Vets golf
By John Dwyer.
Mother Nature won out once again last week for twin-towns veteran golfers who had a day at home after play in Parkes was abandoned on Thursday due to the wet and expected showers predicted for later that day.
It’s all on again this Thursday back in Forbes where all will notice changes from the improved greens after coring to the leveling of tees and grounding of tree stumps. Spring is in the air and how lucky are golfers to have two courses at their disposal for twin towns vets competitions.
A bit of moisture did not stop Forbes' Tuesday 12-hole social players last week where a count-back was required to determine a winner, once again.
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Vying for the win were the two Peters - Barnes and Scholfield - with P. Barnes getting the nod. Both scored 29 points.
We’re all proud of our children and grandchildren and today with little vets golf notes to report the scribe is going to share a short edit on the life of a friend’s grandson who is making quite a name for himself playing golf in ‘The States’.
That friend is Kerry Dunstan, not a golfer but a volunteer and organiser at the Forbes ‘Bowlie’. We both enjoy a social game of bowls, hence our connection, but not quite as successful as the following.
Kerry, and I’m sure his late wife Wendy would be the same, as grandson 20-year-old Liam Toole is someone to be extremely proud of. Before we go further we should mention that Liam is also the grandson of another well know Forbes couple Robyn and Barry Toole.
Liam is one of three sons to Sandra and Adrian Toole so the breeding is there for success on the sporting field remembering Adrian was a feared prop for the North Sydney Bears in the 80s and 90s.
Studying business at Williams Woods University in Columbia Missouri, Liam gained entry with an agency spotting his golfing talent which eventually led to the uni scholarship.
Today a +3 handicap greets Liam when competing in tournaments for the NCA Conference and recently in a WW Invitation success came his way against 148 other aspiring golfers.
Played over 36 holes Liam had the field chasing after 18 posting a creditable six under par which was followed up the next day with one under and victory.
Is golf his future?
As Adrian points out it may not be, it’s all up to Liam but the business world is an area gaining popularity. However, his four years in the States at college is proving a great experience no matter what.
The Toole family’s other boys, Zac ready for his HSC and Rory in Year 10, also have the talents to succeed on the sporting field, just ask Kerry.
It doesn’t end there for the Dunstan family with Kerry's brother Ray and wife Leslie are just as proud of their granddaughter 16-year-old Ella who has been selected in the Australian Joey’s Hockey side.
The daughter of Heidi and Ryan Dunstan, Ella is gearing up for the side's tour of Europe next April.
Parkes Golf Club
By Peter Bristol
Saturday’s Results
Saturday was the 4BBB Championship, this year sponsored by the Zac Kelly Golf team, the newly married couple Zac and Maddie Kelly.
There is a real buzz coming from the pair as they set up their business and get things underway.
There were 80 players facing off for the prize, some very hot entries, some competitive teams and some friends just out for an opportunity to create some memories.
One of the morning crews in Gordon Pritchard and Rob Staples, set the bar high with a 46 point haul.
Gordon has been in very hot form and was much sort after as a pairing due to this, but Rob won the ballot and whilst the minor partner in the pair did pick up some points on the back 9 when they were needed.
This held for a while until Aaron Gaffey and Matt Clark also came in with the same score, only to be beaten by a countback.
But late in the day a pair slipped under their guard when the lightly handicapped pair of Scott Winter and David Hodges managed to scrap out an extra point and a combined 47 points was the winning score for the day.
Scott has been in simmering form for around 6sixweeks and obviously caught Dave on a good day to pile on the points.
Other close chasers were Leone Stevenson and Dale Matthews who enjoying the sunshine in the afternoon plus the roll of the greens to record a 45 point bag, also on this score were Tim Baker and Warren Blatch who spent most of the round discussing bridge and staying centred to play extra well.
The Nearest The Pins on Saturday were –The Idlerite 1st by Nym Dziuba at 364cm, Griffins Leading Edge by Andrew Bament at 109cm, Parkes Ready Mixed Concrete 9th by David Speakman at 138cm, the Harvey Norman 11th by Gordon Pritchard at 333cm, the 17th by Gordon Pritchard at 257cm. The winner of the lucky 4th this week was Gordon Pritchard at 257cm.
There was also an individual in conjunction and Matt Clarke was the winner with a very impressive 41 points.
Ball winners were Aaron Gaffey and Matt Clarke 46, Leone Stevenson, Tim Baker and Warren Blatch, M.Skinner & G.Keeley 45 and Rob Rea and Phil Smith 44.
On Sunday the return of the 18 hole Shootout, which was sponsored for a very long time by the Boschman family and IGA in Parkes.
Now in retirement Peter has continued his sponsorship of this event with the competition now being named the BDC event.
I am reliably informed this stands for the Big Dutch Cup and no doubt will have an orange scarf surrounding it. Huge thanks to Peter as this is one of the most sought trophies in the calendar.
This event gathers the top 18-20 players on stroke from 5 selected events through the year and the best scores enter the event. At each hole 1 player drops out of the event, if the scores are tied at the particular hole then there is a chip off to discard the player. There are no limits on gamesmanship but golf etiquette and courtesy are required.
On the 1st big hitting Jake Thompson bit the dust with his double bogey very costly. On the 2nd hole Luke Clarke suffered the early exit as well as the double bogey was proving costly, but he lost a chip off to Aaron Gaffey as well. Joe Van Opynen had a triple on the par 5 3rd and exited for the day. Myles Smith was next to leave the scene on the par 3 4th after a chipoff with Dave Brown and Aaron Gaffey again.
A big surprise was John green leaving on the 5th hole as he shines in this type of format, but a double then a loss in a chipoff with Blake Smith, Andrew Bourke and Dave Stevenson left him to contemplate ’25.
Peter Boschman was working on his speech as Max Keith left early as well on the 6th hole after another multi person chipoff. On the 7th hole Beau Tanswell lost control of his drive then had a triple bogey.
On the 8th hole a bogey was good enough to see Dave Brown depart but once again after a multi person chipoff. Coming up the halfway mark on the 9th Aaron Gaffey finally lost a chipoff as his double bogey took him out.
Down the 10th hole and Andrew Bourke recorded a double bogey but had a chance to redeem on a chipoff but failed to do so. On the short par 3 11th, David Stevenson met the end of his day after playing solidly, a horror six seeing him off.
Craig Matthews, was slinking along quietly, which is his way when a double on the 12th, then a loss in the chipoff against Rob Hey saw him depart. Next out was one of the early favourites in Jack Elliott, who lost out with a bogey on one of his par 5s meaning he was cooked for the day. Denis Howard, who has been in fine fettle since heading back to the course had gone deep into the contest only to have a double on the 14th and bid adieu.
Rob Hey, unassuming and just getting on with the job, hung in until the 15th where a par saw him lose out after a 4 person chipoff.
On the uphill 16th Blake Smioth got the smell of the BBQ and took a shortcut to the clubhouse, after a disastrous hole.
With two of the club champions and an up and comer left, it was thought that Riall Harrison and Aaron Wilkie would be head to head up the 18th, but unfortunately Aaron lost to Riall on the 17th with a bogey chipoff. This left the West Wyalong ecological warrior in Michael Thomas to battle it out with Riall up 18.
Michael has been working in the mine at Wyalong for half the year and has been unable to get as much golf in as he would like but obviously this has just freshened him up and he defeated Riall in another chipoff on the 18th to be crowned the 1st winner of the BDC and receive the trophy from the orange boy Peter Boschman in a moving ceremony. Thanks to Peter and all the participants and there will be much competition to get into the field for ’25.
