Monday, January 15th
Greenwood A & B.
1st Niall Glover (14) 36 points
2nd Jon Dean (16) 35 points
3rd Eddie Kelly (25) 34 points
4th John Hughes (22) 34 points
5th Ian Flanigan (22) 32 points
6th Mark Hayward (17) 32 points
Near pins Gary Smith, & Ken Davidson.
We were allocated twenty-four places at Greenwood today which got updated at the last minute to twenty-eight, but we eventually ended up with thirty players. As it turned out the course was not as busy as we had been led to believe and we got away on time and finished before the restaurant closed which pleased everybody as it was a hot day and people were hanging out for a cold one.
Just about everyone was pleased with the condition of the course as is usually the case. Scoring was average for Greenwood, it’s not surprising to find better numbers returned on what is a fairly forgiving course. Niall Glover took the honours with a steady thirty-six points, one ahead of Jon Dean. Fresh off the plane from Ireland and showing no signs of jetlag Eddie Kelly took third on countback from John Hughes on thirty-four points.. A countback also for fifth and sixth with Ian Flannigan taking it from Mark Hayward both on thirty-two points. Remarkably in a field of thirty only two near pins were taken going to Gary Smith and Ken Davidson, what was everybody else doing on the other two par threes?
At the halfway stage of the month, Niall Glover holds a commanding lead in the race for golfer of the month, unless somebody does something special in the remaining games he looks a shoe in to take first place.
Wednesday, January 17th
Emerald
1st Paul Smith (3) 40 points
2nd Colin Greig (13) 37 points
3rd Mark Hayward (17) 36 points
4th Jon Dean (17) 36 points
5th Daryl Vernon (20) 35 points
6th Michael Brett (17) 35 points
Near pins Alan Sullivan, Phil Mashiter, Paul Smith, & Keith Norman.
A good size field of thirty-two for the game at Emerald where we had to wait for caddies on arrival, nevertheless we got away at the appointed time and finished early with no holdups anywhere. The course was in better condition than we have seen it for some time, in particular, the greens were much improved compared to a few months ago when they were very rough and sandy. It’s fair to say that this course is one option available to us instead of playing Pattavia four times every month.
Overall scoring was pretty decent today with Paul Smith the clear winner on forty points. Colin Greig had a solid thirty-seven points to take second place. A countback determined third and fourth with Mark Hayward shading it over Jon Dean. Another countback for fifth and sixth with Daryl Vernon taking it from Michael Brett. All the near pins were taken going to Keith Norman, Paul Smith, Phil Mashiter, and Alan Sullivan.
Friday, January 19th
Pattavia
1st Geoff Parker (23) 38 points
2nd Dave Ashman (28) 36 points
3rd Mark Hayward (16) 35 points
4th Neil Griffin (28) 35 points
Near pins. Kevin LaBar & Les Cobban X 3.
A warm sunny day for the last game of the week at Pattavia, luckily not the disaster that was last week’s game with a crowded course and very late finish. The course was very dry and brown with lots of run on the fairways, surprisingly the greens were much slower than previously. Another modest field underlining the fact people don’t want to play the same course too much, a breakaway group went to Crystal Bay, surprising given that course is scheduled for next Monday.
A day for high handicappers with only third placed Mark Hayward under a twenty handicap, he scored thirty-five points. Geoff Parker recaptured some of his past glory taking first place with thirty-eight points, two ahead of the ever improving Dave Ashman in second. Neil Griffin brought up the rear on thirty-five points. Kevin LaBar took a near pin with dead eye Dick Les Cobban taking three, narrowly missing out on the exclusive “all four club”.
Niall Glover, winner at Greenwood.
Paul Smith, winner at Emerald.
Winner at Pattavia Geoff Parker.