THERE was a battle within a battle in Saturday’s par competition at the Blue Lake Golf Club, with most players vying for an outright win on the day, while a smaller group looked to take home the Jens Hotel party pack prize.
Throughout the 2020-21 year every player who had won the monthly par competition were eligible to play off for the grand prize of a $500 party pack prize and the winner was Josh Ransom with +5.
With the city waking up to persistent rain and squally showers in the morning it did not take long for intending players to start pulling out of their start time.
By day’s end only 41 men and just the one woman, Fiona Punton, braved the bleak conditions and the best of those were Cory Davis, Ransom and Andrew Russell, who were the only players to finish in the positive.
It came down to a count-back to split the winners, with C Grade’s Davis and A Grade’s Ransom both finishing tied on +3.
It was the former who was awarded the status of overall winner for the day thanks to his +5 over the inward nine.
Davis was out of tune early, taking his time to get accustomed to the conditions, but once he did he was soon strumming along and despite a minus on the 15th hole, he finished with three plusses over the last three.
Ransom had to settle for the A Grade win, but he also finished strongly with six pars over the last six holes for +4.
It was an impressive effort to have splits of 37 and 38 in conditions not conducive to scoring well.
Ransom will also be able to commiserate with mates hosting his party pack for being the best of the par winners.
With the flag set down the bottom of the 17th hole, Michael Watts will be disappointed he did not make the most of the opportunity to score an easy plus, instead wiping the hole.
There were flashes of brilliance showcasing the ability he possesses with birdies on the ninth hole, followed by another on the 15th, together with four pars on the back nine.
Bob White was one of two players to finish with -2, having equal splits of -1.
Parring the holes he is expected to par was no consolation as he dropped shots on two of the easier holes over the front nine.
He turned that around on the inward nine with two of his pars earning him a plus to help equalise three wipes.
Russell got off to a shaky start in B Grade with two pick ups on the opening three holes, but then settled to turn with just -1.
As the weather improved slightly, so did his golf and he rattled off three impressive birdies on the 12th, 14th and 15th holes to have an inward 37 and +4.
For most of the day he sat atop of the leaders board, just to be pipped as he started to open the champagne.
He will still be stoked to have rolled off the birdies and take the B grade win.
Solid B Grade player Justin Ploenges was another to finish with two birdies and would have finished in the positive except for tree trouble on the 14th hole and a wipe.
He will still be well satisfied to have gone around the course in adverse weather and walk off square with his handicap.
It would be a brave man to bet against John Robertson not finishing in the winner’s circle with an over-the-odds handicap of 20.
It was an all-or-nothing type of day, attacking with his last scoring putt and getting a square or easily parring a hole for a plus.
Two wipes over the last three holes temporarily took the smile off his face but not for long, as he finished third in B Grade with -1.
Lachlan Byrne was the other player to finish with -2 which was enough to take out the C Grade win.
Also having equal splits of -1, Byrne finished strongly with pars on the 12th and 16th holes.
A count-back was needed to decide second and third in the grade with Mario Mancuso and Tony Morandin finishing on -4.
Fortunately for Mancuso he did all his impressive scoring on the back nine.
Having started on the 10th hole he would have been chock full of confidence with +2 at the turn.
Morandin went close to matching that score, falling just one plus short of Mancuso.
Ball winners were headed by David Adkins on -3 followed by Keith Ransom, Adam Dunn, Trevor Little, Josh Gale, Stephen Smith, Fred Knight, Dieter Rostig, Kevin Mansell and Brett Perryman.
White and Ransom picked up the pro shots on the fifth and 16th holes respectively, while Little was the only one to win a nearest to pin prize.
