Saturday’s Mount Gambier Golf Club stroke round saw the best score from a promising junior, Riley Parsons (16) with nett 66.
This was Riley’s best score to date and when asked, said he drove it well and putted well all day.
And the secret? Riley confessed he had been practicing.
A back nine of 39 off the stick got the job done on a countback.
Riley has the game to go much lower and once the bad holes are eliminated his handicap will quickly come down.
Saturday’s B grade was the most competitive grade with both Grant Harvey (14) and Anthony Revill (14) also scoring nett 66 which ordinarily would win the competition.
Harvey was another to score well on the back nine with 39 off the stick but handicap worked against him in the countback.
While Revill will rue his last two holes but will receive no sympathy from his regular playing partners.
The good scores continued in B grade with Jordan Stark nett 68 Matt Bowering and Kent Comley nett 69 Blake Schroder nett 70 with Jeff Olafsen, following 38pts on Thursday, and Pepi Pace, runner up last week, nett 71.
Saturday’s golf was played in very still conditions and good scores continued in A grade with Richard Gosling (3) posting an impressive nett 67.
A 35 off the stick on both nines and six birdies for the day would be very satisfying.
A birdie on the 11th had Gosling two under the card which he maintained to the finish.
Runner up with nett 69 was Craig Foster (6) who after birdies on the 10th and 11th was also two under the card through 11 before amen corner, holes 12 to 14, claimed another scalp.
But nett 69 is still a good score.
They were followed on nett 70 by Phil McBain, Hayden Schroder (1), trying to keep up with Blake and David Anderson.
Long time member Jim Douglas (36) with nett 67 took out C grade from David Millard (24) nett 70.
Dougles who has a standing late Saturday morning hit-off with regular playing partners did his best work on the front nine with a nett 31 and while the back nine was played to handicap, Douglas could have been much better with the 17th and 18th causing some problems.
In line with Golf Australia’s objective off inclusiveness and catering for all players, when there is a stroke round there is also an alternative stableford competition played from the white tees.
On Saturday David Turnbull, once a South Gambier ruckman, with 36 points finished in front of Graham Greenwood on 34.
In the field of 104 players, 32 players shared in the ball rundown which stopped at nett 73.
Nearest the pin went to Michael Cutting, “the only good shot for the day” he said, on the 8th and Sam Letizia on the 16th.
Thursday attracted a smaller field than normal with 89 players.
The ball run down went to 36 points with Nick Black’s opportune birdie on the last getting him into last spot.
Nearest the pin went to Graham Thomas and Nick Black on the 8th and 16th respectively.
Robert Sims (30) back after recovering from some work on his wrist, probably caused by bowling out too many batsmen in his South Gambier cricket days, finished on top with 43 points.
Even splits of 21/22 included 4pt pars on the difficult 12th and 14th deserve a win.
Runner up on 42 was Brian Ashby (30) who continued on his recent good form with even 21/21 splits.
Lots of good scores on Thursday with David Millard, who kept it going on Saturday, Rob Perryman and Max Clifford all on 40 points.
On 39 John Kirby, still, Craig Nisbett, Mike Attwell, Jake Dempsey, Damian Smith, Max Tollner and Gordon Bignell.
Rounding out the good scores on 38 Wayne Davison, Trevor Dent and Jeff Olafsen, another to play well on Saturday.
Sunday saw the Orange short course Spring event with 17 men and eight women playing.
The short course requires a slightly different skill set and is not easy.
However it did not prove a problem for Riley Sturgess on 41 points as was Archie Milich.
On 39 Jamie Agnew and Andrew Stark with Matthew Knowles and Riley Parsons on 38.
In the women Leanne Hunt and Vicki Clark both on 35 points led the way.
Even splits of 21/22 included 4pt pars on the difficult 12th and 14th deserve a win.
Runner up on 42 was Brian Ashby (30) who continued on his recent good form with even 21/21 splits.
Lots of good scores on Thursday with David Millard, who kept it going on Saturday, Rob Perryman and Max Clifford all on 40 points.
On 39 John Kirby, still, Craig Nisbett, Mike Attwell, Jake Dempsey, Damian Smith, Max Tollner and Gordon Bignell.
Rounding out the good scores on 38 Wayne Davison, Trevor Dent and Jeff Olafsen, another to play well on Saturday.
