Atrocious conditions greeted golfers at the Parkes Golf Club last weekend, with the clubs Greens and Match Committees forced to close the course to golf carts as the course had received in excess of 200mls of rain in the past month. Despite the conditions, members still contested last Saturdays Parkes Champion Post sponsored 18 hole 4 Man Team Stableford competition for the companies Perpetual Trophy that honoured one of its former employees the late Frank ‘Wacka’ Smith, a much renowned cricketer and golfer.

Leading home the field of mud larks were Garry Phipps, Dave Harwood, Kieran Deland and Joey Van Opynen, all renowned sportsman in their own rights. The victorious team combined superbly to record 134 points to finish 4 points clear of the field.

At the presentation of trophies Parkes Golf Club captain, Paul Thomas, gave a brief history of how the event came to fruition and thanked not only the players who played in the conditions but the sponsors prior to introducing Christine Speelman as the new editor. Christine also congratulated the players and the Golf Club for its valuable contribution to the management of sport in the town. Other highlights from the day saw David Stevenson awarded the Handiskins award after he returned a solid 37 points in the Stableford. Stevenson won the award on a countback from Robert Cheney and Joey Van Opynen.

Michael Horan also had a big day out as his tee shot on the Idle Rite Tyrepower sponsored 1st Hole earnt him 10 golf balls as he finished at 188cms from the flag, thus earning 20% of the jackpot. The jackpot this week now stands at 40 golf balls for a player whose tee shot comes to rest inside of 100cms of the flag.

NSW MIXED 4BALL HANDICAP CHAMPIONSHIP
Parkes will be represented by Ian Phipps and Kaye Jones and the husband and wife combination of David and Leone Stevenson in this Sunday’s Lachlan Valley District Golf Associations Regional final of one of the state’s premier golfing events, the annual Keno NSW Mixed 4Ball Handicap Championship at the Peak Hill Golf Club. The winner of Sunday’s event progresses to the State final which is an all-expenses paid three days of golf at the magnificent Bonville Golf Resort near Coffs Harbour from the 6th to 9th September.

THIS WEEKS GOLF
This Saturday, members will contest an 18 hole 4BBB Stableford for the All Settlers Motor Inn trophies. There will also be an individual competition in conjunction along with the 5th and final qualifying round of the Handiskins Championship while the ladies will play an 18 Hole Stableford for a Club trophy as well as the Handiskins qualifying. Locals Dominate in Scramble Local golfers dominated last Sunday’s Holden Scramble 4 Person Ambrose event at a very wet Parkes Golf Club. Club Captain Paul Thomas stated that the event was very nearly postponed due to the conditions on the course, “If the club had received any more rain last Saturday then we would have had no hesitation in postponing the popular event” he said.

Despite the conditions the local quartet of Robert Cheney, Peter Magill, Troy Thomson and David Stevenson will now proceed to the Regional Final to be played at a venue yet to be announced after they fired a great 7 under par round of 64 for a nett 58 5/8 to record a narrow victory over the Forbes team of Andrew Dukes, Shane Sallaway, Phil Maher and Michael Browne. Despite firing a solid 64 off the stick for a 59 nett, Forbes were unable to defeat their Parkes rivals. In third place was another Parkes side containing Mitchell McGlashan, Ben McNaughton, Kasey Fay Rice and Tony Hendry who fired a 66 off the stick for a 59 1/8 nett.

All players congratulated the Parkes Club for the conduct of the event and for the delightful luncheon provided to all players which saw a field of 68 players grace the course. Sundays Nearest the Pin awards were won by Andrew Dukes on the 4th Hole, Wayne Parker, 6th Hole, Justin Sutton the 11th and Robert Hey claimed the difficult 15th Hole.

Once again the course got the better of members as they took part in the Telescope Tyres & Batteries July Monthly Medals last week. In the premier grade it was Justin Sutton who fired a solid 4 over par 75 to edge out Cameron Butler on a countback while Robert Cheney blitzed the handicap section with the day’s best nett score of 3 under par 68.

In the minor grades doubles to Michael Smith (B Grade) and Ray Griffith (C Grade) were in complete contrast to recent golfing performances as both players have been struggling. Smith in taking the B Grade double returned a solid 84 off the stick for a 72 nett while Griffith bounced back to his brilliant best in returning a great 89 off the stick for 70 nett in the handicap section.

In other awards Ian Phipps capped off a great day by being awarded the Veterans award with a 73 nett and Phipps also received the Griffins Leading Edge Putting competition after requiring just 25 putts for the 18 hole event.

At the presentation of trophies both club Captain Paul Thomas and Robert Cheney on behalf of the winners congratulated the sponsors and all members and visitors who contested the event. The ladies also contested their Monthly Medal with the 4th Golf NSW and Club Medal with an 18 hole Stroke round for trophies provided by the Parkes Golf Shop.

Despite the heavy conditions it was Cherrie Phillips who topped the leaderboard with a 79 nett. This weekend, male members will contest the annual 18 hole 4 man Team Stableford competition for the Frank Smith/Champion Post Memorial Trophy and in conjunction will be the 4th qualifying rounds of both the Handiskins and Pybar Handicap Challenge whilst the ladies play an 18 hole Stableford for Cath Kelly’s trophy. On Sunday it’s the annual Holden Scramble 4 Person Ambrose which starts at 10.30am with players to report no later than 10am.

Cameron Butler was announced the winner of the Michael Richardson Memorial Trophy day last week, with Michael’s business successor, Dr Khazima Riaz, attending to help present the trophy. Members of the ‘Professionals’ outfit headed by local auditor Peter Woods were present on the day and prior to presenting Cameron with his prize, Peter made a speech highlighting Michael as a wonderful man, a keen fisherman and mentioning his contribution to the club as a former captain and director as well as being the mainstay behind the ‘Professionals’.

Joining Parkes Golf Club Captain, Paul Thomas, and Peter Woods at the presentation of the trophies was Michael’s daughter, Donna McKellar, who despite being teary eyed spoke highly and emotionally of her father prior to presenting Cameron Butler with the trophy with Dr Riaz. Meanwhile n the ladies’ competition it was plain sailing as Kaye Jones cleaned up despite winning the countback from Cherrie Phillips and Glynis Conroy after all players finished level on 34 points in the Judy McCabe sponsored 18 hole Stableford event and the Golf NSW 2nd Medal round of 2016.

Nominations are now being received for Australia’s largest participator sport, the Holden Scramble 4 Person Ambrose, that will see a qualifying round played at Parkes on Sunday 10th July with a shotgun start at 10am. The Holden Scramble is an Ambrose competition for amateur golfers with restrictions on players as to the handicaps of the 4 team members. This weekend the male members will contest the Telescope Tyres & Batteries July Monthly Medal for trophies in the handicap sections supplied by the Central West Glass Company and in conjunction will be the Griffins Leading Edge Putting competition and the final qualifying round of the Cunningham’s IGA Scratch Shootout. The ladies will contest an 18 Hole Stroke competition for the Parkes Golf Shop trophies and in conjunction will be the 4th Golf NSW Medal and Club Medal.

By Paul Thomas