The first round of each month generally means it’s time for the Mount Gambier Golf Club’s Monthly Medal.
This is when the course is set up to provide the toughest test for the golfers.
With a number of members away for the Gather Round, there was a slightly smaller field of 112 players who contested the Steeline Monthly Medal.
Of those who took to the course, only 14 were able to play to their handicap or better.
In A Grade (-9 – 10) a three-way countback was required to determine Adrian Ballantyne (10) as the eventual winner.
Ballantyne started off playing the front nine with 40 off the stick to be level with his handicap.
A birdie on the par 5 seventh was the highlight.
The back nine did not start well, with a double bogey on the tough par 3 10th.
However, this was corrected with another birdie on the par 5 11th.
The rest of the round consisted of three bogeys and four pars to have Ballantyne sign for an 80 or two under net 70.
Runner up also on a net 70 was Richard Gosling (2), who was one of Ballantynes playing partners.
Gosling commenced with a birdie on the par 5 first.
This was followed by further birdies on the seventh and ninth holes.
It was only bogies on the fourth and eighth holes which dented Gosling’s score.
A birdie on the 10th had Gosling at two under and in a position to challenge for the win.
Carding six pars and two bogies for a one under 35 to match his score on the front, Gosling no doubt would have copped some friendly banter from Ballantyne.
The third member of the countback Jayden Eldridge (2), started the best of the three with a two under 34 off the stick on the front, including an excellent eagle three on the par 5 first hole.
A birdie four on the other par 5 on the front helped his score.
Unfortunately, a couple of bogies on the first two holes of the inward nine stalled Eldridge’s charge.
A birdie on the tough par 4 14th hole was undone by a bogey on the last.
Robert Perryman (9) and Nick Black (8) were both one shot back with 71 and Trent Eitzen (5), Paul Reade (9), Jason Mann (9) and Travis Younghusband another further shot back on 72.
In C Grade (17 – 45), only two players were able to play better than their respective handicaps, with both also continuing on their good form from previous rounds.
Phil Walters (19) has seen his handicap drop lately and may see this continue after shooting a two under 70.
Starting with a birdie on the first hole, Walters suffered on the next two par 4s with a triple and double bogey.
Four bogeys followed by a par had him back on track.
Walters finished off the back nine strongly with a pair of pars.
Peter Jones (17), who has also been enjoying his golf of late, carded a solid 71 to be second in C Grade.
B Grade (11 – 16) saw the best score of the day, with Joshua MacLean (16) shooting a very respectable five under 67.
This will have MacLean vying for the Barney Larkin March Monthly Medal Trophy in the new year against the other Monthly Medal winners.
MacLean’s low score was established on the front nine, with a five under 40 off of the stick.
This was made up with five pars and a birdie on the par 3 sixth.
The only downside being a pair of double bogies on the third and seventh holes.
A slip up on the 11th resulted in a triple bogey, but pars followed on the 12th, 13th, 16th and 18th holes to have MacLean play to his handicap on the back.
Last week’s C Grade winner Zayne Young (15) was runner up in B grade.
Losing four shots from his 19 handicap this week, Young was still able to better it by shooting a net 70.
To say that Young’s scorecard was a bit erratic is an understatement, with two birdies and six pars, you would assume that a low score was a certainty.
Unfortunately, this went missing as five bogies were joined by six double bogies.
Jud Wheatley (13) was the only other B Grader to play to their handicap with a net 72.
Thirty-five balls were given out for 76 or better on a countback.
Robert Perryman took out the five balls with the Pro Shot on the eighth hole.
Meanwhile, a field of just over 90 golfers took to the course for the Thursday stableford competition.
Returning from Perth, country member Ryan Hosking (5) took the early scoreboard lead with 38 points.
With 17 points on the front, Hosking followed up with a one over the card 21 points on the back nine.
Hosking’s score was eclipsed by a man who has been in very good form of late, Peppi Pace (13).
Pace, who has seen shots drop from his handicap over the past weeks, started his round with four points for a birdie on the opening hole.
A string of pars on the third, fourth and fifth holes were undone with a double bogey and a triple bogey on the next two holes.
Turning with 19 points, Pace was playing consistently on the back nine until a couple of birdies on the 16th and 17th had him leap to 22 points for a total of 41 points.
This was enough for Pace to take out the $90 voucher.
Not long after Pace signed for his score Craig Nisbet (7) claimed second spot with 39 points.
Like Pace, Nisbet started with a birdie on the first hole.
Solid golf followed until a birdie on the par 3 eighth had Nisbet at even to the card 18 points after the ninth hole.
Stepping on to the 16th tee, Nisbet had amassed 15 points on the back, but unfortunately a misadventure saw him wipe the hole.
Recovering with a brilliant birdie on the 17th, the hardest hole on the course, Nisbet followed up with a par to finish his round and secure the $45 voucher.
Hosking eventually earned the five balls for third on a countback from Craig Foster (4), Patrick Dempsey (12) and Paul Kenny (11) all finishing on 38 points.
Charlie Goode (27) was the only other player to better his handicap with 37 points.
Ken Whitehead (6) took out the five balls for the Pro Shot on the eighth hole, while Ross Anderson (18) did the same on the 16th.
An additional 16 balls were given out to players on 35 or better on a countback.
