The prestige associated with this event was evidenced by the size of the field over the last couple of weeks.  They were out in force last week to suss out the field and put their money on the table and this week to try their hand for the trophy and to keep an eye on their investments.  Some of these investments now seem to have been wise while others might have been a little on the fool-hardy side.

The skies looked a little threatening as the first group headed off down the fairways dampened by the recent rains but by the end of the round the skies had cleared sufficiently to gladden the heart of those with recently commissioned solar panels on their roof.

Was it the fact that there is now a clean slate as far as the points tables go or has he been keeping his light under a bushell.  Regardless it was all Grist for the mill and the young fella put in a blinder with 81 off the stick and a net 62 for a three stroke buffer going into the second round.  Let’s hope the jockey doesn’t have a bet on another horse in the same race!  Not that jockeys would do that sort of thing.

Bill and Ben  (not the Flowerpot Men) had their chances and will round out the last group with handy enough net scores of 65 and 66 respectively.  Bill was so intent on keeping his head down that he didn’t get around to telling Harry what he was doing wrong (other than trying to play golf) until after the 18th.  And Ben was so intent on his game that he didn’t notice his buggy had made an escape bid and was wildly careering across the 5th towards the 3rd before he crash tackled it and wrestled it into submission.  There was some concern that he had done a hammy in the process.

The second last group will consist of three contenders with 67 on the card by name of Oliver, Brendon and Bob.  The dark horses will make up the third last group with Chrispy, Zimmer, SOS and Tony with scores ranging between 67 and 69.

Counting down the rest of the groups there are:

• Pepsi, David, Noodles and Jan.
• Gordon, Mike, AndrewB and Mehmet
• Laurie, Rodger, Craig and Trevor
• Allan, Targe, Harry and Dennis

Any casual players will be squadded in front and so should ring to book in and be there early.

There were 18 birdies today but nobody managed to snare the ProPin on the 18th while Pepsi got closest for a ball on the 15th.  Speaking of the NTP markers, guess which group forgot to pick them up as they came through.  Can’t trust these Kiwis and Yanks can you.

In other news, Chrispy was in the first group because he wanted to get away to go to a wedding in the Yarra Valley but even so the timing was going to be tight.  So it was suggested that he should get Zimmer to drive and maybe SOS could arrange a police escort.  Trevor had his fair share of problems on the round, firstly by falling through a fence after retrieving a ball from OOB with concerns that he had done himself an injury and then he lost his favourite glove that put him right off his game.  Fortunately, there was no injury and the glove was returned in one piece.  It’s not clear that his game improved as a result of getting it back.  Laurie has a feeling that he might be the dark horse after putting a pretty speccie back nine so if he can just keep the improvement up watch out for him in the straight.

Last week Targe had so much cash in his wallet he couldn’t fit his card into his hip pocket, this week money was falling out of his shorts pockets and rolling all over the verandah outside the Clubhouse.  Business must be good in the Gun Shop.

Well, the one day of the year really brought them out of the wood-work.  Of course, there was a lot riding on the results today.  Last chance for a spot in the Champion of Champions, last championship points for this competition year, Calcutta Auction.  All the stars were aligned.

The Prince of Persia, Mo, streeted the field by a clear five strokes with a 61 net and didn’t do his handicap any favours for the CoCs and the start of the new competition year.  The suggestion that he hadn’t counted his putts was perhaps a little unfair.  Mo’s wife tells him that they are flying out next Saturday and so he has had to scratch himself from the Vin O’Meara.  Would his selling price been higher or lower after today?  I guess we’ll never know.  Another would be local if he could be, Oliver, came in second with a very creditable 66 and in the process managed to squeeze out SOS and Chris for third place in the Club Championship table with 81 points.  In the process Oliver also picked up some more points in the Seniors Championship but Gordon’s lead in that event was unassailable and Oliver had to be satisfied with runner-up.

Speaking of Gordon, he managed to fend off the sledging from his playing partners in the final group and kept his head down to card a net 67 to collect points in both Championship Tables (final totals 97 and 42) and to leap away from Noodles who, unfortunately, didn’t improve on his total from last week.  Still, runner-up with 89 points and having played only two thirds of the season is not too shabby by anyones standards.

SOS and Chris also picked up points but all for nought.  Ah well, there is always next year.  Laurie also plugged away, despite being saddled with Rodger, and picked up a point as well.

Brendon scored a ball with the NTP in the 4th for his daughter to chew on while the Calcutta Auction was in progress and Bob picked up the ProPin packet of gold coins for a fine shot on the 18th – the only good one of the day according to Bob.  Bob got his birdie but it seems that Brendon was a long way from gimme distance with his shot, and the one after and the one after ( Sorry Brendon, looked at the wrong hole).  There were 18 other birdies plodded but that elusive big bird just keeps laying her eggs.

At one stage, Targe was heard complaining about not being able to fit his card into his hip pocket.  Not sure whether he has put on weight or just had so much money in his wallet for the Calcutta Auction.  Craig came in quite convinced that his card just had to go on the bottom of the deck and had to check for himself when told that there were quite a number below his spot.  Gordon was also heard complaining about the number of three putts that he took.  Some people are never satisfied though I suppose over 100 Championship points would have been quite an achievement if he hadn’t choked so much.

Zimmer was back on deck and was apparently launching his drives about as fast as he used to drive his car.  Lucky there are no speed limits on the Golf Course.

Despite the various bits of confusion about the ins and outs of the modified Calcutta Auction Pool and Fixed Price Pool, it all ended up going very well with Rodger tickling a few fancies with his form guide.  It’s going to be a hard act to follow.  The $1500 CAP limit was quite easily exceeded which should mean fairly cheap shirts this year.  It just remains to be seen which jockeys turn up moderately rested and not too hung-over over the next two weeks.  Besides the prestigious trophy, there is also the incentive to get the point scoring for the new playing year off to a flying start with double on offer after the second week.

Results for Saturday, 24 November 2012
1st Mo Sabih(61) 2nd Oliver Gross(66) 3rd Gordon Hill(67) 4th Stephen O’Sullivan(68) 5th Laurie Mannix(70) 5th Chris Priems(70)

Twenty-one intrepid souls ventured out onto the course today to test their skills against the wiles of the greenkeepers at Royal Ivanhoe.  Actually, I probably shouldn’t call it that without approval from Buck Pal  but what the heck – let them sue me.  There should have been no excuses, the course is mostly dry, the greens are in good condition and the rough is as short as it has been for a long time so the scores were there for the making.

One person who did make a score was el Presidento Pepsi who had struggled himself all the way out to a handicap of two only to par the course for 38 points and promptly dropped himself back to one.  In the process, Pepsi picked up four of the fourteen birdies plodded today.  With the Vin O’Meara coming up in two weeks, if he keeps up this form he could be on scratch.  Oliver, Targe, Jan and SOS also harmed their handicap a little with 37 points apiece.  Rodger, Bill and Mo are obviously happy with their lot having carded handicap equalling 36points.

Mo also collected a ball for the NTP on the 15th and SOS timed it nicely to pick up the jackpotted ProPin.

There is still some life left in the Club Championship with Gordon and Noodles slugging it out for the top spot.  Based on Noodles result today, perhaps there should be some time on the driving range this week if he wants to give Gordon a run for his money.  Third place is also in the grasp of several people (Mehm, Oliver, SOS and Chris) and I think the plan is to squad the top half dozen into groups to really put the pressure on.

Bill had a few exciting moments during his round.  His second from a not too shabby drive on the 13th went a bit astray and the course echoed to a metallic clang as the ball hit the pump station control box to the left of the green and finished not too far from being OOB.  A delicate chip to half a metre and a virtual tap in sealed the par.  Jan, on the other hand, jugged the first and some of his playing partners were licking their lips at the prospect of more to come but Jan put his head down and almost stole the main points.   Chrispy is probably wishing he had come to play last week-end after getting an unwelcome letter from the authorities – something to do with falling off a chair.  Mehm was a vision of sartorial splendour today in his (mostly) white shorts and spotless white golf shoes.  Pepsi also assures us that the money that changed hands today was to pay the fees for the Incorporation of the Club and not some sort of a kick-back for keeping others out of the points.

There has been a significant spill of positions on the committee and the following nominations were put forward.  Some of the nominations were made in absentia and are subject to confirmation.  The nominations will be ratified and voted upon at the AGM  on 15th December.

President – Gordon Hill, VP – Mehmet Akdag, Secretary – David Howard, Club Captain – Targe Mifsud/Andrew Petricola, Social/Events Secretary – Ben Akdag, Handicapper/Webmaster – Harry Boughen, Treasurer – Brendon Mitchell, Assistant Treasurer – Stephen O’Sullivan, Tee Marshall – Chris Priems.

The Calcutta for the Vin O’Meara will be run next week.  More details will be forthcoming but the gist is that you can nominate for the open auction or for the self buy for $25 event.  There might even be an opt out option as well.  In any case, Rodger would like to know whether you intend to play in the event so a response to the notification e-mail would be appreciated.

Results for Saturday, 17 November 2012
1st Andrew Petricola(38) 2nd Oliver Gross(37) 2nd Targe Mifsud(37) 2nd Jan Siemon(37) 2nd Stephen O’Sullivan(37) 3rd Rodger Clarke(36) 3rd Bill Eastoe(36) 3rd Mo Sabih(36) 4th Trevor Jackson(35) 5th Harry Boughen(34) 5th Malcolm Fleming(34) 5th Gordon Hill(34)

The Scarlet Pimpernel is back!!  But haven’t managed to catch him (on camera) yet.

Some of the clouds about tried to look threatening but the weather gods had obviously shot their bolt overnight (or at least early this morning) and the freshly mown rough gave the course a benign face so there was no excuse for not scoring well.  Unfortunately, not all of us took advantage of what the day had to offer and only three people managed to play under their handicap.  The two front runners were Mehm and Noodles and there had to be a count-back to decide the winner of the Monthly Medal.  Whilst Mehmet was consistent between nines, Noods had the better of the back and ended up winning the countback by a comfortable margin.  Dennis also came in under the course par and will feel a light stroke of the handicappers whip rather than the instrument of torture that the brothers used at the school he attended.

Sixty-nine proved to be very popular with the third place getters while Oliver and Targe went solo to round out fourth and fifth.

Trevor managed to squeeze one onto the green inside Targe on the 12th to pick up a ball while the ProPin on the 15th went begging.  What?  Are we letting it build up so that Craig can come back to clean it up again?  Thirteen birdies today but nothing of the larger bird of prey.

Noodles’ win today caught up a fair bit of the leeway that he had given to Gordon during his mini form slump in the Club Championship table.  At this stage it would appear to be a two horse race unless Mehm can arrange to nobble both of them and win the next two weeks.  The Seniors Championship is All Over Red Rover as even if Gordon doesn’t score in the next two weeks, nobody can over-take him.

Firstly, an apology to David over last weeks par about the Bendigo trip.  I misread the note I was given and said he hit a cart and a tree with a ball.  This was not true – he hit a tree with a cart.

Speaking of hitting trees, Ben hit a screamer off the 6th – just a little off line – hit a tree and the ball came back to a bit in front of the lady’s tee.  His second shot hit another (same?) tree and came back even closer to the lady’s tee.  If it had had passed the lady’s tee, would that have counted for a round?  And speaking of lady’s tees, there was a suggestion that some people had quite a bit of difficulty in getting past said tee on one of the holes at Bendigo.  Gordon was one of the names mentioned.

There was another record set on the course today – well it’s hard to imagine that it is not a record.  No names, no pack-drill but his surname is the same as a well-known AFL ex-player/coach and rhymes with ‘right’ managed to put five (yes five!) balls into the hazard on the 17th to rack up a seventeen.  One of the draw-backs of playing stroke events, hey Andrew.

The other matter of importance is the fact that, theoretically, nominations for Committee positions were supposed to be handed in by today.  However, due to a number of circumstances, the deadline has been extended to next Saturday.  All positions are up for grabs and there are a few people who might like a rest from roles that they have filled for a number of years.  None of the jobs are particularly onerous and you could help to run the Club as smoothly as you would like it to.  I am guessing a bit, but I imagine that nominations forms are available from Secretary David and as a last resort will be available on the day.  The AGM will be on Break-up Day 15th December.

Results for Saturday, 10 November 2012
1st Mehmet Akdag(66) 1st S Butterfield(66) 2nd Dennis Tiernan(67) 3rd Trevor Jackson(69) 3rd Damien Lee(69) 3rd Brendon Mitchell(69) 3rd Andrew Petricola(69) 4th Oliver Gross(71) 5th Targe Mifsud(74)