Cameron Butler emerged as the big winner in the final of the 2016 Handiskins competition at the Parkes Golf Club last Sunday. Handiskins has been defined as the ultimate game for amateur golfers as it is one of the few competitions where amateur golfers get to play a game of skins golf.

Skins golf is where a group of players compete against each other with the player who records the best score on a hole being the winner of that, however if two players have the same score the hole is squared with the following hole jackpotting. Players did not only battle against the cool weather but also the remnants of an early morning frost at the start of play. It was veteran Ian Phipps who collected on the 1st hole with an easy par.

The Par 5, 2nd Hole was squared by Wayne Butler and Robert Cheney with pars, while on the 3rd hole Cameron Butler exerted his presence with a solid par for his first bank. With holes 4 to 12 being squared, the players felt added pressure as they were playing for $560 on the Par 5, 13th and once again Butler showed his class as he recorded a birdie 4. On the 14th hole players felt the pressure level drop but once again the hole was squared, while on the Par 3, 15th hole it was Ian Phipps who snared the cash with a great par.

The 16th hole became a battle between Robert Cheney and Cameron Butler with Cheney winning. Cameron Butler collected $740 in vouchers with Ian Phipps collecting $300, Robert Cheney $120 and Wayne Butler $40. Last Saturday a field of 82 men and women contested the Parkes Readymixed Concrete 18 hole Medley Stableford for the Don Smith Memorial Trophy with a surprise victory by close friends Peter Boschman and Tony Evans with 44 points.

Nominations for the 2016 SCT Parkes Open Tournament and the prelude event the Atlas Copco Australia Open 4BBB Stableford in Scratch and Handicap, which will be played on 17th and 18th September, are now open. It will be the strongest field yet on record.

The annual Prostate Cancer and Awareness Charity Golf Day last Sunday had 20 teams contesting the 4 Person Ambrose event. Major winners on the day were the team of Guy and Brendon Bennett, Blake Janssen and Adrian Whittaker who returned a very impressive 51 3/8 nett. The team of Mitchel McGlashan, Kasey Fay-Rice, Robert Hey, Alec Maclean and manager Sarah McGlashan finished runner up on 51 7/8 nett after firing a brilliant 59 off the stick for the day’s equal best scratch score with Cameron and Wayne Butler, Lachlan Buesnell and Cherrie Phillips. The minor placing was taken by Phil Bishop, Dub Rodgers, Paul Applebee and Rod Kiley with a 53 ½ nett in the Men’s section.

Margaret Hogan, Frankie Cock, Lynne Guise and Kaye Jones dominated the Ladies section with an impressive 63 7/8 nett. More than $5,000 was raised to help the Parkes branch of CanAssist. President of the Parkes branch of the Prostate Cancer and Awareness Foundation, Michael Lynch, thanked all players and the day’s sponsors, particularily Northparkes Mines and Central West Credit Union, Radio 1400 2PK & Rock FM and the Parkes Services Club.

The final of the ultimate game for amateur golfers Handiskins will be played this Sunday at the Parkes Golf Club. Cameron Butler, Robert Cheney, Wayne Butler and Ian Phipps will battle it out for $1, 200 of club vouchers in a game that sees the four players go head to head over 18 holes off handicap of skins golf. The players all qualified for the final after being the leading players from the five qualifying rounds where the best three rounds counted.

Despite Sunday’s result, all four players will receive an invitation to attend the National Final at Hamilton Island.

By Paul Thomas