Two venues this week.
The big 2 round Annual “Mustard Jacket” Challenge at Rich River Golf Club in Moama, with 24 players (18 club members and 6 special “ring-in” mates/friends/relatives/ex-members) playing the West Course on Saturday and the East on Sunday.
A field of the bare minimum 6 at Ivanhoe.
What goes on off-course
As they say in the classics, what goes on off-course at the Annual Challenge at Rich River stays in Rich River.
And this is true of 2025. Your blog writer (who wasn’t there) asked various participants for off-course stories for the blog, including from those who rocked up early and played on Friday, but got nout.
On-course Rich River highlights
No golf highlights or stories to report either, only detail coming through the wires was the scores, the top 5 for which you can see below, Patty, from Wazza, Matty, JQ and Andrew V.
To that you can add Peps picking up the NAGA (I won’t embarrass him with his actual scores, reported to have been 23 and 15 = 38 but that must have been a typo surely?). If he was a horse …..
And Wazza, who obviously was dead stiff to get beaten for the Mustard Jacket in a countback, won something called the Cock’s Plate for an effort on a Par 3 that involved a shot bouncing off a house.
Bobby Dazzler at Ivanhoe
Meanwhile Bobby blitzed the small field at Ivanhoe with a stellar round of 41 points, including a strong finish with 3-pointers on the last four holes. On the 16th he was robbed of a 4-pointer when a dead centre putt hit the pin and jumped out.
He drove the ball beautifully all day and apart from a brain fade 3 putt from 4 feet on the first hole (his second missed putt there was the shortest putt I have ever seen missed) he regrouped with the putter and slotted absolutely everything from that awkward range of 5-10 feet. In they went every time!
Bob’s highlights included two of the best up and downs you’ll ever see from behind the 8th and 9th greens. Both well behind the green and with pins back, short-sided for the chip. No problems, both chips to about 5 feet and the putts dropped dead centre.
On the 13th he hit another perfect drive and then clobbered his second past the pin to the back of the green. He nearly nailed the birdie putt (which would have been 3 for 5) and settled for a regulation par 4 for 4.
Top effort Bobby. Absolutely brilliant round of golf.
Nalin played well for his 37 points, his 5 for 1 on the last a disappointing way to finish.
Stan played much better than his 34 points suggests, but he probably was handicapped from a headache after shaking his head so much every time Bobby made another putt.
Blighty was back for a game after an extended period out due to ill health. Good to see you back Blighty. You looked your usual fit self. Apparently doctors orders are that Blighty should play every week and we hope you can manage that Blighty.
Michael and Denzil brought up the rear of the field. Michael relegated to 5th from the previously announced equal 4th after a score correction.
The Fred Kitson Spring Cup
The season’s last major awaits, the 2-round Fred Kitson Spring Cup, everybody’s favourite par comp. The story goes that when Fred was honoured with a Major Trophy in his name and was asked what scoring system he’d prefer for the trophy he said “&*%! em, they can play par”.
Results for Saturday, 11 Oct 2025
Annual Challenge: 1st Patty Don’tknowsurname – a non-member mate of Peps (37, 41, 78) won on countback 2nd Warren “Wazza” Capes (40, 38, 78) 3rd Matt Hunt (29, 38, 67) 4th John Quinlan (35, 31, 66) 5th Andrew Vogan (32, 32, 64)
Ivanhoe: 1st Bob McDonald (41) 2nd Nalin Samaranayake (37) 3rd Stan Blackshaw (34) 4th Andrew Blight (31) 5th Michael Gourlay (29)
Seniors Results:
Annual Challenge: 1st Matt Hunt (29, 38, 67) 2nd Andrew Vogan (32, 32, 64) 3rd Ken Watson (31, 29, 60) Gordon Hill (25, 31, 56)
Ivanhoe : 1st Bob McDonald (41) 2nd Stan Blackshaw (34) 3rd Andrew Blight (31)
Nearest the Pin Results at Rich River Annual Challenge: Results not known to blog writer. Was played on holes – West Course Saturday 4th, 8th, 16th and NTP with second shot 15th – East Course Sunday 3rd, 8th, 13th, 16th
Nearest the Pin Results at Ivanhoe: ProPin – 12th Michael Gourlay BallPin No 1 – 15th Michael Gourlay BallPin No 2 – 18th Michael Gourlay