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.