The Blue Lake Golf Club hosted the Wayne Scutter Memorial Championship last weekend and the community flocked to the course to play in the annual event.
The popularity of the event ensured the capacity field teed off between a morning or afternoon shotgun start. Defending champion Darren Bilney showed his skills by returning to the course with a score of 68-+1-69 to be a deserved winner of the prestigious trophy.
Surprisingly he even had room to throw in a double bogey on the 17th hole, but there were enough birdies on the way to counter that. Bilney was the clear winner from local members Trevor McLean and Brad Talbot, who both finished on 72.
The Wayne Scutter Memorial also recognises the best handicap score and this time a local member reigned supreme.
Trevor McLean (72-7-65) will have his name etched on the trophy for the lowest handicap score after recording splits of 37 and 35 with birdies on the 10th and 15th holes.
A regular stroke competition also took place and the A Grade winner was Brett Perryman. Perryman survived a scare on the benign 11th with a double bogey to record a win with 74-7- 67.
He recovered with a birdie on the 15th, which almost got him back to square for the back nine. A count-back was needed to separate second and third with Brad Talbot and Bilney tied on 69.
Talbot secured the place after recording a better score over the last six holes, while he started brilliantly going par, birdie and eagle.
Scoring was also hot in B Grade with Stephen Kamphuis topping the leaderboard after a consistent round of 83-15-68. Runner-up Roger Gale played some exquisite golf starting off with a birdie on the first hole, but also found some tree trouble on the second easiest hole on the course.
A string of pars pushed Brett Lewis (89-18-71) to third place. After fighting hard for outright handicap honours, Michael Millhouse had to settle for the C Grade win after falling just one stroke adrift of McLean.
Millhouse showed his potential with a run of pars towards the end of the front nine before maintain the momentum with a 47 off the stick over the inward nine.
Finishing three storkes behind was runner-up Ross McMahon, while Mark Ferguson prevailed over Geoff Munt after a tight fight for the best net score in C Grade after they both finished on 91.
The respective men’s and women’s veteran scratch winners were Chris Price with 80 and Di Perryman on 90.
Visitors were also more than welcome in the women’s stroke competition on Saturday and Penola visitor Anna McGregor prevailed in the trying conditions.
McGregor (111-42-69) made the most of her handicap to hold off a chasing pack of local members including Perryman and Jo Ashby.
The thunderstorms and heat forecast for Tuesday put a line through a number of starters in the weekly Stableford competition, but those who did venture out were rewarded with some favourable conditions.
Beating the heat early was the overall winner Ray Patching with 43 points. Patching bounced back well after scoring just one point on the first hole to par the second, ninth and the 17th holes for 43 points.
Hot on his heels was another veteran Russell Armstrong, who motored into second place just one point behind Patching.
Armstrong had two birdies in his round for splits of 20 and 22 points, while Matt Patzel (19) headed a strong chasing pack falling just one point behind.
