IT was the A Grade players who personified the adage of “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”, in Saturday’s monthly medal stroke event at the Blue Lake Golf Club.
In cold but fine conditions, it was the A-graders who brought their best game to the course that was set up to – and playing to – its most difficult.
Leading the way and winning the Commercial Hotel-sponsored medal was former scratch golfer Anthony Williams, playing off a one handicap and shooting a nett 69.
Williams was faultless through the first nine holes, adding a birdie on the dog-leg ninth to turn one under the card on 34.
His first blemish came on the 10th with a bogey, but he countered that on 15th.
Faced with the reachable par 5 17th hole, Williams will be disappointed to have walked off with just a par and perhaps that weighed on his mind, finishing with a bogey for an even 70 off the stick.
There was a train of A Grade golfers right behind Williams vying for the win, with Colin Ferguson having to settle for the grade victory after his round of 76-6-70.
Ferguson failed to capitalise on some great set-up golf, unable to turn any of his 12 pars into a valuable birdie.
It was still a solid round of golf with equal splits of 38.
Derek Sargeant (82-11-71) mixed double-bogeys with birdies to finish in second place.
A surprising double on the third hole was matched with another on the 13th, but his birdie on the sixth showed the talent he does possess.
Unfortunately he threw in too many bogeys to threaten for the win.
Multi-talented all-round Mount Gambier sportsman, Bruce Morale, took the last podium position with 80-80-72.
It was a good recovery from Morale, as a double-bogey on the seventh hole threatening his round after turning with 42.
A tighter second nine saw a better score of 38, with just the three bogeys.
Three more A-graders finished tied on nett 73, including Michael Dedonatis, Josh Gale and Ben Gordon who all had to settle for a minor prize.
John Robertson finished secon din B Grade last week and went one better this week, taking the win with 94-20-74.
Speaking with one of Robertson’s playing partners after the game they said they did not know whether to feel infuriated or impressed with his two chip-ins from just off the green.
Despite shooting over his handicap, Robertson will still be happy to have taken the win and has his sights on getting his handicap back under 18.
Having to give the winner a seven-stroke handicap advantage eventually cost Richard Evans a tilt at first place after finishing tied on 74.
Despite having a better back nine off the stick over the inward nine, Evans had to settle for second after a calculated score meant he had one stroke more than Robertson.
After opening with a 42, Evans will be disappointed to have three double-bogeys to go along with his two pars for a closing 45.
Former feared fast bowler Martin Markiewicz has mellowed over time and now focuses his ability to playing the more sedate game of golf, but his dedication persists and resulted in a third place finish with 92-17-75.
With the wind behind his run up, Markiewicz was closing quickly on the two in front of him, with pars on the 14th, 16th and 17th holes, but a closing triple-bogey saw him finish with a no ball and slip back into third place.
There was a clear winner in C Grade, as Jacob Reed’s nett 75 was three shots clear of the pack.
Reed, 98-23-75, had two holes on the front nine that he would like to play again, but despite a horror last hole he will still be happy to take the win.
He cemented that with three good holes through 15 to 17 which saw him walk off with par, bogey, par.
Nicholas Driver and Trevor Gartside tied for second, with the former getting the silverware thanks to his much better back nine.
Ball winners included the unlucky Dedonatis, Gale, Gordon, Michael Watts, Stephen Easterbrook, Tim Bates, John Millhouse, Bob White, Trevor Little and Jarrod Ryan, all A graders, together with B Grade’s Brett Lewis and Colin Stratford.
Nearest to pins were hard to come by, with not one being won, while pro shots went to Wayne Dunford on the fifth hole and Fred Knight on the 16th.
Only the one long drive was recorded, with Ben Gordon winning A Grade.
Monthly medal wins went to Williams (A Grade), Evans (B) and Reed (C).
