In the A grade scratch our 2 premier young golfers kicked off the event in great style with Jack Elliott carding a 2 over par 74 to be chased in by Aaron Wilkie with a 75. Jack got out early in the morning and put the target there for the rest of the field to fire at. With a strong northerly blowing the big hitters in the club made short work of the down wind holes. Aaron hit off mid morning and came in with a 75 and playing partner and longtime contender Riall Harrison hit a solid 77. The other major finishers were Wayne Parker with a sterling 80 and Charlie Kaehler, Stephen Riley and Michael Thomas all carding 82’s. In the net Peter Bristol was the surprise leader with a 69, followed in by the guns in Jack Elliott, Riall Harrison and Michael Thomas. 

Round 2 was contested on Sunday with the temperatures down and the prevailing wind from the west and occasionally south west, this gave all the indications of the scoring heating up. 

In the A grade scratch event Jack Elliott continued his march forward with another excellent 75 but the chasers had changed with Michael Dumesny and Anthony Riach to the fore with a 76, 77 respectively. Wayne Parker and Aaron Wilkie were next best on 80. In the net event Anthony won the day with his 70 on a countback from Wayne Powter. So this leaves Jack 5 strokes in front of Aaron going into the last 2 rounds and whilst not insurmountable it will take all of Aaron’s skills to bridge the gap. 

On Saturday the Nutrien 4BBB annual event was run and again thanks to one of our long term sponsors. There were 62 starters for this team’s event where the best score on the hole is totalled for the team. There was also an Individual event held in conjunction.

The winning combination were David Ford and Jake O’Brien who compiled a tidy 49 points. They combined well, with David pulling in 39 points and Jake 38 points. In the ladies event the pairing of Cath Kelly and Patsy Christie reigned supreme on the day, compiling 44 points.

In the Individual stakes, Max Keith on 42 points just got home in front of Wayne Tucker with 41 points and John Dwyer piling on the points for a 40. With the new track settling in, the fear is starting to dissipate, and golfers are coming to grips with it. Jake O’Brien shot a three over and Anthony Riach, Aaron, Wilkie and Max Keith all shot four overs.

The Nearest The Pins on Saturday were –The Idlerite 1st by Colleen Staples at 320cm, the Harvey Norman 11th by Chris Goodie at 320cm, the Parkes Ready Mixed Concrete 9th by Myles Smith at 190cm, the Harvey Norman 11th by Rod Kiley at 130 cm and the 18th by Col Breaden at 548cm. The lucrative 11th hole was won by Chris Goodie at 320cm this week.

Ball winners were Wayne Tucker 41, John Dwyer 40, Anthony Riach, John Pearce, Tom Delmenico 39, Ken Keith, Finne Latu 38, Jimmy Kuntze, Ron Hetherington 37. Captain Cath once again pummeled President David with the scores at 157 to 131

This week is the October Monthly Medal proudly presented by Telescope Tyres and Batteries / Hankook Masters with the daily sponsor being Peter Woods and Associates.

On Saturday 30th September, the Mens golf competition was the October Monthly Medal, sponsored by Forbes Concrete. This event was played this weekend because of the Club Champs starting next week. The field of 63 enjoyed the conditions.

The A-Grade Winner was Chharlws Dwyer with a 69 nett. He played very well alongside Head Pro Will, finishing with a ‘2’. Runner-up was Brad Ashton with 71 nett. His overall good game was not rewarded.

The B-Grade went to Fons Melisi returning a 68 nett, despite three double-bogeys along the way. Runner-up was Jeff House (69 nett) who lost concentration on the back-9 and also lost the Keno.

The C-Grade provided the lowest score with Lachlan Alley carding 66 nett, and this after recovering from a broken arm. Runner-up was Frank Hanns with 71 nett, who beat off Ross Williams on count back.

The NTP’s went to: 9th John Betland; 18th Harry Callaghan. The Pro Shop Super-pin went to Niel Duncan with a shot to 1.0 metres, and he got his ‘2’. The ball sweep went to 74 nett on count back.

The visitors included Steven Neal and Ed Cummins (Wentworth GC), and Scott Galloway (Trentham GC) from Victoria, here to meet his mates.

The Sunday Stableford 9-Hole Medley, played on the front-9, had 6 starters. They were all out early to beat the heat. The best score came from Mike Livingston with 22 points, and breaking a drought to be in the winner’s circle. Runner up was Brianna Duncan with 21 pts.

Monday had an 18-hole Individual Stableford Medley. There were 12 starters with Peter Dawson winning (38 pts). The ball sweep went to 35 pts on c/b. NTP’s went to Brett Thomas and Scott Galloway

This weekend we have the start of the Club Individual Championships.

By Short Putt

Congratulations to Aaron Wilkie and Jack Elliott who have been selected in the Lachlan Valley Men’s team to contest the GolfNSW NSW Country Week Championships at Rocks Country Club 11th and 12th November 2023. We will host this event on 9th and 10th November 2024 and hope to have more reps in team.

The Parkes Open weekend kicked off on Friday 15th September with the ProKonnect day, sponsored by Jake and Sammy, where everyone got to have a look at the course in relaxed and inviting stableford event. Ten visiting clubs were represented on the day, with local Ben Coultas firing a handy 42 point total to take out the event. 

We then moved to highly prized Cam Standen shootout event. The event was on the 9th hole, 120m out with a large crowd on hand to see the contestants try their luck at getting nearest the pin. Riall Harrison posted the closest, lining up with barely minutes left to fire a 65cm gem in to claim the prize.

The Epiroc day on Saturday, Alex Diamond and team again sponsored our 4BBB event and this lead-in to the Sunday stroke event proving very popular with players. In the scratch event the President and Vice President of PGC came out on top as David Stevenson and Peter Bristol combined well in the relaxed atmosphere and recorded 37 points, with Bristol recording an eagle on the 8th to bump up the points.

At the SCT Open on the Sunday it was great to have the sponsors representatives in attendance and swinging the clubs in pursuit of the prestigious trophy alongside representatives from 30 other golf clubs.

We were treated to a special event on the newly realigned golf course with Rob Hey from Parkes and Peter Kirwan from Cowra, with a former Parkes resident, tying on 114 after the compulsory 27 hole event. With a 3 hole playoff required, down the 1st, along the 2nd then up the par 5 18th, the hill in front of the clubhouse packed, combatants were tied after 3 holes, this required the 18th to be replayed until a winner was decided. Four more times the golfing warriors battled it out until the sun started to set and the green was covered in shadows then Peter Kirwan sank a short putt to be crowned the 2023 SCT Parkes Open Champion. After that battle neither player deserved to lose so congratulations to both. The SCT 27 hole Handicap winner was local Stephen Riley.

The 18 hole Handicap winner in A grade was Sam Morgan from DuntryLeague with 70 winning on a countback from David O’Bryan from Dubbo.

The Fred Funnell Memorial Vets trophy was won by David O’Bryan from Dubbo on 70, the prestigious Gidgie Leister Memorial 18 trophy was won by Richard Crane with a score of 62, the Keith Clark Memorial Scratch Vets trophy was won by Rob Hey on 73, the PGC local Junior winner was Simon Hogan.

The traditional Tom Casey Long Drive contests this year was on the 13th hole for the first time and was won by Mitchell Smith Narromine in A grade with 301m, Torin Hando 291m in B grade and Liam Conn from Wellington in C grade at 286m.

After a long and anxious wait our members finally got to have a hit on the new revamped layout in the Telescope Tyres and Batteries / Hankook Masters sponsored Monthly Medal with our day sponsor being Matthews Mediation and our genuine thanks go to Mel Matthews for the support she gives the club via many means. It was also the day we celebrated the Bob Smith Memorial Day supported by the Smith family and we thank Mick and the family.

Everyone hit off the traditional 1 st hole and it was great to see the whole course covered in players and some of the new tees bringing players closer together during play than they have ever been.

There was a southerly blowing which was causing some chill in the air but that didn’t deter the golfing fraternity. Our best field for some considerable time with 122 players eager to test themselves and the new course but there were only 4 players breaking 80 this week and 42 golfers breaking 100, so round 1 definitely went to the course.

The honour of hitting the first ball on the course went to Lindsay Elliott and he and his group enjoyed the rare feat of playing the first competition round on the course. Coincidently Lindsay must have been overly pumped with the opportunity, as he hit shot only 3.5m from the pin and that shot lasted all day as he won the nearest the pin – I’m sure that story will be embellished over the years to come.

In A Grade Jack Elliott signalled his early favouritism for the club championships with a solid 77 off the stick to narrowly beat home Michael Dumesny by a stroke. This was just a 1 over his handicap round for Jack and with his long hitting game, which was required off the long blue markers, this was a great first outing. A big day for the Elliott family. Michael Dumesny has been making the A grade medals his realm this year and again was the clubhouse leader for a sustained period. Justin O’Malley from the Federal GC and the ever present Wayne Parker were the only others below 80. In the nett event Joe Van Opynen was out and about with a solid 70 with Jack Matthews and Wayne Parker back on 72.

This month the competitive Griffins Leading Edge putting competition was won by Jack Elliott with 25 putts. Although there was some speed difference on the greens on their first outing they were true and will be a handful once they speed up. The Norman family sponsored Wally Norman Vets Medal was taken out by Wayne Parker with his 72 nett, making sure he got something on the day.

This coming week we have on Friday a 9 and 18 Hole Medley Stableford Sponsored by ProKonnect, the ‘Shootout’ Sponsored by Cameron Standen, Saturday an 18 Hole EPIROC 4BBB Stableford and on Sunday- 27 Hole SCT Parkes Open Tournament.

Last Saturday Forbes golfers played a 4BBB Stableford Medley event, sponsored by Cahill’s Footwear. The field comprised of 66 players who produced some good scores.

The Winners were the pairing of Ken Sly and Matt Walton. Matt could do no wrong, while Ken contributed with some timely scores. Runners-up were Phil Duke and Fons Melisi with 45 points. They each contributed well but a couple of one pointers did not help.

The NTP’s went to: 9th Men: S Kirkman, Ladies: B Duncan; 18th Men: C Hanrahan, Ladies: S Black. The Pro Shop Super-pin went to Brianna Duncan with a shot to 1.65 metres. The ball sweep went to 41 points, so check in the Pro Shop.

The visitors included Peter Chatillon (Tuncurry GC), Charlie Goodsell (Parkes) and John Zannes (Bathurst), all of whom needed better partners.

On Sunday the new format 9-Hole Stableford Medley comps was contested over the

front-9 by eight players. The winner was Brianna Duncan (18 pts) with Wayne O’Niell getting a ball in the ball sweep on count back from Jake LeBrocque when both finished on 16 pts.

Two special events are on the horizon with the Elders Golf Day on Friday 22nd September and Roylances Cup on Saturday 23rd September, raising funds for Can-Assist. Contact the Pro Shop for details.

Head Pro Will has organised a Titleist Equipment day on Wednesday 27th September. 

Summer 6’s is here! Get a team together for the 2023/24 Summer 6’s competition. Registration forms are now available.

This weekend the mens comp is a 4BBB Stableford Multiplier event, sponsored by Forbes Tuesday Golfers.

By Short Putt

Last Saturday we contested an 18 Individual Stableford, sponsored by MRK Development run by Matthew Knighton, a great supporter of our club and one who is fast becoming another golfing tragic. It was a great day to be out amongst nature for a walk, a talk and some challenges with the little white ball, with 76 golfers enjoying the beautiful weather.

Leading the list this week was Graham Cooke who has been in consistent form of late but dug deeper to come out on top beating home probably the clubs most consistent and better performed golfers this year in Wayne Parker on a countback with his score of 39. Graham is a very dangerous contender in the Veterans competition week in and week out and he managed to change his emphasis to Saturday after missing out in his regular Thursday competition. And Wayne Parker, what a year he is having, the swing has returned to his halcyon younger days when he reigned supreme over the PGC. He will be a good one to put into the black book for the net event at the upcoming Parkes Open.

Five golfers chased home the leaders falling short by one stroke. Peter Boschman is also looking in peak condition and starting to hit the ball reasonably well, Ross Smith, who has to get his name in the paper to give himself something to read, Lindsay Elliott, who is just getting pipped each week and is ready to win a big one, Rob Lea who just returned from an extended Qld adventure and is revving up for a strong performance in the Open and Steve Edmonds who has been trying to keep a low profile as he hones up for a crack at the big contenders.

This week sees the culmination of an extended period of revamping of the course undertaken in combination with the highway bypass running on the western side of the course. Locals will get to play their September Monthly Medal on the new holes which will no doubt challenge but also amaze them as we get the opportunity to play a continuous 18 holes of golf. The Board is most appreciative of the patience and support of members and also the work undertaken by members to get the course in play. We will get a taste on Saturday to feel what challenges lie for the Parkes Open on Sunday 17th September when players from all over the state will converge on Parkes to test themselves against the great layout.

Come and get involved this week for the Telescope Tyres And Batteries/Hankook Monthly Medal with day sponsor, Matthews Mediation. It will incorporate the Griffins Leading Edge Putting Competition in conjunction which will blow out on the new greens you’d expect, Wally Norman Memorial Veterans Medal, and also this year the Bob Smith Memorial Day – 18 hole and 9 hole medley stableford competition sponsored by the Smith family.

Last Saturday’s Men’s golf competition was the September Monthly Medal, sponsored by McFeeters Motor Museum. Scoring by the field of 64, including two Juniors, was under par and tightly contested.

A-Grade Winner was Wayne O’Niell witha 69 nett, 40 scratch on each half, finishing with a ‘2’. Runner-up was Harry Callaghan with 70 nett. He shot par on the back-9.

The B-Grade Kailab Tyne returning a 67 nett, despite a double-bogey start. Runner-up was Jacob Reid (71 nett) who also did better on the back-9 than the front-9, despite a double-bogey to finish.

The C-Grade Les Little finished with 72 nett. Runner-up on count back was Graham Newport also with 72 nett, but well pleased with his better showing on the back-9.

The NTP’s went to: 9th – Wayne O’Neill; 18th – Todd Callaghan. The Pro Shop Super-pin went to Peter Cowhan with a shot to 1.9 meters, and he got his ‘2’. The ball sweep went to 75 nett on count back.

Visitors included Stuart Hayes and Stephen Grant (Murrumbidgee GC), Allen Robertson (Mawson Lakes, SA) and a recent mover in John Zannes who is now at Bathurst.

The Sunday Stableford 9-Hole Medley had too few for a comp. But Sunday also saw our regular PGA Scramble with 12 teams competing. The winners were Luke Donnelly, Joel and Stephen Tongue and Jared Laird from Dubbo. They scored 57 ¼ nett, and slightly ahead of second place who had 58 nett.

This weekend we have a 4BBB Stableford Medley sponsored by Cahill Footwear. Sunday has a Stableford 9-hole Medley, and the Ladies Shootout.

By Short Putt