Mother Nature, has once again, been at her whimsical worst this last week with the final outcome a pretty sodden course for golfers to handle. So lets start with the results from last week when the weather was not too bad.

The 9 holers have had a rough time lately, so they were delighted to get and rediscover their swings, and catch up with a few competitions. So it was a Basil’s Shoot-out, plus stroke and putting, with Gay Farmer taking the best medal score with a net 39, followed by Isobelle Weaver on 40. With 16 putts, Gay and Isobelle shared the putting honours with Barbie Wallace. 

Susie Williams produced a screamer for the longest drive, while Di Herbert gentled her tee shot at the All Teed Up 8^th, for nearest the pin.

Last Thursday’s New World Stableford was notable for the appearance of a four from Carterton, who repaid our gracious hospitality by claiming most of the prizes. In particular, Richard Epplett posted his best round ever, when he cleared out from the field with 47 points. Jeff Ogg was back on 42 points, while the group of  “Muzza” Wolland, Roger Allen, Jamie Brunton and Mike Southey all scored 41 points. 

I glanced down the full list of results and away down there was none other than world traveller, Kevvie MacKay, Obviously, the big fella is suffering from a bit of jet lag, but no doubt he’ll soon put that to rights. 

Incidentally, another Carterton man, Roger Allen took the All Teed Up nearest the pin prize, but while nine players scored twos, no one took the “Birds Nest”.

Saturday’s weather was another matter entirely, with only 15 deciding to take on the golf course, instead of papering the back bedroom. In a survival of the fittest struggle, the net plus putts event was won by Mike Dixon with 97 points (70 plus 27) from “Muzza” Wolland and Paul Fouhy, both with 100 points. 

Sam-Maree Brown had the best score amongst the women, while nearest the pin awards went to Mike Dixon (Alex McLeod 8^th) and George Deans (M.M.C Advisory Partners 18^th).

The beautiful day last Monday deserved more than the moderate field who turned out for the Vets weekly event.

Women                       

Beryl Stuart                  25        pts                    1^st                               

Men Group 1              

Kevin Hooper              28        pts                    1^st

 Harvey Ward               25        pts                    2^nd

David Logan                 25        pts                    3rd                  

Men Group 2              

David Brenkley             24        pts                    1^st

Nearest the pin prize at the Fagan Ford 8^th hole went to Harvey Ward, while Kieran Dougherty scored the only two.

The week finished on a high, with a lovely day last Tuesday for the second qualifying round in the women’s Club Champs, plus a L.G.U. plus putting contest. It was still pretty wet underfoot for the 38 golfers, but Marilyn Beetham handled it very well, winning the Bronze B with net 69, together with the putting (just 25). 

Shona McHattie took the Silver on net 74, on a count back from Jan Williams, while Lola Ogg was the best putter, with 27. Tinks Pottinger was tops in Bronze A with a net 73. Shona won the Clarke’s  Jewellers overall prize, while Carol Morgan was nearest the pin at the Graeme Jones 8^th and Rosie Gould did best at the New World 18^th. Finally keep those recipes coming in!

Next Sunday 25^th July features the 2010 Srixon Open National Stableford Pairs, which is exactly what it says. Pairs may be men, women or mixed, and every 10 pairs entered will qualify one pair for entry to the Regional final. 

There is an 11 am registration for a shot gun start at 12 noon. However, if you want to be sure of getting in, there is a sheet up in the foyer, or you can contact the office with your entry. Apart from that, the normal competition this Saturday is a mixed bag, with an H.R.V Stroke round, a Markham’s shoot out qualifier and a Challenge Shield round. The stroke round is also the annual contest for the Chairman’s Trophy.

With the season half over, the leader, in the men’s Golfer Of the Year contest id David Cook, with 65 points, followed by Nigel Udy on 60 and a group comprising Barry Smith, Geoff Masters, Joel Macklin, Sam Forrester and Simon Buckley back on 50 points.

Off The Fairway

First of all, this is not sour grapes, just because I didn’t back Louis Oosthuizen in the Open at St Andrews, but surely this years contest was a big yawn compared with previous occasions. The TV coverage was nowhere near up to standard, not only at the course itself, but also back here with our local T.V.