The Blue Lake Golf Club welcomed in the New Year with a par event, attracting a near capacity field of members and visitors alike last week.

The golfers had to be on their game early with the top third of the field playing to their handicap or better.

After taking a while to get over his post New Year’s Eve celebrations, Fred Knight donned his usual flamboyant golfing attire to take out the Jens Hotel sponsored event with an awesome return of +7.

Starting with a plus on the opening hole thanks to not being able to open his eyes, Knight tried to focus but that did not work, immediately scrubbing the second and only marginally improving on that in the next two holes.

But once the fog lifted Knight managed two more plusses on the sixth and ninth holes to turn with that score.

Two impressive pars on the opening holes of his back nine was the impetus he needed, parring the 13th, 14th and 15th holes to get him to his final tally.

It was a welcome return to the winner’s circle for the popular Knight.

It was tight at the top in A grade with a four-way count back needed after Jamal Jakubenko, Gavin Coon, Rob Ellis and Nick Wilson all signed for a +3.

Jakubenko (12) was awarded first place with his +3 over the back nine being too good for the other three, thanks to his 38 off the stick.

Second place getter, Gavin Coon (12) had the win in the bag after birdies on the 11th and 17th and needed just a half for the win.

However, a double bogey and a wipe cost him dearly and bumped him back a place.

Ellis (12) also finished with a +1 over the back nine but could only return a nett square after the last six holes to just miss out on second.

The unlucky golfer to miss out on a placing all together was Nick Wilson (7) whose handicap was always going to count against him.

Wilson was also tracking for a higher finish after birdies on the 13th and 15th but inexplicably wiped the 17th.

Count backs were the order of the day with another three way tie in B grade between John Brown (14), Brenton Speck (17) and Matt Jennings (13) after they all returned a nett +3.

Brown’s +2 tied with Speck’s but the former held on thanks to his last six holes being better.

Brown played the more consistent golf, keeping the red ink off his scorecard while Speck’s round was all or nothing, having just three halved holes on the inward nine.

Jennings, despite a birdie on the 15th, could only manage +1.

It was a lot more clear cut in C Grade with David Thompson (32) taking the win.

Thompson impressed his playing partners with the length of his drives belying his handicap, his birdie on the 17th being clear proof of his ability.

Fortunately for Thompson, with Par golf, when it did go wrong, he just picked up his ball and walked onto the next hole.

Robert Lindner (23) and Ray Patching (21) tied for second with +2 apiece, but the former grabbed second after a count back.

The female members of the BLGC must have partied too hard on New Years Eve with just nine players venturing out on the course for a Par competition.

The small field did not stop Rosemary Martland from showcasing her ability with a score of +5 taking the chocolates.

Martland used her experience over the opening nine, not quite being on top of her game, but she parred the holes she did not get shots on to make sure she was in a good position when it all clicked.

And click it did over the back nine with a superb 36 off the stick for a +4, showcasing why she is heading for a single figure handicap.

Second place getter Fiona Punton is always willing to match her game against the men and she put a few of them to shame with her round of +3.

A purple patch of five consecutive plusses from the fourth hole onwards set her up but she could not quite build on that to catch Martland, a scrub on the 17th costing her dearly.

Kate Hommelhoff took out third prize after bouncing back from an inauspicious start.

Many golfers would have been despondent after a -3 start but Hommelhoff to her credit knuckled down and gave us all a glimpse of her ability with a superb +3 over the inward nine to be rewarded for her perseverance.

Punton won the novelty prize with her best front nine of +3.