Dan’s good form was noted last week, running strongly down the back straight at the half way point of the Championship season.
JQ’s engine has been running strongly all year. Whatever he’s on, I want some.
I like a dabble on the old fashioned quinella (there was a time boys before 2006 when the trifecta hadn’t been invented and the quinella was a very popular bet).
On recent form, a Dan-JQ quinella was always on the cards for the July 2026 Monthly Medal.
With the course a bit wet and playing long from the back tees, it was a tough day for scoring.
TOUGH DAY FOR SCORING
SoS (3rd place with Net 75 this week) once won a Monthly Medal with a Net 74. For a while it looked like JQ’s 74 was going to win the day and then Dan sauntered in with a 72 to take first prize, despite finishing with a triple-bogey 7 on the 17th and a double-bogey 5 on the 18th.
JQ was reported to be relieved from a handicap perspective. He sneaks out from 9 to 10 for next week and now leads the Championship by 4 points.
His nearest challenger is Matty who banked a couple of points for 4th with Net 76 (which included two 8’s on the 6th and 13th) while Raj and Porks were fifth with 77. Peps just missed a point in 6th with Net 78 after what must have been a very tidy 9 on the 16th and a double bogey 6 on the 17th. Two pars there for Peps and ….. you can do the maths.
In the Seniors race, Matty chalked up his 11th win of the season to increase his lead from Harry, currently doing his thing in Dublin, and CJ, who, obviously not embarrassed for taking 2nd place Seniors points with Minus 6 last week, gathered 2nd again this week with Net 79. Bobby took third in the Seniors with Net 82!
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Steve G (equal NAGA with Craig) gets another honourable mention this week.
Harry was summoned from his favourite Dublin pub, the Temple Bar, with a please explain from Marc doing the data input of scores. Steve had an 11 on the 6th but Harry’s system wouldn’t let Marc enter 11 and kept insisting on making it a 10.
Harry said he was a bit busy dealing with a few matters in Dublin and would have a mull about the system quirk before he gets back in the country for the next Monthly Medal.
KODY BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP
We have had a few blokes leave the club for various non-golfing reasons lately. Wazza did a Denis Ward and headed to live beachside (I wonder how Denis is doing up there in Tura Beach, ditto Wazza, how is Ocean Grove going) with Charlie and a few others heading overseas for work.
Kody’s excuse is a basketball scholarship in the US at Virginia State University, where he will also keep up with his engineering studies. Good luck Kody!
SoS GIVING UP A BALL
Speaking of those with sporting talents other than golf, look out for Dan’s mate Ash, a fellow medico who is rumoured to have represented Australia in badminton.
Not yet a member, but hopefully he will join at some stage if his medical postings are nearby (currently the Austin but formerly Shepparton).
Ash had a Net 69 off his GA handicap of 17, including what Dan described as a ridiculous up and down par from off the hill to the left of the 15th.
The ever gracious SoS, noting that Ash had paid up to go in the NTPs, knocked himself out of the ball run and gave up his ball to Ash.
NTP’S and RARE BIRIDIES
Matty was already spending his $13 (12 players plus guest) for the Pro-pin on the 15th with a beautiful shot to 2.94 metres, when Raj in the same group stepped up and snuck one 30cm closer.
Matt made his birdie putt and Raj missed his, a version of justice for Matt. The only other birdie of the day was Craig on the 11th.
On an otherwise dirty day, Craig followed his birdie on the 11th by pocketing a ball (or did he take the cash?) on the 12th and JQ won the ball/cash on the 18th.
COMPLIMENT CURSE STRIKES CJ
CJ got a bit his own back on the 8th and 9th, courtesy of a quiet but expertly timed curse of the compliment from Dan. CJ has been well known over the years for the curse of the compliment along the lines of “geez (insert name – I think Craig was one recent victim) you’re playing well today.”
Dan noted down the 8th fairway, when CJ hit another one straight down the middle, “CJ do you ever miss the fairway with your drives?”
Next shot from CJ was a shank heading for the Yarra but no harm done of course because it bounced off a tree back into the fairway.
But the best from Dan’s Curse was yet to come. CJs drive on the 9th went straight right into the Yarra, a lost ball and a 7 on the scorecard for CJ.
IS IT TIME FOR BODY-WORN CAMERAS
Dan who always has a smile on his face, is reported to be still chuckling about the CJ drive on the 9th. Shame there’s no video.
Ditto I’d love to have seen a video of Peps 9 on the 16th and Steve G’s 11 on the 6th. Maybe we could think about getting some police issue Body-Worn Cameras (BWCs) to spice-up the blog.
Results for Saturday, 04 Jul 2026
1st Dan Marie (72) 2nd John Quinlan (74) 3rd Stephen O’Sullivan (75) 4th Matt Hunt (76) 5th Rajesh Mahto (77) 5th Ryan Porker (77)
Seniors Results: 1st Matt Hunt (76) 2nd Chris Priems (79) 3rd Bob McDonald (82)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin – 15th Rajesh Mahto BallPin No 1 – 12th Craig Cameron BallPin No 2 – 18th John Quinlan