distribution that we have to work with could everybody please let us know by email or by the Registration page whether you will be attending or not.
Simon reports that the new shirts will be imminent and could be available next week or shortly after and so he will be looking to collect your $20 for what promises to be a very nice shirt for the price that you have to pay.
Annual Challenge registrations are also still available and if you plan to go and haven’t already please let Gordon know and transfer the funds to the Club Account. If you prefer, it is possible to deliver the folding stuff direct to SOS but electronic is just so much tidier.
Results for Saturday, 18 June 2016
1st Brendon Mitchell(37) 2nd Chris Priems(36) 3rd Stephen Butterfield(35) 3rd Stephen O’Sullivan(35) 4th Andrew Blight(34) 4th Harry Boughen(34) 5th Bob McDonald(32)
Seniors Results: 1st Andrew Blight (34) 1st Harry Boughen (34) 2nd Bob McDonald (32) 3rd Targe Mifsud (31)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin 15th Stephen Kelly BallPin 4th Rodney White