MURRAY Downs Golf & Country Club has played host to a fantastic week of tournament golf, including the 50th anniversary of the annual Women’s Golden Putter.
Competition was fierce, with more than 650 golfers in attendance through the five days of golf, from almost 100 visiting clubs.
Women’s Golden Putter winners Adrienne Fievez and Marg Ivory started their successful week on the Wednesday by also claiming the Silver Putter.
The duo pipped Robin Bett and Julie Overall to win the 4BBB Stableford competition, before trying their luck at the main event on the Thursday.
Again, the pair were just too good, winning the 4BBB par Golden Putter competition by countback, after tying runners-up Lois Carnie and Rosie Thompson with +9.
Following the end of play on Thursday, all golfers gathered for presentation and to celebrate the event’s 50th anniversary.
Murray Downs golf committee captain Mag Kiley was given the task to cut the cake for the day, which just happened to coincide with her birthday.
Eleven past winners of the event were in attendance for the presentation, swapping stories and enjoying an afternoon of reminiscing.
But the golf was far from over, with the Men’s Golden Shoe tournament beginning on Friday morning before the Golden Putter which ran over the Saturday and Sunday.
The Golden Shoe competition was taken out by Melton Valley golfer Vailele Sa with a score of 39 points, ahead of runner-up Scott Donaldson on 36 points.
A local pairing took out honours in the Golden Putter 4BBB par competition, with Kain Domaille and Brenton Gurnett claiming victory, scoring 13 up ahead of runners-up Rob West and Chris Merritt on 11 up.
Horsham’s Stephen Wik was able to score a hole-in-one on hole 11, displaying the level of golf on show.
Men’s golf committee captain Mick Kiley said the tournament was always a good draw for travelling golfers.
“About 75 per cent of the field is made up by visitors,” he said.
“They just love it, they come from absolutely everywhere. We had golfers from all across the state, as well as some from as far away as South Australia.
“We get big groups over from Tea Tree Gully, as well as places like Horsham, Shepparton and the other side of Geelong.
“The course is in magnificent condition, the conditions are great and we’ve got great facilities. Some of these guys say they can’t get back often enough.
“The weather was pretty kind to us, although Friday was pretty ordinary. A little bit of drizzly rain, but the guys got through it all.
“Everyone involved had a very enjoyable time.”
