THANKS FOR THE HOLIDAY LIZ
Ah, another long week-end to enjoy golf 🙂
When Governor Phillip declared a public holiday in 1788 to celebrate the birthday of King George III, he probably didn’t realise we would still be celebrating the reigning Monarch’s birthday centuries later (interestingly, King George V’s birthday was 3rd June and after he died in 1936, New South Wales changed the holiday from the actual birthday date to every second Monday in June).
I wonder how many remember celebrating the Queen’s Birthday (and Empire Day) with heaps of fireworks, particularly the tom-thumbs and double-happy crackers as well as the fearsome tuppeny bungers. And don’t forget the many penny sky-rocket battles in the backyard.
Well, we are much older and wiser, and instead of tossing fireworks and rockets in the air, we spend our time celebrating the Queen’s birthday by launching golf balls in the heavens with sparkling irons, explosive drivers and hoping for a cracker of a game.
With so many distractions on offer nowadays, it was good to see a large turn-out of 29 players assemble at the tough Bankstown Golf Course 🙂
The course appeared in excellent condition, the practice putting and chipping greens were like glass surfaces (gulp), the nearby bunkers appeared well manicured and hurrah, hurrah, the pins were in the friendly position “D” quadrant of the green.
With play scheduled to start at 7:14am from the 10th tee, most players were feeling the pinch in their hands and fingers from the cool morning air. Unlike Summer, players in the last few groups will have an advantage today.
The early groups got off to a flying start, many were seen running in order to get the blood to their hands and feet. After a few holes, the cool temperatures soon gave way to the rising sun in what turned out to be a another perfect autumn day.
As expected, the course played hard for most players 🙁
To score well, it was imperative to keep the ball in play from the tees. If you got in the trees then you virtually lost one shot trying to get out into play.
Also, hitting from the fairways was relatively tougher at Bankstown as the balls seem to sit down on the short matting of fairway grass. The primary rough of Kikuyu grass also proved troublesome as the balls would settle down and remain invisible to players. Much time was spent by many on searching for golf balls just off the fairway 🙁
Lastly, the deadly greens will dismantle your game if your putting stroke got the jitters !
The game was completed in good time, so Bravo Zulus to all players concerned. The score cards were collected and after lengthy checking and double-checking of cards for count-back purposes, the results were handed in a sealed envelope to Revesby’s Captain, Steve Vaughn, for the presentation ceremony.
With most stableford scores in the mid-to-high twenties, it was surprising to find someone who tamed the course today. The outright winner with a tremendous score of 39 points went to Graeme Dean (handicap 18). After taking out the 2-Ball Aggregate two weeks ago at Antill Park, Graeme proved it was no fluke by securing a win today that was heads-and-shoulders above the rest – well done Graeme 🙂
The only other player to better their handicap today was Jim “Furyk” Gardner, who took out the A-Grade trophy with a sterling 37 points (handicap 12). This is Jim’s second win in a row at Bankstown, and he seems to know how to play the course by keeping the ball in play from the tees and sinking putts at the right time.
Only big blemish was the par3 17th hole when he knocked his 5-iron over the back of the green resulting in a missed short putt for a wipe on the hole.The ball did not escape punishment, it now resides in the right-hand water hazard beside the 17th green. Apart from this blemish, it was a very solid round – congratulations Jimmy 🙂
The B Grade winner was Dick Paipa (19 handicap), with a score of 33 points. Dick was in the same group as Jimmy Gardner, so must have picked up a few positive vibes to keep his head above water, particularly when he started with a 4-pointer on the 10th hole. A good performance on a demanding track – well done Dick 🙂
The C Grade winner went to a veteran returning from rehab. With a crook shoulder and a dicky knee, George Osterman (handicap 24) made a successful come-back by winning with a commendable 32 points. Terrific effort George. By the way, the trophies officer is now considering the procurement of DencoRub and/or Voltarin as future trophies for members 🙂
The Guzzlers went to another player in good form, namely, Wayne Coleman (handicap 12), with a respectable score of 34 points. I’m sure Wayne will find a way to beat the cold with the Guzzlers Cup in hand 🙂
Today’s Bradmans went to some who are no strangers to the award.
The A Grade Bradman was a very close affair, with the count-back going to the last three holes on the back nine. A very relieved Matty Campbell was glad to hear the award go to “how the mighty have fallen” Ryan Johnston with a paltry 23 points (on a count-back) 🙁
The B Grade Bradman went to Revesby’s fearless leader, Steve Vaughn, with a minuscule 20 points. Steve has just returned from rehab, and the therapy has left him believing the Captain’s role is to lead from the rear 🙁
The C Grade Bradman went to a veteran of the award, Paul Dawkins, with a average for the day score of 26 points. Paul is too much of a gentleman on the playing field, he needs to get down and dirty and start knee-capping some of the other C graders before they get to the first hole 🙂
Shot of the Day: Well, a record was broken today, and I don’t mean the vinyl kind.
What’s the most stableford points scored on a single hole you have come across. Most I have ever seen or heard is five (5) points.
Today, a six (6) pointer was scored on the par3 17th hole. Incredible as it may seem, the player who achieved this incredible feat was Alan Tricker (handicap 41), when he hit his 4-wood onto the green about five metres from the hole to win the nearest-the-pin. He somehow putted the ball into the hole for a birdie two, and with his three strokes handicap, ended up writing two-a-six on his score card.
What makes it even more incredulous is that the 17th hole is an elevated, skinny green guarded by two cavernous bunkers, a very “tricky” hole, or dare I say it, a “TRICK-i-ER” hole 🙂
Revesby results on the day:
Single Stableford results:
OUTRIGHT WINNER: Graeme Dean [18] 39 pts
A Grade Winner: Jim Gardner [12] 37 pts
B Grade Winner: Dick Paipa [19] 33 pts
C Grade Winner: George Osterman [24] 32 pts
GUZZLER’s CUP: Wayne Coleman [12] 34 pts
BRADMANS: A Grade: Ryan Johnston [12] 23 pts c/b, B Grade: Steve Vaughn [20] 20 pts, C Grade: Paul Dawkins [26] 26 pts
Nearest To Pins: S.Thorn(3), A.Tricker(7), J.Gardner(11), S.Vaughn(13), W.Higgs(15)
Drive & Pitch: S.Thorn (5)
