Scone Golf Report: September 2

By Julie Leckie

FOLLOWING some very welcome Friday and Saturday rain, there was some doubt that there would be any golf on Saturday, but the green keepers decided that the course was indeed playable.  For the first time golfers on Saturday had an opportunity to play the course in the wet, probably not wet enough for most of our farmers, but the golfers readily took on the challenge.  All were instructed to stay off the bare and gluey areas in the rough and almost all complied. 

The rain deterred some, but a field of 40 played for the Paul and Liz Smart trophy in a hybrid format of ambrose and stableford 4-ball.  The format encouraged adventurous tee shots and strategic play between partners to bank as many points as possible.  All agreed the day was a roaring success, none more so than the partnership of Justin and James Smart, who were so desperate to benefit from their parents’ investment  that they played a peerless round of 49 Stableford points to win the day.   Runners up were Lindsay Hodge and Adam Moore with 48 points on a countback.  Balls were awarded to the pairs of: Greg Parkinson from Manilla and David Pearce of Aberdeen; Alan Wood and Tony O’Neill; Jake and Peter Teague;  Angus and David MacIntyre; David and Will O’Donnell.  Nearest the pin on the 4^th/13^th was Angus MacIntryre and on the 8^th/17^th was Justin Smart. The Golf schedule for the month of September has now been decided and is available on the club website. Next week we play a Stableford event in conjunction with the September Monthly Mug, sponsored by the Scone RSL Group.  The mug will be awarded for the lowest net stroke score.

Scone ladies played last Thursday for the Jodie Hinde Trophy and although it was a lovely day weather wise there was only a small roll up with a number of ladies either away or unable to play.  As always the golf course was in immaculate condition with plenty of run on the fairways due to a few winter frosts over winter giving the shorter hitters a bit of assistance. Julie Leckie made the most of the conditions coming in with a Stableford score of 36 points which included two birdies, equalling our sponsor Jodie Hinde who actually won on a countback but graciously redonated the winning prize to Julie rather than claim her own trophy. Thank you Jodie!   

Dordie Bragg took out the Runner Up prize with 33 pts on a count back. Ball winners were Jodie Hinde 36pts, Noreen Marshall 33pts and Lyn Banks 32pts.   Sadly no nearest the pin once again. Next Thursday is Melonie’s Jewellers Monthly Medal  &  5^th Golf NSW Medal along with Count Your Putts Wine O’Clock Trophy. Also we are delighted to be welcoming two visiting ladies from Tamworth’s Longyard Golf Course who are coming to try our new course,  which is testament to the fabulous reputation the course is receiving up and down the highways.

Julie Leckie seen swimming for golf balls at Shelly Beach Golf Course

Five Scone ladies headed off to tackle Shelly Beach in their Blue Water Classic event on Monday. After a deluge of rain on the weekend, it was touch and go if they would open the course with 10 bunkers under water and plenty of temporary water on the fairways.   After a delayed start the field paddled out with their buggies also battling fairly strong sea breezes.  Not to be deterred on one very wet fairway, one intrepid Scone lady was seen with shoes off paddling into a dam overflow on the course, retrieving all the balls in her group that had gone for swim. Jodie Hinde and Julie Leckie fared well in Division 1, both returning home with a ball.   Also on tour, Lyn Banks had headed south over the border with her husband Ross playing the South Australian and Victorian Seniors Championships along with exploring several other course along the way. We will wait with interest to hear how they compare their first port of call at Cobar in dry and dusty far western NSW with the renowned Victorian links courses of Barwon Heads and 13^th Beach later in their trip!!