IT'S GREAT to see many older members of The Island Golf Club at Nambucca Heads emerging from self-isolation and enjoying their game once again - with a record field since COVID-19 restrictions on Saturday.
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Members will notice that our new greenkeeper, Greg Jager, is already making his mark by expanding the fringe area surrounding the greens, an improvement immensely popular with members.
Bagsey's Blokes have been busy trimming lake and tee surrounds and Kel's Crew have emptied a truckload of roadbase filling potholes on the cart paths - great work guys!
Last Tuesday, over 70 visitors and members played a Medley Single Stableford in two divisions. Russell Lane (21 handicap) from Dorrigo was the winner of Division 1 (scratch to 21) with 39 points from Steve Doherty (17) with 38 points.
In Division 2 (22 to 45) Tony Waugh (27) scored 39 points to win from Patrick Post with 35 points. Other good scores from Edward Beaton 35, Greg McCoy and Ronald Lapin 34, and Andrew Donovan, Steve McNeil, Joe Street, Andrew Johnston and Rodney Robertson all on 33. Balls went down to 31 points on countback.
The Nambucca Heads RSL Club sponsored Thursday's Open Dolphin Day Medley Single Stableford with over 100 players playing in three divisions. Overall winner with the best score of the day and winner of the specially embroidered Dolphin Day shirt was Dennis Ashton (19) with a massive 44 points.
In Division 1 (scratch to 16) Adrienne Smith (16) had 39 points to win from Colin Wormleaton (10) with 36 points.
Division 2 winner was Christopher Swan (19) with 40 points from Paul McElhinney (17) with 37 points.
Paddy Byrne (25) has been out on the course practising just about every day and it has finally paid off with a score of 41 points to win Division 3 (24 to 45) by three shots from Gary Thurlow (25) on 38 points. Other good scores were carded by Ken Marriott, Peter Dawe, David Ogilvy, Anthony Smith and David Bartos, all on 36, and Geoffrey McCann, Gary Beggs, Stuart Johnston, David Mattacott and Dennis Holland on 35 points.
You had to play a lot better than Tuesday to get a ball, needing 33 points or better on countback.
A record field of 130 teed off for Saturday's competition - a medley single stableford sponsored by the club and played in three divisions with some impressive scores, possibly thanks to Greg's enlarged closely mown green surrounds.
Jeff Morrison (13) and Peter Moxon (16) both scored 39 points in Division 1 (scratch to 16), with Jeff scraping in to win on a countback. In Division 2 (17 to 23), Steve Doherty (17) scored 41 points to win from Joe Street (18) with 37 points. Noel Gaddes (33) also had 41 points to win Division 3 (24 to 45) from Bernie Dugdale (24) with 39 points.
There were lots of other good scores: Brock Wilson (Coffs Harbour), Trevor Peck and Walter Bortoletto all with 38 points, Geoff Brooks, William Mann, on 37 points, and Russ Morpuss, Roy Louis, Greg Jager, Peter Fredericks, Peter Miller, and Patrick Frost all on 36 points. Surprisingly, the balls went down to 31 points on a countback.
There is plenty of golf on The Island this week - and we are back to playing in groups of four, subject to all the special rules in place for COVID-19 personal safety. We have Medley Single Stableford competitions on Tuesday and Thursday - while Saturday is the Men's Monthly Medal Stroke and qualifying for the Men's Single Knock Out. Our Ladies competition continues on Wednesdays, and there's a nine-hole chook run on Friday afternoons.
Note your golf calendar for Friday, June 12, the next round of the Island Challenge Series sponsored by Kempsey Haval. The Player with the best five scores over the course of the year will win a Haval 'drive, play and stay' package to the Gold Coast. Test yourself against the best The Island can throw at you - play to your handicap to win a sleeve of balls, and there's generous daily trophies for nett and gross for men and women. And visitors are always welcome at The Island, so come on over, and challenge yourself!
See you on The Island!
