ON A fine and cool morning a big field of 136 golfers awaited starters orders on Wednesday, July 21 to start the annual Holden scramble – a four-person ambrose event.
Not long and the field was off racing down the fairways – erratic drivers, broken shafts and blow outs were commonplace.
Soon the top teams were putting down some good scores, while others were just enjoying the day.
With players in the club with great race connected names, it was hoped the results may read 'Kelly Pitts Leeder Richards' but this was not the case.
A great effort from the part-time farmer Peter Roe, Dean “Boom Boom” Becker, Jason “I'm too busy to play golf” Clarke and Matt “Not Tiger” Woods, came in with a great score of 53.75 to take the chequered flag and stand on the winners' podium.
Finishing a bumper sticker behind, a photo finish giving it to the team of B Robbo (perhaps driving with the wrong brand) P Richards, S Dinka and A Page with 55.375 the same score as B Parker, G O'Driscoll, N King and A Haddrill.
Fourth was the team of I Green, P Lock, R Carlshausen and A McCullock with a score of 55.675.
It was a day for perfect shots when two players had a hole in one on the tricky par three number 14 – Andrew Page and Mike Spadaccini both walked away escalated to legend status among their playing partners, at least for the next few holes anyway.
The Northam Hardware trophy and round one of the club championships was played on Saturday, July 24.
With a fine, calm day forecast and the course in near perfect condition, good scores and a tight, close competition was expected and the 40 players did not disappoint. Being the first round of the club championships nervous players were everywhere, stretching muscles when obviously they had none.
The leader on day one would be the player who settles down the quickest and there is no calmer person on the course than Steve “Harmony” Dinka.
Dinka, who has been around since the first ice age, has had mixed form this year being up and down so often they started a new grade AB+.
Still Dinka always performs well on the big days and today was no different, blowing away the opposition with a great score of 62.
Unlike Dinka, runner-up Tony Hunter has not been on the winners' podium for quite some time, the last being the brilliant come from behind win in the grade three egg and spoon race.
Still Hunter's nett 66 was a strong indication that this years competition will be very close.
The Lewis Motors gross winner with a score of 75 was Steve Dinka.
The A-grade winner was M Woods with 67 on a countback from P Becker.
The B-grade winner was L Kelly on 68 and the runner-up was D Knipe on 69.
The C-grade winner was D Oliver on 67 and the runner-up was M Tagliaferri with 70 on a countback from B Lally and D Bates.
The Commonwealth Bank novelties were best second on number two – N James, best third on number 15 – N James, nearest the pin on number 14 – M Spadaccini and long putt on number eight – P Richards.
Neil James won the Danny Green award (only got one good hit in the round) but it was a good one – and scored an eagle on number 18.
Michael Speciale took out the Paul Briggs award (couldn't hit a Green all day).
Round two of the club championships and Grafton Electrics trophy was played on Sunday, July 25.
Forty players backed up the day before's effort with another gruelling 18 holes of stroke.
Would the field spark into action, will the leaders stay positive or have a shocker? Rick Kennedy was obviously running late for tee off as he mistakenly put on a pair of Ron Pitts' long jeans.
This did not seem to phase him as he blasted his way around the course to come in with a nett 65 to win the day.
Steve Dinka put in another great effort to come in runner-up with a nett 66.
The Lewis Motors gross winner with a score of 76 was Daniel Negus.
The A-grade winner was B Robinson with 69 on a countback from D Negus.
The B-grade winner was PJ Cutmore with a nett 67 and the runner-up was L Kelly with 68.
The C-grade winner was D Oliver with 68 and the runner-up was M Speciale on 69.
The Commonwealth Bank novelties were best second on number one – M Woods, nearest to the pin number 12 – A Kean, long putt number seven – P Beazley and long drive number 16 D Negus.
Neil James scored another eagle on the par five number three.
The ladies' competition winner was Melissa Dasborough with nett 64 from Sue-Anne Hamilton with nett 69.
Saturday, July 31 is the round three championships/monthly mug Casey Cartage trophy.
Sunday, August 1 is the stableford Quinns Gourmet Meats trophy.
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