Veteran's Golf
By John Dwyer
Twin-Towns veteran golfers had to play second fiddle to Mother Nature last Thursday after a welcome 6 millimetres of rain fell on the weekly host club course, Forbes.
But all is not lost for those vets chasing championship honors with West Wyalong hosting the Lachlan Valley Veterans Championship on Thursday and being played in conjunction with the West Wyalong open day. Registrations from 9.15am for a 10am shot-gun start.
It was a busy few days for Bogan Gate golf club with the staging of their annual Open Tournament last Sunday week, while two days later they hosted a "casual" 12-hole competition. Both were well supported which was not missed by club captain, Don McKeowen.
“Both were very good for the club and we now look forward with the aim of improving playing numbers in coming years,” Don said.
“Days like these don’t just happen. It takes effort and on behalf of the club I thank all who took the time to come out to play and to our sponsors who without them there is no competition. To our committee for all their efforts in preparing the course, to catering on the day, and helping with the score cards. It all helps,” he added.
Sunday, September 8 was the Open followed on Tuesday, September 10 by the ‘casual’ hit-out. Sunday’s Open had players from around the district and Sydney. Tuesday saw district club players mixing with others who without handicaps took time to refresh their memories of playing golf.
Two grades were played in Sunday’s Open with Rick Smith from Tottenham taking the scratch event with three over par 74 from evergreen Forbes member Barry Parker 87.
Other A grade results (handicap 0-12) – Handicap result, George Falvey (Forbes) 77 nett (scratch 87), r/u Michael Kopp (Wentworth, Orange) 81 (scr 92). Stableford result, Greg Deiner (Peak Hill) 29 points, r/u Robert J Lea (Parkes) 25 points.
B grade (13-36) – Scratch, Steve McIntyre (Cumberland, Sydney) 87, r/u Greg Baker (Albert) 87. Handicap, Steve Edwards (Bogan Gate) 72 nett (scr 92), r/u Vince Mills (SGA Sydney) 72, (scr 93). Stableford, Todd Dunn (Peak Hill) 34 points, r/u Robert McIntyre (Bogan Gate) 33.
Veterans winner, Rick Smith (Tottenham).
Neaest-to-pins: A grade James Ward (Parkes), B grade Ian Dietrich (Peak Hill). Long drive, A grade Rick Smith (Tottenham), B grade Ian Ward (Parkes).
Tuesday’s ‘social’ hit resulted in an event which at this stage is planned to be bigger and better next year. Staunch Bogan Gate club members Ros and Steve Edwards worked tirelessly to its success which was very much appreciated by the 41 in attendance.
It took a three-way count-back to decide the individual winner with Parkes hot-shot Gordon Pritchard getting the scorers' nod with 26 points on a count-back over Andrew Norton-Knight (Fbs) and Nym Dziuba (Pks).
Individual prizes went to seventh placing: fourth Richard Hamilton (Pks) 25 points; fifth, sixth and seventh Mark Dwyer (Pks), Dale Stait (Pks) and Peter Rowe (B’Gate) all on 24 points.
Forbes member Alf Davies sponsored a draw from the hat 4-ball aggregate which was taken out by Ted Morgan and Trevor Drury, both from Forbes with 45 points. 2nd Gordon Pritchard and Garry Phipps (both Pks) 44 points, 3rd Joe Davies and Dale Stait (both Pks), 4th Rob Staples and Ken Walton (Pks and Fbs).
Parkes Golf Club
By Peter Bristol
Parkes Open Weekend
The Parkes Golf Club came alive on the weekend when visitors from 29 clubs joined the Parkes members for three days of memorable golf. Greenkeepers, Logan and Brenton, had the course and greens in magnificent condition and the club’s volunteers worked tirelessly to have the odd jobs completed and the club and surrounds and course surrounds were schmick.
A huge thanks to all our sponsors, staff, volunteers, cart suppliers and everyone else that made the weekend such a success. The weather was fantastic, although a bit chilly at times.
Thanks very much to the visiting players for assisting the accommodation, food and beverage outlets and retail outlets in getting their EFTPOS machines to keep ticking over.
We kicked off on Friday with the Zac Kelly Golf day, sponsored by Zac and Maddie, where everyone got to have a look at the course in relaxed and inviting stableford event. We had 53 starters in the 18 hole event from 13 different clubs and 15 in the 9 hole event.
This event gives the visitors a chance to loosen up after a long drive and for some have a look at the course for the first time. Ben Skinner, a former well known resident, was the winner of the 18 hole event while the 9 hole event was picked up by the legendary Phillip ‘ Pom’ Pittaway.
We then moved to the highly prized event, the Cam Standen Construction shootout event. Cam has made this a feature of the weekend calendar now and visitors and locals alike flocked in to try and win the cash prize.
The event was on the new 18th hole, around 130m out with a large crowd on hand to see the contestants try their luck at getting nearest the pin. The Harrison clan were first in popping them in close before Joey Van Opynen had a few shots and closed in closer to the pin.
Simon Hogan then posted a pearler to set the competition alight. Joe tried valiantly and went into the dark trying to get the prize only to be beaten by millimetres in the 2024 Standen Constructions Shootout. Huge thanks to Cameron.
We then moved to Saturday’s Bridgestone Mining Solutions Australia event. The Bridgestone MSA team sponsoring for the first time in our Saturday 4BBB event as a lead into the Sunday stroke event.
This is a great event which is very popular with attending players, this year being 160. In the scratch event this year it was the Cowra pairing of Peter Kirwan and Nicky Basson taking out the event with a 69.
They were chased in by Justin O’Malley and Steve Rodda with 71 on a countback. The net winners were the Duntryleague pairing of Robert Lam and Peter Campbell on 47.
These boys never miss the Open and brought a few new mates this year. Joe Van Opynen teamed with Cody Hando to take the runner up position on a countback with 45 points.
We also played for the long established, The Coast golfers versus the PGC golfers, with Parkes coming on top again this year.
Gavin Graham and the Truserv team again sponsored the Nearest The Pins for the Saturday event with Warren Matthews scoring a hole in one to pick up the 1st hole, John Green the 4th at 121cm, Sam Morgan at 211cm on the 11th and Lex Dransfield at 21cm on the 17th.
We then woke to a very cool Sunday morning for the SCT Open and it was great to have the sponsors representatives in Peter Handel, State Manager, and Chris Bird, Road Linehaul Operations Manager and Sheehan Simmons State Sales Manager, in attendance and swinging the clubs in pursuit of the prestigious trophy alongside representatives from 29 other golf clubs and 165 in number.
The event this year was moved back to an 18 hole competition and as we expected it went down to a very tight finish with the quality of field. We ended up with three players tied on 75 for the first place. Steve Betland had two bogeys and seven pars on the front, with two birdies and three bogeys on the back.
Aaron Wilkie had two bogeys a double and two birdies on the front with three bogeys and two birdies on the back. Jack Elliott had three bogeys and two birdies on the front and 4 bogeys and 2 birdies on the back.
These three champion golfers finished one stroke in front of four other quality golfers in Justin O’Malley, John Betland, Max Keith and Caleb Hanrahan.
We then went to the compulsory three hole playoff, down the 1st tee, along the 2nd then up the par 5 18th, with the amphitheatre filled with spectators and a sun setting very fast. It was a tight fight down the first but unfortunately Jack sprayed his a little of the 1st and dropped behind the other two golfers.
Up the 2nd and Aaron had got himself a stroke ahead of Steve and a further shot back to Jack.
Coming up the 18th and it was almost dark Steve put one to around a metre for a birdie putt, Aaron hit a poor chip in the diminished light for a two metre par putt and Jack overshot the green and his chip left him around a 5m putt.
Unfortunately, Jack couldn’t improve his position, and it was down to Steve and Aaron. Golf carts were brought in close to put some headlights on the green so the players could have a better chance to putt. Steve took the initiative and putted first to nail a birdie.
This added a great deal of pressure to Aaron’s par putt but he remained cool under pressure to knock it in and be declared joint 2024 SCT Open champions, also being joint winners of the prestigious Fred Funnell Memorial Trophy. Jack was unlucky but a worthy contender.
Aaron’s finish was even more meritorious as he broke his driver and couldn’t use it past the 3rd hole.
In B grade 18 hole scratch winner was Denis Howard, who is now committed to a full return to golf, with a solid 84 winning on a countback. Runner Up was Will Currall with an 85.
The 18 hole Handicap winner was Jeff Carey with a 70 and runner up was Steve Uphill on 74.
In C grade Peter Kaden, coached to the minute by Zac Kelly, was the 18 hole Scratch winner on 92 beating home John Gilbert on 92. The 18 hole Handicap winner was Anthony Yanz with an excellent 67 one in front of Brett Skinner.
The time honoured Gidgie Leister Memorial Trophy, donated by the Ruzgas family, was won by Andrew Huntly on an excellent score of 65, the Keith Clark Memorial Scratch Veterans trophy was won by Peter Kirwan with an 80, the Veterans Handicap trophy, donated by the Parkes Veteran golfers was won by Jeff Carey with a 70.
The Truserv Nearest the Pins for Sunday were Jeff Cary at 385cm in A grade on the 1st, Rob Cheney at 153cm on the 4th, Steve Betland at 118cm on the 17th and Karl Crow at 45cm on the 11th.
Tom Casey was front and centre with his traditional Tom Casey Surveying Long Drive contest again this year and it was on the 13th hole pushing into a south westerly. In A grade Bailey Ferguson won, Denis Howard won the B grade and Nick Strudwick picked up the C grade.
The Lachlan Valley District men’s side competing in the GolfNSW Country Week championships at PGC in November was named with Steve and John Betland, Caleb Hanrahan and Peter Dawson from Forbes making the side with our Aaron Wilkie and Jack Elliott competing on their home course completing the side.
In 2025 the SCT Parkes Open will move to a 36 hole event with a 4BBB on the Friday. This format has support from the players, sponsors and supporters and we look forward to that. So again, a huge thank you to all who made 2024 such a great success.