Sunday Golf A two person Canadian Foursomes event was played on Sunday will 10 teams taking part. The format required both players to tee off, take the best drive then play alternate shots for the rest of the hole. Winners were the pairing of Angus Axtell and Ed Gebhardt who shot 82 for a 70 nett. Angus and Ed met for the first time in the morning and by the end of the day were best mates taking home matching meat trays and reminiscing some of their great shots throughout the day. Runners up on a countback were Ryan Pike and Colby Poole who played solid golf all day making no errors and had 84 for 71 nett. They edged out Aaron Coddington and Trevor Krause who both struggled with the putter hitting some putts that only a mother could love. (79 for 71 nett). Ball comp: A Coddington and T Krause 71 nett S Shuck and A Abra 71.5 nett Ntps: 3rd Aaron Coddington 6.8m 7th Steve Shuck 4.02m 12th Scott Sinclai 5.20m 16th Anthony Abra 2.06m Adam Phillips and Phil Lee took out the Gazannes Pizza voucher with Phil taking advantage of a good drive from Adam and putting the approach shot to 1.85. Adam and Phil also took home a couple of old golf balls after winning the Bradman award with 76 nett. Next Sunday the 31 May is the quarter finals of the Capital Chemist 4bbb. There will also be a 4bbb competition on this day. Sunday 7 June is the three person MND Ambrose fund-raiser. This is an amazing event for a great cause. There will be a barbeque, great raffle prizes and golf prizes. Start getting your groups together. Vets Golf First up, I would like to thank Phil Freddy Lee for filling in for me while I was away on medical leave. Phil often takes over the reporting role when I’m absent. He does a tremendous job, and if he is interested, there could be a vacancy next year that would require his keyboard skills. As for the day’s competition, the Delta Ag Shield Stableford saw some truly impressive performances on the course. Despite the crisp morning air, our members turned out in force, eager to tackle the fairways and vie for the top spot. The greens were playing fast, demanding precision and patience from every player, yet the camaraderie remained the true highlight of the event. It is this spirit of friendly rivalry that makes our club gatherings so special, fostering a sense of belonging that transcends the final scorecard. It was round eight of the Delta Ag Shield last Thursday, and the winner with 37 points was Trevor Krause (11). Trevor had a tap-in birdie on the par-5 11th and that gave him the edge over runner-up, Richard Starling (28) who scored 36 points. Richard’s consistent play throughout the back nine kept the pressure on until the very last hole. As the saying goes, "Fortune favours the bold," and Trevor’s ability to capitalise on those pivotal moments proved decisive. Ball winners were Phil Bleyer (14) with 34 points c/b, followed by Bob Brabin (12) with 34 points c/b, Bill Robertson (12) 34 points, Aaron Coddington (5) 33 points, Mick Reardon (19) 32 points, and Peter Cartwright (25) 31 points. Nearest the pin honours went to Anthony Madden on the 7th with 7.75m, Mick Reardon won the 12th with 3.3m. Then we had Steve Shuck winning the 16th with the best of the day, 1.66m. The drive and chip holes were won by Mick Reardon and Aaron Coddington, respectively, showcasing their precision around the greens. Mick won the 3rd withs3.38m. Aaron took out the 8th with 2.83m. Delta Ag points were awarded to Richard Starling 6, Phil Bleyer 5, Bob Brabin 4, Mick Reardon 3, Peter Cartwright 2. A point is earned by the vets who participated on the day and recorded a score, ensuring that every player’s effort is recognised in the overall standings. Looking ahead, the upcoming round promises even more competitive action as the leaderboard remains tightly contested. With the season progressing, every participant is refining their strategy, honing their skills to climb the ranks. The skins ($1.00 per skin) were hotly contested throughout the round. Aaron Coddington’s birdie on the 8th earned him an eight-hole jackpot prize of $8.00. Steve Shuck did something similar. Steve sank his 1.66m birdie putt on the 16th to claim six skins and $6.00. Richard Starling won five skins for $5.00, Mick Reardon 3, Bruce Chant (Coolamon Sport & Recreation Club), Peter Cartwright, Adam Ward, and Judy Gorton won 2 skins each. David Meale, Simon Eyles, and Phil Bleyer won a skin each. The kitty banked 3 in total for $3.00. The shot of the day was also hotly contested. Three players showed remarkable ability with a golf club, but as the old saying goes, “there can be only one winner,” and the winner is (drum roll please) Simon Eyles. Playing the par-3 16th, Simon hit a powerful iron shot that soared gracefully through the air, but landed hard on the back of the green, then ended up rolling 30 metres off the green into the rough. However, demonstrating nerves of steel and impeccable touch, Simon pulled out his 7-iron and executed a flawless chip and run that tracked perfectly toward the hole, and vanished into the cup for an incredible birdie and 4 points. This spectacular display of skill drew accolades from his playing partners. With players navigating the challenging Temora layout with tactical focus and steady nerves. The competition remained fierce until the final putt dropped, with the leaderboard reflecting the tight margins that defined this memorable Thursday. As the sun began to dip, casting long shadows across the fairways, the last group putted out on their final hole with Simon Eyles delicately stroking the ball into the hole for the final putt of the day, a testing 1 metre putt for 2 points. The satisfying click of the ball hitting the bottom of the cup brought a close to a round defined by good sportsmanship and a lot of down-to-earth fun. The clubhouse soon buzzed with the hum of post-round chatter, as participants gathered to tally the day's results and exchange stories of near-misses and spectacular recoveries. Laughter echoed against the walls as the day’s highlights were replayed, while the camaraderie shared over cold drinks served as the perfect conclusion to a day defined by both sporting spirit and the enduring joy of the game. Indeed, as the ancient adage suggests, "Friendship is the wine of life," and today, amidst the verdant expanse of the course, that vintage was poured in abundance. Our next competition on Thursday, the 28 May, is the Intersales Cup Stroke event. Players, you are required to register your participation by acknowledging your intention to play to the starter on arrival. Registration begins at approximately 10.30am and we aim to be on the tees no later than 11am. We look forward to seeing another impressive turnout. May the weather remain as favourable as it was last Thursday. It has become a difficult process. I’ll rephrase sorry. It should be a simple process to register your name and set up your GA app for the day’s competition. But it often becomes a difficult process when players arrive late, especially after names have been drawn for the day’s play. A rushed revamp of the starting list is required, and impatience and frustration are often present. We all have to remember this. The starter is there to organise the day’s competition, who plays with whom, and what local rules are relevant for the event. All done voluntarily. He doesn’t have the advantage of having a practice putt or a practice hit, as we all do, as he is busy managing the logistics and coordinating the groups to ensure everyone has a smooth experience. Therefore, we must show appreciation for his efforts by being punctual and fully prepared. Your cooperation not only lightens the starter's heavy burden but also sets a respectful tone for the entire event. After all, golf is a game of integrity and consideration, and it is through these small acts of punctuality and patience that we truly uphold the spirit of the sport. Furthermore, by acknowledging the starter's commitment, we cultivate a culture of mutual respect that extends far beyond the green. Let us remember that every smooth tee-off is the result of someone working quietly behind the scenes to keep the momentum going. By honouring his dedication, we elevate our own experience and contribute to the seamless flow of the game. Coolamon Golf After the compelling ongoing drama of the missing sandwich, there is very little to report this week. The unmasked culprit is currently languishing in the Old Melbourne Jail awaiting execution and Honey is slowly regaining her strength and all is returning to normal. So now I can focus on the golf, which should appease my critics. There were no Monos to add although Stu Seymour almost joined the Bon file. A simple chip on the seventeenth remained in the same spot but did move almost imperceptibly saving Stu from everlasting mortification (for now anyway) Only five players fronted for Saturday’s Stableford event with Geoff Wilson taking home the chokies after 33 points, while the ancient warrior Trev Jose brought up the rear adding a pink ball to his Castle like pool room collection of priceless antiques. An antique himself, although far from priceless, Trev will shortly discover his real age once the carbon dating results are in. On Sunday a field of 22 players enjoyed the beautiful conditions and course. None more so than Tom Goss whose 80/40 points was his best score since Trev was a mere tilt is his father’s kilt. Runner up, Andrea Hilton missed pocketing all the candy after a quadruple bogey on the ninth crippled what was a brilliant round. Others to feature in the ball rundown were Matt Hard 36 with Geoff Wilson and Neil Pleming a shot away. Even though Brian Mangan rolled in his first Royal Coolamon birdie putt on the sixth, it wasn’t enough to lift him from the mire of pink ball territory. Unfortunately, his intention to ‘drink the jackpot dry’ if his hole was drawn out never eventuated. Instead, there was even more controversy after Mark Hardy went within 10 mils of a hole in one on the 4th and his birdie number was drawn. He gleefully pocketed the $100 jackpot. Tragically, the presenter was distracted by the bellowing and roaring from both ends of the room from the Ex PM and Puddles Armstrong, it was like duelling chainsaws castrating cats, and I failed to notice Marty Crawford, Honey’s partner had also birdied the 4th. Fortuitously, Mark willingly departed with $50 and a crisis was averted. Imagine Jackpotgate on top of Sandwichgate. I would’ve been knocking on the Pearly Gate. Nearest the pin and drive and chip prizes over both days were won by Sandra Wilson, Ray Jennings, Trev Jose, Geoff Wilson, Mark Hardy, Tom Goss, Bruce Chant and Stu Seymour. This weekend there will be a member’s comp on Saturday, but no official one on Sunday as a Coolamon team will be heading to Royal Grong Grong to contest the Jolly Cup. This morning the club received news of the tragic passing of one of our most popular members Luke Fifield. Personally and collectively we express our deep condolences to Sue and the Fifield family. Luke’s golf career got off to a late start, but he took to the game with enthusiasm and good humour. He was always prepared to help out on the course and an immensely popular playing partner. Luke had an unquenchable appetite for life and his infectious laughter in the club after finishing added hugely to the general merriment and camaraderie. Luke was one of those precious people who could laugh heartily at his own golfing foibles. Vale mate, loved playing with you. Luke passed away on the same day as the greatest Australian of my lifetime. Neale Daniher’s death ended his inspirational struggle with the disease that more than any other factor defined his life. And what a life it was. If injury hadn’t blighted his football career he would’ve been in the pantheon with the game’s greatest and a premiership captain as well. He was also a champion schoolboy cricketer, so good his Kilmore coach believed he could’ve played for Australia. Even more than his sporting accomplishments he was a magnificent human being. He defied the beast right to the end, he fought with all he had. And made the world a better place, a husband, friend and dad. It’s comforting to think that he and Luke will now be sharing a round of golf on the pristine fairways of paradise.
