MURRAY DOWNS MEN
SOME very good scores were recorded last Saturday in the final home-and-away round of the 2023 Swan Hill Wholesalers Premier League competition.
The Goat Trackers (106) had a good win over the Quo Vadis Gladiators (97), with George Sidorow (36) being the best for the Goats and Joey Higgins (34) best for the Gladiators.
The Wannabees (112) also had a very good win over the Birdies (98), with Sue Davis (38) and Debra Watson (36) leading the way for the Wannabees, while the best for the Birdies was Carol Wiseman with 33 points.
Royal Capri maintained second spot on the ladder with 97 points, recording a clean sweep over the Bushrangers who had no players available.
The Mavericks (102) recorded a good win over Presidents Cup (91) and with this result they have snuck into the final four, knocking the Mallee Bulls out of contention.
Daniel Lavey led the way for the Mavericks with 40 points, while Ken Gregory (34) was the best for the Presidents Cup.
In the final match of the round, the Sticky Bandits were too good for the Mallee Bulls, 114 to 105.
Jonny Hirst (40) and Jackson Quirk (38) led the way for the Bandits as did Murray Conn (38) and Mathew Quaife (35) for the Bulls.
The semi-finals start on Saturday, August 12, where the Goats will take on the Mavericks, while Royal Capri will do battle against the Wannabees.
In the daily competition, some very good scores were forthcoming, with the countback system getting a working over in all three divisions.
Division 1 went to Jason Baird (10) over Jonny Hirst (10), with both players finishing with 40 points each.
Jackson Quirk (18) got the nod in his favour for Division 2 honours, ahead of the evergreen Laurie Shipsides (14), with both players finishing on 38 points apiece, while in Division 3, it went the way of Daniel Lavey (22) over Ben Sartori (29), with both players recording 40 points each.
The ball rundown was red hot, as scores of 36 points or more were required to be eligible for a ball and with the nearest the pins, Craig Davies claimed the jackpot on the 11th hole, having shot to within 25cm, Mark Warren was the closest on the 2nd, as was Luke Merritt on the 5th.
Sunday’s competition was a medley event against par, played over two divisions.
Leigh Evans (16) recorded the day’s best score of four up to take out Division 1 from Gary Blencowe (12), who finished at two up.
Division 2 was taken out by Chris Knee (25) with one up, with Zac Denham (26) the next best by being square with the card.
One down was the magical mark to get a ball, while the nearest the pins were taken out by Darryl Domaille on the 5th, Lucas Free on the 11th and John Scott on the 15th.
Last Thursday, the daily competition was also against par over two divisions, with Lance Stobaus (15) having the best score of two up, taking out Division 1.
He was followed by Bryan Eddy (14) from Cobram-Barooga on one up.
Joe Morison (24) also scored one up to be the best in Division 2, ahead of Greg Daniels (25) at one down, which was also the mark to get a ball.
The nearest the pins went to Steven Carr of Cobram-Barooga, Doug Grant and Justin Thompson on holes 2, 11 and 15 respectively.
On Tuesday, par competitions continued as the flavour of the month, with Paul Bethune (14) finishing at one up and getting the chocolates, ahead John Tripodi, Ian Gammon and Murray Conn, who all finished at one down.
This Sunday, Murray Downs is holding a four-person PGA Scramble competition and at the time of submitting these notes, there were enough teams registered to allow for the leading two teams to go through to the regional final, with the venue and date for the regional final still to be confirmed.
MURRAY DOWNS LADIES
TWO A Grade golfers, Lynne Bishop and Kathy Parkinson have been playing stellar golf over the past couple of weeks.
Lynne has taken out the major prizes on her last two outings, while Kathy, after a win last Wednesday, followed up with the runner-up prize this Wednesday.
The winning score from Lynne on Wednesday was three up from her 14 handicap, with Kathy (15) posting the same score.
In Division 2, Gaye Legudi (32) scored one up and won ahead of Marie Cruickshank (32) square.
Sheila Beard, one up, and Nonie Domaille, Carol Wiseman, Kerry McDonald and Jenny Monahan, all one down, led the ball pool.
One of Lynne Bishop’s three birdies was on the 12th hole, thus earning her the birdies nest, while she also had the most accurate shot on the 15th which resulted in a birdie, as well as claiming the nearest the pin on the 5th.
The other nearest the pin winners were Georgina Douglas and Deb Watson.
Lynne played off a 15 handicap on Saturday and scored 39 points to win ahead of Eilleen Willox (27) on 38 points.
Ball winners were Nadine Cox, Sue Davis, Melita Sartori and Deb Watson, with Jenice Krahnert and Lynne Bishop collecting the nearest-the-pin prizes.
LALBERT
LAST Friday, a three-person Ambrose, any combination event was held at the Lalbert Golf Club.
The scratch winners were the team of Brad Kelly, Andrew Parsons and Adam Kelly with 66/4.3/61.7, while the handicap winners were Lee O’Meara, Maree Kingwill, Sarah Young and Doug Meehan, Bromwyn Good and Luke Hatfield.
The men’s nearest the pins were won by Brett Pekin (6th) and Phil Loyd (8th), while the ladies’ nearest the pins were won by Maree Kingwill (6th) and Sarah Young (8th).
The longest drives were won by Andrew Flanagan and Sarah Young.
On Sunday, an 18-hole stroke event was held for ladies and men.
In the ladies’ scratch event, Karen McKissack was the winner on 94, ahead of Danika Meehan on 97. Danika took out the handicap event with a net 68, while runner-up was Maree Kingwill on net 72 and Sarah Young was third on net 77.
The ladies’ nearest the pins were won by Maree Kingwill on the sixth, while Karen McKissack won the prize on the eighth and also the longest drive.
The men’s A Grade scratch winner was Braydon O’Bree on 76, from James Meehan Snr. and Doug Meehan on 78.
The handicap winner was James Meehan Sr on net 69, with Doug Meehan with net 72 second and Dave Doolan with net 75 third.
The men’s B Grade scratch winner was Michael Watson with 82, on a countback from Ricky Cameron, while the handicap winner was Chayse Worner on net 62, with Ricky Cameron on net 71 second and Richard White on net 73 third.
The nearest the pins were won by Brad Kelly (6th) and Leigh Paynter (8th), while Brad Kelly won the A Grade longest drive and Dwayne Scott won the B Grade longest drive.
LAKESIDE LADIES
THE glorious conditions were not reflected in the scores at Royal Lakeside on Wednesday, with Deanne Free (29) scoring 32 points and winning the day ahead of Lois Heil (33) with 30 points.
Tricia Witney (30) with 29 points won the ball pool, on a countback from Ruth McAlister (21).
The nearest the pins were won by Jean Youl on the Lake Boga Cafe 3rd, Lois on Lake Boga Marines 7th, Tricia on the Heil’s 12th and Deanne won Joan’s ball on the 18th.
Deanne was the only one with a gobbler for the day on the 14th.
This Saturday is a three-person Ambrose any combination, with assembly at noon for 12.30pm hit-off, with a Christmas in July dinner to follow.
TOOLEYBUC LADIES
WEDNESDAY was par.
Winner – Narelle Fraser, 33 points.
Runner-up – Leonie Lambert, 29 points.
Nearest the pin 5/14 – Narelle Fraser.
Nearest the pin 1/10 – Leonie Lambert.
Nutrien – Narelle Fraser.
Balls down the line – Marg Rowe/Lisa Zanker.
