What an absolutely brilliant Spring day in Melbourne. The sun was shining, the sulphur-cresteds were shrieking, the fairways were green and the greens were fairways (I mean smooth). So, there was absolutely no reason why the 20 members who fronted up for the last, long awaited, Stableford Competition of this Year shouldn’t have scored their pants off.
As it turned out, you almost needed to play to your handicap even to score a point (well three anyway). The Beast was still reeling from the effects of his big win in the Fed (sic) Kitson and took a stroke on the 18th when he didn’t actually have one. Daniel was still reeling from his big win last week and he took two strokes on a couple of holes when he actually only had one. But, he also missed one where he actually had two for a nett loss of a point. As a result, the pair of them finished on the same score and still in the lead so no having to give balls back or other embarrassments. Thirty eight points is not quite the same a thirty nine but at least there is slightly less harm to the handicap. Just goes to prove that JQ is not the only one who can win two weeks in a row.
Damo collected the five points for second place with his score of 37 points and, in the process he edged just a little bit closer to catching JQ in the race for Vardon Trophy. Damien is probably regretting the gash that he took on the 3rd and even the three one pointers that could have made all the difference to the final result.
Dennis managed to find a break in the work load down at the Darklands and came to play. Unfortunately, it took him about eight holes to warm up. When he did warm up, it was to the tune of twenty nine points in ten holes. Pretty flash scoring in anybody’s books and just one over the par for the back nine. Watch out if he gets the engine revving earlier in the round.
Matt was the sole representative from The Basin today and, despite looking a bit downcast as he walked back to the Clubhouse, he put together a pretty good round to get 4th place with 35 points. Craig hasn’t been with us for a little while but he did own up to playing four rounds of golf last weekend up around the gold-fields. The practice obviously stood him in good stead as he came in 5th spot with his card of 34 points.
Interestingly, none of the three Championship leaders featured in the points table today but the opera ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings. It is possible that Noodles can overtake JQ. Simon can overtake Noodles. Gordon can overtake Simon. Although Brendon and Dale can overtake, and Chrispy can catch, Gordon such an eventuality would not put them into the trophy list. Probably as close a result as we have had for some time. In the Seniors, the only interest is whether Harry can catch or overtake Dennis for third place. It is possible that the Eclectic could see Porks overtaken by Blighty, Brendon or Noodles and there was a suggestion that, today, Ryan was playing for handicap to increase his lead. Let the (mind) games begin!
The Beast and Porks decided on a little matchplay wager over the last nine holes. Bill just about broke Ryan’s heart when a sank a 20m putt on the 11th for a birdie when Ryan had pretty much a gimme for his par. That birdie was just one of the 14 that we were able to score for the day. The BallPin on the 12th fell to Peter with a good result considering the pin position tight in the right hand corner of the green. The first ProPin on the 15th proved much more elusive despite the fact that there was plenty of green to play with and there will be a jackpot up for grabs next week. The ProPin on the 18th created a bit of excitement, so much so that Jason neglected to measure the distance but the general consensus was that it was less than a metre from the hole and pin high. No birdie though. You’ll have to work on your accuracy, Jason! On the green as well as from the tee.
Jason’s stardom on the 18th followed closely on a chip-in on the 17th although that was only for a par as well. Ben likes to make sure that his playing companions don’t go thirsty. Yet again, he volunteered to buy a round of drinks by having an airie on the 16th. Not wanting to have Ben feeling left out, Peter obliged by having one on exactly the same hole.
After waiting for the green to clear on the 14th, the Beast put his ball not too far from one of the parked buggies. Not to be out-done, Porks laid into his and put his ball well through the green. Only trouble was, it was left of the green and on the way through the ball grazed Dennis’s leg as he departed for the 15th tee. No harm done but Dennis was threatening to sue. In a jesting sort of way.
JQ has been gallivanting around Asia again and flew back into town at some ridiculous hour. Not wanting to miss a chance to consolidate his spot at the top, he dragged himself along and blamed tiredness for losing a ball on the 17th that he was sure had finished on the green. Some thought that is could have been the effect of the bubbles that they serve up the pointy end of the plane rather than jet-lag. Harry had no such excuses for a fairly sorry day with the putter and after missing one from about 300mm, Bill was moved to comment “You keep finding new ways to miss ’em, H!”
Only one more week for points for this year. There will be a bar-be-que after the round next week and that will be followed by the Calcutta Auction. If anybody will not be playing both days or, if they will be playing both days but do not wish to be auctioned, could they please let Harry know asap so that the Form Guide can be finalised and we do not sell horses unnecessarily. Monies must be paid in before the start of play in the Vin O’Meara. There is also the, optional, all in buy yourself ($25) for which the money will be collected at the same time. Also, the next three weeks of stroke competition constitute the Club Stroke Play Championship.
Results for Saturday, 17 November 2018
1st Bill Eastoe(38) 1st Daniel O’Rourke(38) 2nd Damien Lee(37) 3rd Dennis Tiernan(36) 4th Matt Hunt(35) 5th Craig Cameron(34)
Seniors Results: 1st Bill Eastoe (38) 2nd Dennis Tiernan (36) 3rd Craig Cameron (34)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin No 1 15th Jackpot ProPin No 2 18th Jason Hopkins BallPin 12th Peter Damou