Rich River Golf Club
Thursday, May 18:
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Big-hitting Dean Bruns and Bill Bayles fought out A-grade, with an eagle on 18 helping to get Dean over the line. Brian Malone had the score of the day to win B-grade and Stephen Slater fought through the cold morning conditions to post a win in C-grade.
A-grade: Dean Bruns (nett 70), 1. Bill Bayles (70), 2. Leo Langone (72), 3. B-grade: Brian Malone (nett 69), 1. Joop Flokstra (70), 2. John Clancy (70), 3. C-grade: Stephen Slater (nett 71), 1. Alan Tonkin (72), 2. Warwick Stiles (72), 3. NTPs: Matt Bell, Craig Machonachie, Rob Brereton, Tony Kelly, Grant Stewart, Les Hinton, Glenn Rogers, Alan Docking and Evan Lloyd. Eagle: Dean Bruns 18 East. Super-pin: Ian Doak.
Saturday, May 20:
Steve McCoomb had his best round of the year to win A-grade by a big margin with Jock Watson the next best. It was close in B-grade with John Guilfoyle edging out Horace Edwards for the win. Tony Morgan took the C-grade honours.
Jesse Cuttriss had a fine eagle on one East and Kev Lister took home the super-pin.
A-grade: Steve McCoomb (43 points), 1. Jock Watson (39), 2. Chad Jones (38), 3. B-grade: John Guilfoyle (39 points), 1. Gary Edwards (38), 2. Ian Raglus (38), 3. C-grade: Tony Morgan (39 points), 1. Andrew Marr (38), 2. Jack Sparks (36), 3. NTPs: Robin Quinn, Jack Sparks, Brendan Kneebone, Kaine Anderson, Andrew Jacobs, Connor Griffin, Steve McCoomb, Steven Cook and Martin Camenzuli. Eagle: Jesse Cuttriss 1 East. Super-pin: Kevin Lister.
Kerrie Main had a blinder to win the ladies’ event by a huge margin. The consistent Georgie Azzopardi was in second and Colleen Lynch is hitting some good form, unlike her brother.
Women’s A-grade: Kerrie Main (43 points), 1. Georgie Azzopardi (39), 2. Colleen Lynch (38), 3.
Tuesday, May 23:
Ken Aitken won for the second time in as many weeks when he held off Les Thomas in a countback for B-grade. Stojko almost parred the course to take the A-grade honours and Kevin Crack won C-grade and a nearest-the-pin – a very good day by any standard.
A-grade: Stojko Kresojevic (38 points), 1. David Borthwick (37), 2. Col Masenhelder (36), 3. B-grade: Ken Aitken (36 points), 1. Les Thomas (36), 2. Aaron Phyland (35), 3. C-grade: Kevin Crack (38 points), 1. Rob Merlo (37), 2. Andrew Crowe (37), 3. NTPs: Kev Lister, Alan Peach, Neil McBeath, Steve Presser, Neil Edwards and Kevin Crack. Super-pin: Peter Anderson.
Lockington Golf Club
The Lockington Golf Club’s 2023 annual tournament was held last week, and despite the wintry weather, the hospitality and company were warm and the golf was competitive.
The event was generously supported by visitors who travelled from near and far, with players from 20 clubs – Bamawm, Belvoir Park, Charlton, Elmore, Goonawarra, Lakeside, Lake Boga, Marong, Mitiamo, Murray Downs, Neangar Park, Pyramid Hill, Quarry Hill, Queens Park, Geelong, Raywood, Rich River, Rochester, Rushworth, Tocumwal, Valley View and Wedderburn.
The club is really grateful for the generousity of many sponsors for their crucial support. Everyone was super impressed by the outstanding condition of the course, a tribute to the hard work, time and effort put in by all those who worked on it.
Special thanks to all the members for the scrumptious food provided, as well as all those who worked in the office, the bar and the clubhouse to make it such a successful event.
A number of golfers mastered the conditions and scored multiple wins, including the stroke 36-hole Open champion Steve Jones (Rich River), Mac Whittle (Elmore), and locals Tony Brooke, Kevin Humbert and Steve Holt, while Sue Harris finished runner-up in two separate events.
Thursday, May 18 was Ladies’ Four-ball sponsored by Allandi Caravan Hire, Allison and Andrew Glatte, Coola’s Cleaning Supplies, Meat Matters – Malcolm Johnson, Giddings Co Lockington.
Winners: S Pedersen and T Niven (Elmore) 47, c/b. Runners-up: L Scarff (Marong) and S Harris 47; 3rd: J Naylor and M Ring (Pyramid Hill) 45; 4th: J Drummond (Marong) and H Hayes 44; 5th: B McCarty (Rochester) and J Holt 43.
Ball comp: 42 – J Major and D Johnson (Rochester); 41 – S Jones and A Brereton, C Holmberg and L Wilson (Elmore). NTP: 3rd – D Johnson; 7th – D Bish (Mitiamo); 2nd shot 9th – S Harris; 2nd shot 11 – J Drummond; 16th – D Johnson. Nearest-the-line: J James (Belvoir Park).
Friday, May 19 was Men’s Four-ball sponsored by Bendigo Bank – Elmore, Lockington and Rochester. Seventy-eight players from 12 clubs represented.
Division 1 winners: K Oliver and A Cochrane (Bamawm) 47. Runners-up: A Palmer (Bamawm) and G Humbert 46.
Division 2 winners: T Mancer and T Brooke 47. Runners-up: R Boyd and A Gould (Mitiamo) 45.
Ball comp: 45 – G Martin and K Purdon (Belvoir Park); 44 – P Kuiper (Valley View) and K Humbert, A Harris and I Maddison, A Hausler and P Mangan (Valley View).
NTP: 3rd – L Radley (Rochester); 7th – K Humbert; 16th – M Newlan (Marong); 17th – P Kuiper; 2nd shot 18th – G Humbert. Long drive: A-grade – G Milligan; B – N Coghill (Rochester); C – A Palmer.
Saturday, May 20 was Mixed American sponsored by Humbert Laserlevelling, Rich River Golf Club, Drummond Golf Bendigo, Lockington Community Hotel, McColls Transport. Thirty players from 10 clubs represented.
Scratch winners: Steve Jones (Rich River) and Sherryl Jones. Nett winners: A and R Brereton 79-17.5-61.5. Nett runners-up: S and A Harris 83-21.5-61.5.
Ball comp: 64.5 – F and M Newlan (Marong); 66.5 – P and K Humbert, D and K Free (Lakeside – Lake Boga), 67 – J and L Naylor (Pyramid Hill). NTP - Ladies: 3rd – J Youl (Lakeside – Lake Boga), 7th – P Humbert, 16th – A Brereton, 17th – D Free; Men: 3rd – S Jones; 7th – S Jones; 16th – K Free; 17th – R Connors (Bamawm); 2nd shot 18th – S and A Harris.
Sunday, May 21 was the 36-hole Open Championship sponsored by Nichol Trading, Feedomatic (Grant Humbert), Hot and Cold Plumbing (Gary Milligan), Mark Lyons Fencing, Alfa Laval Lockington (Brett Stone), and Northern Victoria Livestock and Real Estate (Neil Maddison). Forty players from seven clubs represented. A-grade and SJ Windridge Perpetual Trophy 36 holes scratch: S Jones 73-73-146; 36 holes net: M Whittle (Elmore) 66-76-142, c/b A Gould (Mitiamo); 18 holes (am): M Whittle 71-5-66; 18 holes (pm): H Whittle 76-6-70.
B-grade 36 holes scratch: K Humbert 79-88-167; 36 holes nett – S Holt 70-68-138; 18 holes nett (am): K Humbert 79-12-67; 18 holes nett (pm): S Holt 84-16-68.
Veterans event (nett): S Holt 70-68-138; LGC members’ best 18 Nett: T Brooke 101-39-62; 18 holes event (pm): T Brooke 101-39-62, runner-up: JD Wright 89-25-64.
Ball comp: 141 – G Kerr (Mitiamo); 143 – I Maddison; 145 – D Anderson (Mitiamo); 146 – T Mancer, J Carnie, S Mancer (Rich River), L Price (Elmore).
NTP: 3rd - A Gould (1.22m, winner over the tournament); 7th – M Dennis; 16th – D Anderson; 17th – M Scholes (Rich River); 2nd shot 18th – M Whittle. Long drive: Division 1 – J Wright (Rochester); Division 2 – L Mangan (Elmore); Division 3 – JD Wright.
Bamawm Golf Club
Sunday was a great day at Bamawm as we welcomed some new golfers for our Ladies’ Day.
We had 12 ladies participate in a nine-hole stroke competition and it was lovely to see a few extras come along and join us for a delicious afternoon tea.
Winner of the ladies’ scratch was Kathy Connors with 48 shots followed by runner-up Sherryn Pedersen on 51. Winner of the ladies’ nett was Kim Dingwall with runner-up Maddie Frawley.
Winner of the men’s stableford competition was Neville Vicary and Ben Newth runner-up with 35 points on a countback from Frank Broucek
NTP 2nd shot 4/13- Frank Broucek; NTP 3rd shot 5/14- Sherryn Pedersen; NTP 7/16- Neville Vicary and Holly Evans; NTP 8/17- Francis Lee.
Next week will be a stroke round and privilege cup with a casserole tea to follow. Members are asked to bring along a casserole to share.
Rochester Golf Club
Elaine Lees was delighted after shooting her best score since returning to golf, her net 69 on a temporary handicap was the highlight in last Friday's ladies' stroke and count-your-putts event. Jenny Major once again played consistent golf to win 92-22 net (70), from Louise Williams (73); next best were the following players: Di Johnson and Julie Leahy.
Williams had 30 putts and closest on 3 and 8 to win balls, while Leahy was nearest on 5 and 16 and Johnson took out the straighest drive on 10.
Veteran sportsman Spencer Broom combined with a much younger sportperson in Brendan McCarty to win last Wednesday's Four-ball Stableford event over the front nine with 24 points.
Chris Eeles, Laurie Radley, Graeme Jensen and Mike Austin, with both teams on 23 points; however, Eeles and Radley were runners-up after an extensive countback.
The next best were the teams of Laurie Jackel and Ross Lees and Richard Feuk and Kevin McCormack (22), Bruce Bryant and Des Gallagher, Peter Anderson and Garry Charnas on 21 points. Shane Bywaters was nearest on the 3rd hole.
Although Rochester Golf Club is hosting the PGA Championship, down in the Southern Hemisphere, the other Rochester club hosted a Stableford round off the short course white markers last Saturday in ideal autumn conditions.
Our hard and dedicated mowing team member in Bruce Bryant was the deserving winner from the unlucky countback king Richard Feuk, both on 41 points; David Gebbie was next best (40) from Robert Vise and captain Darren White (37), Gebbie was nearest on Rochester Bakery 18th, while White (8), Hicks (9) and Feuk on (16) were nearest-the-pin winners.
This Friday, our annual tournament kicks off with both a Ladies' and Men's Four-ball event; this is the first time we have run a combined four-ball with the ladies hitting off from 9.30-10.30am followed by the men at 10.30-11am.
The popular men's and ladies’ (any combination) three-person Ambrose event will hit-off from 11am on Saturday, May 27 followed by the club's Open Championship for both ladies (red tees) and men (blue tees) over 18 holes on Sunday, May 28; assembly from 10.30am.
The course is in excellent condition with watering over the past few weeks followed by extensive mowing with both the Toro (rotary) and John Deere (reel) and raking the sand two to three times weekly.
Enquires to tournament secretary Bruce (0418 392 426), men's captain Darren (0418 513 644), or ladies’ captain Barb (0407 515 005).
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