The Blue Lake Golf Club held its Monthly Medal on Saturday due to the upcoming Christmas break and a near-capacity field of close to 100 players turned out to try and master the course.
Taking home the biggest present was Matt Jennings with his score of 84-12-76.
Jennings was purring along nicely with a run of pars through the middle section of the front nine giving him 39 off the stick.
He dropped a cylinder on the 11th with a double bogey coming straight after a birdie, but quickly bounced back with a succession of pars and a birdie on the 17th to close with a 37.
Jennings finished two strokes clear of a chasing pack.
The scoring was hot in the premier grade with the club’s best golfers taking full advantage of the friendly set up.
Michael Dedonatis demonstrated his class with a 72 off the stick for the win, returning a net 68.
Shooting one over the card on each nine Dedonatis struck follow up birdies on both the front and back nine to edge ahead of runner-up Greg Cooper.
Cooper’s wheels were a bit wobbly early with a run of bogeys on the front nine, but then showed his class with pars on the opening four holes on the inward nine.
Rounding out the placings was Cameron Adams in third place after an up and down round of 72-4-68.
The good scores continued in B Grade with Jamie Dunn (81-15-66) leading the way.
Dunn played superb golf on the front with his only blemish being a triple bogey on the fourth that cost him a perfect nine, but still managed 38 off the stick.
He could not quite maintain his form over the inward nine, but had enough shots up his sleeve to see off the fast finishing Barry Humphries.
Humphries (82-14-68) managed to keep all his ponies in a straight line on the front nine.
However, his game turned from a mustang into a brumby with two double bogeys.
John Kamp held off David Adkins in a count-back for third.
Although scores were slightly off the mark in C Grade there was still a tight tussle for all the placings.
Steve Dwyer set up his win with a strong front nine of 47.
Although things got a bit tighter over the back nine with a run of double bogeys, he was able to hang on to the win by just the one stroke.
Hot on his heels was runner-up Kevin Mansell, who just ran out of puff in the sprint to the finish.
Mansell (103-31-72) set out on his marathon with a strong start to both nines but unfortunate tree trouble on the ninth cost him a shot at the victory.
Just missing out on second after a count-back was Dieter Rostig (108-36-72).
A good field competed in the women’s competition with a count-back needed to decide the winner.
Both Cherryl Hill and Helen Myers returned to the club house with net 70, but the Hill got the nod by the barest of margins thanks to a superb birdie on the 15th.
Lynn Annand and Jo Ashby also tied for third and the former took the place.
Unfortunately, there can only be one third place winner, Annand (104-31-73) getting the nod thanks to her handicap advantage over Ashby (94-21-73).
Due to the inclement weather, only a small field turned out for the Thursday Stableford competition.
Curtis Coppetti, Dewain Barrett and Michael Egan all finished on 38 points and the former was eventually awarded the win.
