The last notes of the Last Post and Reveille from the Dawn Service had barely faded into the distance when twelve intrepid members ‘went over the top’ to do battle in the trenches at Ivanhoe. The air was a little cool after a cloudless night, but the prospect of a breeze from the north promised a day that would warm up more than a little. The greens were not dressed, so there was a modicum of litter, and the lingering dew to contend with. There was a small consolation with the latter as it was possible to get a bit of a ‘read’ from the tracks left behind. That ‘advantage’ faded as the morning progressed, and, part way through the back nine, there were only your own eyes to go on.
Steve started out bemoaning the fact that his handicap had taken a fairly savage cut after breaking it by six strokes last week. One has to wonder whether we will hear similar complaints from Old Reliable after he went out and smashed his by five of the best today. Just four over the card on the front, and two over the card on the back was all that it needed, and that included only one birdie and not a single double. The birdie, one of eight that we scored for the day was on the 12th after his tee shot finished close enough to the pin to win him the BallPin that was contested there. As a result of his win today, Craig was a recipient of a Rocket on the Order of Merit. SOS managed to score seven pluses on his card, all as singletons, but he did offset those with half a dozen minuses. Still a positive result has all he needed to come in with second place. He didn’t have to call on his ‘generosity’ to award himself a ball in the BallRun.
The two pointers were a bit thin on the ground today, but we did manage to put four of them on the board. Steve did have a bit of a chance on the 16th after two great shots put him within hopeful distance. Unfortunately, the elusive double just eluded him. However, such was not the case with JQ, who made good use of a couple of his strokes by knocking in birdies on the 13th (good effort there) and the 18th for doubles which squared his card and scored him third place in the field. This was also good enough to score him a Rocket in the OOM. In addition to that, today was his 399th game with the Club, so the next one will be four double nothing. Harry only managed a single plus on the front, but pulled four out of the bag on the back to make the card look rather more respectable in 4th place. Andrew continues his regular appearance in the lists, filling fifth place.
The ProPin was a Double Jackpot on the 15th. Nalin, for one, was right on line for the pin, but he pulled up few too many metres short of the target, which was tucked into the back right corner of the green. It would have been possible to have been within the circle, but not on the dance floor. Needless to say, nobody hit the magic spot, and there will be a Triple Jackpot to start the pool next week. That should bring the lean and hungry ones out! The BallPin on the 18th was pretty much a no-contest after JQ, in the first group, landed it closer than anybody else from the elevated tee.
Raj was another one who scored a birdie. His was on the first, and his playing ‘companions’ opined that the only way from there was down-hill. And it was! Numerous ‘shanks’ played havoc with his scoring, and the bottom line for the front was only saved by the other pair of doubles for the day thanks to another birdie on the 7th. CJ set off fearing for the continuity of his jugular if he did not finish in time to make it to a lunch-time ‘appointment’. There were quite a few words said over the next few holes after a good drive down the centre on the 9th. A person of certain ethnic appearance crossed the fairway, to which scant attention was paid, but, when the ‘known’ ball location was reached, it was nowhere to be found. The venting was expressed in no uncertain terms.
Dan has been having lessons, and his coach was advising him on some changes to produce a draw shot. From the 15th, he managed to produce something more akin to a hook, and it was deemed appropriate to play a provisional, which did not quite reach the red markers. He found the original ball, so does the draughtie count or not. In any case, alcohol was not available until the 1330 mandate. One other topic for discussion was the scattering of confetti on the 14th tee. Speculation ranged from a golf tragic wedding to exploding golf balls to attempts to interrupt a backswing. The mystery remains, but the scatter pattern suggests a directed ‘explosive’ event. As his drive on the 16th whistled down the fairway, Steve was heard muttering ‘over the hill, over the hill’. Was he referring to the ball or to himself? Definitely the ball, as he already is (according to Steve)! A big flutter from the Birthday Birdie to Porks and Whitey during the coming week.
Results for Saturday, 25 Apr 2026
1st Craig Cameron (+5) 2nd Stephen O’Sullivan (+1) 3rd John Quinlan (□) 4th Harry Boughen (-1) 5th Andrew Vogan (-2)
Seniors Results: 1st Craig Cameron (+5) 2nd Harry Boughen (-1) 3rd Andrew Vogan (-2)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin – 15th Jackpot BallPin No 1 – 12th Craig Cameron BallPin No 2 – 18th John Quinlan