MURRAY DOWNS
HOT and sunny conditions laid down the path for good scoring this week at Murray Downs Golf & Country Club.
Thursday’s Stableford competition was run as a medley with 102 men and women competing on the day.
Young Mabel Spitty (11) came out on top of the pile with an impressive 42 points, also taking out B Grade in the process.
Behind her in B Grade was Samuel Rovere (17) with 41 points and Steven Kerr (15) with 40 points.
C Grade was headed up by Mick Burns (21) with his 40 points, followed by Paul Raudino (18) with 39 points and visitor Toni Morse (20) with 37 points.
D Grade also had a winner with 40 points in the form of Howard Rosewarne (24), closely beating Stephen Matthew (26) who had 39 points, and Chris Willson (26) with 35 points grabbing third by countback.
Finally, A Grade was a tight affair with a countback putting recent Monthly Medal winner Jorgen Leschke (8) ahead of visitor Jason Zambelli (8) after both scored 37 points. Luke Doolan (7) trailed behind with 36 points.
If you wanted a ball you needed to get to 34 points on the day, and nearest the pins were taken by Paul Bethune on the 2nd, Ross Hastings on the 5th, Jonathan Hirst on the 11th and George Barnes on the 15th.
For Saturday’s par competition, 122 players lined up and a few of them definitely took advantage of the ideal scoring conditions.
Mark Grant (13) just edged out Craig Matheson (12) for score of the day and the B Grade honours, with both scoring an astonishing 7 up for the day, but Mark’s superior back nine score secured the countback.
Finishing off the B Grade top three was Graham McLellan (13) who still shot a great score of 5 up.
C Grade was taken out by James Downing (18) with 3 up, followed by Colin Hedwards (15) with 2 up and Geoffrey Frame (20) with 1 up.
Dennis Kelly (21) took out the D Grade with 2 up, accompanied by Jacob Lucas (32) and Bill Stewart (26) from Horsham who both shot 1 up but got second and third respectively on a countback.
Another tight day in A Grade with Mathew Collins (2) grasping the top honours over Kelvin Kellett (4) from Mornington and Lleyton McLean (2) with all three players scoring 2 up, but the countback selected them as first, second and third respectively.
Due to all the high scoring, 1 down was the required result to get a ball.
Nearest the pins were Kelvin Kellett taking the 2nd, Samuel Rovere got the 5th, James Downing claimed the 15th, but shot of the day could well have been Craig Matheson who painted the flagstick on the 11th with only 38cm separating his ball from the hole and claiming the jackpot.
Sunday’s medley par competition delivered another tight event, with Steven Emberson (18) edging out Gerard Moloney (19).
Both players scored an impressive 6 up, but the countback gave Steven the score of the day and the B Grade win.
Following in third in B Grade was James Downing with 5 up, maintaining his good form from the day before.
A Grade was close, but Jayden Graham (6) scored 5 up to secure the win, leaving Jorgen Leschke (7) and Mitchell Ryan (15) behind him.
Both shot 4 up but Jorgens greater back nine won the countback and second place, leaving Mitchell in third.
To claim a ball, 1 down was the score you needed to achieve.
Finally, nearest to pins were claimed by Jenny Waterson on the 2nd, Craig Davies on the 5th, Shane Ingram on the 11th and Keagan Grant on the 15th.
Tuesday’s Stableford competition was hotly contested with Charlie King (6) scoring a formidable 39 points, taking out the A Grade and winning the day on a countback from Luke Doolan (6).
Judith Simmonds (23) secured the B Grade with 38 points, a few ahead of Doug Wood on 35 points.
To place and win a ball, 33 points was the benchmark.
Nearest the pins were secured by Noah Starrs on the 2nd, Luke Doolan on the 5th, Doug Wood on the 5th and Andrew Cameron on the 11th.
This weekend hosts the Gisborne Golf Club Charity Day, raising funds for the Gisborne Golf Club who tragically lost their clubhouse to a fire in April.
Saturday will be a two-person Stableford event, which will be followed by a dinner and silent auction.
All proceeds go towards rebuilding their beloved building, it’s a great reason to grab a mate and join in the cause.
MURRAY DOWNS LADIES
CLARIS Bourne started off the 2025 Wednesday golf competitions with a bang by winning the January Monthly Medal.
This was Claris’ second medal at Murray Downs and in this instance her score of 103-28-67 was three shots clear of the next best score of 70 net which was posted by the Division 1 winner, Paula Pickert (16).
Runner-up in Division 1 was Jude Simmonds (23) 71, and Jenice Krahnert (29) 74 in Division 2.
Chris Warburton, 74, and Eilleen Willox, Jenny Monahan and Robyn Bett, all 74 net, led the ball pool.
Claris Bourne used her putter 26 times to win the putting competition and the nearest-the-pin winners were Colleen Roberts, Lynne Bishop, Mia Hirst and Jenice Krahnert.
Twenty women braved the heat on Saturday with Lisa Brady (26) 39 points and Sally Fearn (33) 38 points posting the best scores.
Dione Heppell (12) 36 points and Deb Watson (40) 35 points were next best.
Jenny Lynas and Tamika Hogan hit the lucky shots to the par threes.***
MURRAY DOWNS DADS ARMY
ON Monday, December 30, members played the back nine.
Best score was returned by Ross Cox on 21 points, followed by Rob Smith on 18 points, Barry Bishop on 17 points, Barry Ingram and Gordon Parsons on 16 points, and three on 15 points, Ray Frame, Kevin Maddy and Brian Devlin.
On Wednesday, January 8, members played the front nine, with the best score being recorded by Rob Deighton on 22 points, followed by Ian Dickson and Kevin Maddy on 18 points, Gavin Scown on 17 points, Brian Devlin on 16 points, Rob Smith on 13 points and Arthur Graham on 12 points.
Members of Dads Army pass on their condolences to the family of David “Darky” Carmichael, a member of Dads Army, who passed away recently.
On Monday, members played the back nine.
Best score was recorded by Rob Deighton on 20 points, followed by Barry Bishop on 17 points, Rob Smith on 15 points and Ross Cox on 12 points.
On Wednesday, members played the front nine, with the best score being recorded by Kevin Maddy on 23 points, followed by Rob Smith on 20 points, Ray Frame 18 points, Barry Bishop, Barry Ingram and Ian Dickson on 17 points, Rob Deighton and Gavin Scown on 15 points, and Brian Devlin on 14 points.
The weekly winner was shared by Rob Smith and Rob Deighton on 35 points from Barry Bishop on 34 points and Brian Devlin on 23 points.
