By PETER BRISTOL
January 8 report
January Monthly Medal
The January Telescope Tyres / Hankook Masters Monthly Medal was played on Saturday to kick-off what the club hopes to be a standout year for our golfers. The day sponsor was the Parkes Services Club and again they were proud to sponsor their annual event to showcase the 83 players vying for the great prizes.
The morning golfers were met with a solid wind with strong gusts which meant the trip southward was ok but coming back toward the clubhouse was a difficult feat.
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The afternoon golfers got a calmer shot at it but had some heat to contend with.
In A grade Jack Elliott went back to back after winning the last event in ’24.
He quickly settled into his rhythm to record a 73 off the stick, with consecutive birdies on holes 6-8 and another on 13 to shoot a 37/36 split.
With pennants season just around the corner the selectors are looking for the best players to be in their best form and Jack showed that in spades.
Runner-up was a new member Anthony Rath, who is from the Goulburn area.
Still getting used to the course Anthony still managed to shoot a 43/34 split, with a birdie and a double on the front and a 5 birdie blitz on the back.
Jack Matthews shot a very credible 78 on the day as well.
In the net event Matt Clarke with a 5 under 67 was the winner with only a stroke to spare from Phil Bishop.
Matt had a 40/40 split but his 13 handicap on the day helped get him over the line.
He has been working hard to get himself into A grade and looked comfortable there.
Phil has been looking for some good form and his 39/41 in trying conditions proved he is back to where normally resides.
In B grade Richard Hutchinson stepped up to claim the scratch prize.
Hutcho always wins a round or 2 of the medals.
A solid, though adventurous round, saw that happen in game one.
He had a 46 front nine and wouldn’t have been too happy with that but a bit of self analysis at halfway got him into rhythm and a 40 finish saw him end up 1 in front of Rob Lea who was a bit more consistent with a 44/43.
In the net event Rob Lea won on a countback from Rob Staples as they both recorded a credible 70.
With Rob L’s short game to the fore and Rob S’s determined to get some glassware in ’25 this was a great tussle.
Another old warhorse in Peter Boschman came in a stroke further back.
In C grade Craig Dunn was another to go back to back with his 94 the best C grade scratch score but it was equalled by cagey Kiwi in John Fowler.
Craig knows he has to play well each week to get the better of the playing group he’s in and John Fowler was playing with Rob Lea so no doubt rose to the equation as well.
Craig was happy to scrape through with the countback win. John was able to reverse the tide in the net with a very good 3 stroke win over Craig’s 72.
The Griffins Leading Edge putting competition was won by Phil Bishop with 26 putts on a countback.
The Norman family sponsored Wally Norman Vets Medal was won also by Phil Bishop on 68 net.
The Nearest The Pins on Saturday were – The Idlerite 1st was Idlerite Tyrepower by John Green at 699cm, the Griffins Leading Edge was Torin Hando at 230cm, the Parkes Ready Mixed Concrete 9th by Rob Rae at 41cm, the Harvey Norman 11th by Brad Conn at 1.56mcm and the 17th by Nick Kelly at 106cm.
Ball winners were Phil Bishop, Ray White, David Stevenson, Jack Matthews, Andrew Bourke, Mick Smith.
