Jayden Eldridge is well known among Limestone Coast sports fans for his exploits on the football field.


But now he is showing he has more than one string to his bow, elevating his golf game to an outstanding level as well.


The 30-year-old won the Western Border League medal in 2022 playing for East Gambier, before claiming the best and fairest at Penola last year.


In between those two achievements he has managed to drop his golf handicap from 10 to just three.


And on Saturday he showed he might not be finished there, shooting a one-under-par 71 off the stick to take out the A Grade division at the Mount Gambier Golf Club with 40 stableford points.


Teeing off at 7.30am, Eldridge’s playing partners were questioning the wisdom of playing the second nine as gale force winds and persistent rain made conditions exceptionally difficult.


But having negotiated the front nine in a one-under par 35 after birdies on the 4th and 6th made up for a sole bogey on the difficult par-four 2nd hole, he was understandably keen to go on.


The decision paid off and with the rain easing on the back nine he was able to continue his hot form.


An exemplary stretch from the 10th through the 17th, with seven pars and a birdie on the par-five 15th, had him at two-under on the 18th tee and within sight of a new best score after firing a 70 back in October.


A tricky downhill putt would have done the job, but unfortunately one putt turned into three for his second bogey of the day.


“It was pretty wet and wild out there, particularly early on, and putting is probably the hardest thing in those conditions,” Eldridge said,


“I bogeyed the second and 18th and both of those were because of three-putts which was pretty disappointing.”


With footy training limiting his golf practice, he said a new set of Taylor Made clubs he bought about 18 months ago had definitely helped bring his handicap down.


The runner-up in A Grade was Craig Wirth with 37 points, while +2 marker Jake Laubsch had 36 points after firing the best round of the day, a two-under par 70.


In B Grade the roller-coaster form of Tony McGregor continued when he took out the top prize after he returned 39 points, two clear of Tim MacLean.


McGregor had another top-10 finish two Thursdays ago, but sandwiched in between those excellent rounds was a net 82 the following Saturday and just 29 points last Thursday.


C Grade was taken out by Shane Foote who signed for 39 points, three ahead of runner-up Peter Emetlis.


The pro shot on the par-three 8th hole went to Paul Braithwaite who gladly knocked in the short birdie putt.


And on the par-three 16th the winner was one-marker Chris Brooks, the five balls he won being a rare highlight in his tally of just 24 points.


The ball run down went to 33 points and was headed by former footy star Neal Doody who scored 36 points off his 13 handicap, but was left wondering what might have been after splitting his round 47/38.


Meanwhile on Thursday it was December specialist Daniel Long who made the most of the excellent conditions to claim top prize with 43 points.


Teeing off with the morning groups, Long had a solid 19 points on the front nine thanks to a 44 off the stick from his 17 handicap.


Bogeys on the 10th and 11th kept his scorecard ticking along before he caught fire from the par-four 12th onwards, adding 16 points in just five holes thanks largely to four-point birdies on the 14th and 15th.


It was his first win since December last year, perfect timing on both occasions to add some new golf equipment to his collection of Christmas presents.


Runner-up on Thursday was the under-rated Andrew Noble on 40 points, one clear of third placegetter Robert Sims on 39.


The best round of the day was turned in by club pro John Martin who was delighted by his 69 for 39 points.


That saw him jump to the top of the leaderboard in the Driscoll Summer Cup competition after five rounds, two clear of Robert Perryman with Richard Gosling and Ken Whitehead also lurking.


Stewards opened an inquiry into the effort of veteran Barry Brook who came in with just 20 points after a magnificent 41 the previous week.