Thanks to the courage and skill of our local CFS and MFS members, combined with the support of the aerial water bombers, the Blue Lake Golf Club was spared any long term damage following the recent crater/tower fire.
Quick action by the heroes with their back burning operation saw the fire contained to the forested area above the course and saved the clubhouse and buggy shed.
It did not take long for the members and visitors to show their appreciation with over 100 players contesting the OK Pie Shop sponsored Monthly Medal round.
There was not a just ‘okay’ attitude from the winner either with Nicholas Driver running away with the honours after his superb round of 77-17-60.
Driver was in charge from the start with three pars over successive holes before a minor stumble on the 5th with a double bogey.
He made up for that with a birdie on the seventh to turn with a sub 40 front nine.
Looking to break 80 Driver only found the rough once on the inward nine with a wayward drive on the 14th costing him another double, but once again he bounced back well with another birdie on the 17th to go one better, a 38 off the stick giving him a gross score of 77 and take the outright win easily.
Relishing his promotion to the top-level Stephen Kamphuis is enjoying a rich vein of form, this time taking out the A Grade win with his nett 68.
Kamphuis was steady early, following up an opening brace of pars with a run of bogeys but then made short work of the seventh with a birdie to turn with a 40.
It was a lot less consistent over the back nine, a couple of double bogeys being mixed in with a birdie on the 17th to return another 40 for a round of 80-12-68.
Scratch golfer Anthony Williams found four birdies over his round but still left a few out there, especially over the back nine.
A one under 34 had him set up for a sub-par round but he could only match three bogeys with two birdies to come in with a 36 and take second place with a nett 70.
Bob White secured third place after a countback, thanks mainly to his great inward nine of 36.
White bounced back well after a disappointing outward 42 but birdies on the 10th, 11th and 17th showcased his ability.
The closest golfer to get to Driver’s outright win was new member Dudley Tanton with a nett 66.
The ex-super bike racer must have felt like he was on a push bike sometimes with a spattering of double bogeys interspersed with some high speed pars to have splits of 43 and 41, but he still showed enough class to hang on for the B Grade win.
After a recent spell of hot and windy conditions Roger Gale appreciated the break in the weather, taking second place in B Grade with a round of 85-17-68.
Gale’s highlight was a birdie on the second but he gave too many shots back to the course with a number of double bogeys.
The new grandfather will still be happy to have secured the silver medal.
Barry Humphries survived a three-way count back to claim third with his round of 84-15-69.
Adrian O’Donnell is making the most of his good form of late with another win, this time in C Grade after beating Scott Paterson in a countback.
Both finished on nett 70 and – despite giving away eight strokes in handicap difference – O’Donnell hung on thanks mainly to his birdie on the 14th and splits of 47 and 45.
Paterson (30) showed great consistency with equal splits of 50 apiece.
Third place getter Richard Neale excelled over the back nine after a tricky opening, three pars over the middle section helping him to a 44 off the stick and a nett 71.
Place getters included David Johnston, Simon Perryman, Ben Papps, Alex Joukoff, David Dowie, Martin Markiewicz, Brad Talbot, Steven Jelly, Callum Harvey, Michael Egan, Stephen Smith and Rod Heinrich while Egan was the only player to register a nearest the pin for A Grade.
Tim Bates (5th) and Matt Jennings (16th) won the pro shots while Williams picked up the novelty award for the least putts.
A recent spate of new lady members have breathed new life to the club and their improvement is worth noting.
Jorja Morale has seen her handicap go from mid 40’s to a very respectable 28 while Kate Hommelhoff is quickly following in her footsteps.
Hommelhoff was a clear winner in Saturday’s stroke round, with no one getting near her nett 66.
After a superb opening par Hommelhoff struggled over the third and fourth holes, traditionally where a lot of players struggle, but held it together to finish the front nine strongly.
She took that impetus into the back nine with an awesome birdie on the 11th which is not one of the easiest holes on the course, especially navigating the tricky green.
With a par on the 17th Hommelhoff took six shots off her outward nine to record a 102-36-66 win. She is another who is seeing her hard work rewarded with a quick reduction in her handicap.
Annette Ford matched her experience with her elegance, reeling off two pars over her first five holes to initially threaten Hommelhoff for the win.
While she made light work of the 12th for another par she came undone with a disastrous final hole that almost cost her second place.
Luckily, she had enough good scoring holes under her belt to hang on with 95-22-73.
Helen Stratford continues to show improvement after her mishap last year that cost her some time away from the game she loves.
Stratford’s experience allowed her to hang on for the last podium place with a back nine 46 being too good for a chasing pack, including Lee-Anne Medhurst, Di Perryman (who birdied the 11th) and Josie Ashby who all finished on nett 74.
Ashby was compensated for her miss with a win in the Long Drive competition and also picking up the Nearest The Pin prize while Medhurst took the novelty with her least putts and Hommelhoff taking home an extra three golf balls with her Pinnacle award.
