By David Waters
The finals were under threat from thunderstorms and heavy rain. Thank goodness the forecasters were wrong. The last round started in fog, previous rounds had mild conditions this time overcast and a smattering of raindrops. The weather, like our golf, is fickle. The early arrivals practised their putting in semi-darkness, while managers sorted out directions and handicaps and green fees.
After a few announcements, then players toddled off to their respective tees for the 7.30am hit-off. Heritage Green and Eastwood Gold engaged in match play to determine this year’s champion. All other teams played aggregate Stableford for the teams’ challenge. The ground staff did a fantastic job setting the course up for the big day. Greens were mown and bunkers raked at 5am in preparation. The fairways were also in excellent condition, having been mown on Thursday and watered with the overnight rain. Good value was achieved distance-wise from the firm, well-grassed surface.
Unfortunately for many players, they could not stay on the fairways. Those finding their ball amongst trees stayed in the forest with balls ricocheting from branch to trunk and back. The vocabulary describing those shots nearly scorched the earth and caused fires. Out of the woodchopping and back to golf hacking. The greens proved yet again how trying golf can be. The short putts missing, or the longer ones lipping the cup were bad enough, imagine a ball stopping millimetres from falling in. That happened many times. All the hard work picking the line and slope after hitting the green, all to no avail. One more point gone begging. Jim Burke complained the home team had deliberately made that happen. Of course, the Churchill/Waverley players regularly suffer too.
The writer moving carefully away from John Wilson’s line of shot, heard fore and watched his ball sail past. The comment of ‘aiming for the moving target’ caused laughter from John’s playing group.
Scoring wasn’t easy as only 30 percent of the field scored 30 points or more. The best players were Glen Cousins (Eastern Gold) 35, Warren Sutton and Darren Lord (Eastwood Green) 35, Tomy Lam (Box Hill Green) 36 and the very best Vas Baias (Churchill/Waverley Gold) with 39.
The Teams Challenge had the Eastern Green team grumbling about the scoring as they fell way short of points. No complaints afterwards when the club’s gold team won the trophy with the same scoring system. Laughs all around, and one happy manager.
The match play with two very deserved teams vying for the title in Heritage Green and Eastwood Gold. Both maintained top spot throughout the season. The handicaps were very even, and a tough contest was expected. Raw analysis of the results would suggest a blowout. This was not the case. Every hole was hard fought. Two pairs played to the last hole and two pairs finished with one left. The others finished a little earlier.
The upshot is Eastwood Gold 7 defeated Heritage Green 1 and the first time Eastwood had won the trophy. Photos were taken of the team, and also of the managers with the trophy.
Everyone enjoyed a chicken schnitzel and a few drinks before speeches and presentations. Handshakes and congratulations all around for another terrific Senior Pennant Season. Safe travels and happy golfing until next. See you next season with less hair and more wisdom.
