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IAN Bown can be truly satisfied with his round on Saturday in the Blue Lake Golf Club’s stableford round, being the only player to score above his handicap to take the outright win.
Playing off seven, the quietly-spoken Bown always lets his clubs do the talking out on the course and it was no exception over the front nine with his 36 off the stick earning him 21 points. Everything was going along smoothly and he looked like adding considerably to his score after opening the back nine with a par and birdie.
However his name in print in the paper was in jeopardy after stumbling over the 12th (no points) and 13th (one point) before bouncing back with another birdie on the 15th.
That slight hiccup cost him a few points but he rallied with 17 points to take the win.
The only other player to come close to breaking their handicap was A Grade winner John Millhouse with 36 points.
Millhouse, whose wife is thinking of changing his name to Clubhouse because he spends so much time volunteering at the course, was on fire early, opening with 20 points before a couple of double bogeys put paid to his chances of an outright win.
It was still a welcoming win for the 11 handicapper.
Another player to strike some trouble over the inward nine was second-placed Steve Jelly.
Jelly possesses one of the smoothest swings in golf and took full advantage of that asset through the opening nine with 18 points.
Finding trouble on the par 3 16th hole was the only time the robotic swing let the eight-handicapper down and he finished with 35 points.
Rounding out the placings was Colin Ferguson, one point adrift of Jelly.
An opening 16 points was always going to be difficult for the five-handicapper to make up which he tried to do with a 37 off the stick on the inward nine.
A trio of players all finished on 35 points, including Jelly and B Grade winner Colin Stratford.
Stratford had a good round going at the turn with 21 points in the bag thanks to his 42 off the stick, but like his beloved Pies the wheels got wobbly quickly.
Double bogeys on the seventh and ninth holes were only the start and then they fell off completely over the back nine, adding just another 14 points, but he hung on for the win.
A count-back for second and third was required to separate Justin Ploenges, Gavin Coon and Garry Von Duve after they all finished with 33 points.
All three had a birdie in their round, Ploenges’ coming on the 10th on his way to 19 points on the back nine, Coon’s on the 15th for 17 and Von Duve’s on the eighth for 16.
To make it a double for West Gambier Football and Cricket club stalwart’s, David Lock was successful C Grade with 35 points.
Lock’s 44 on the back nine was enough to earn him 20 points and came close to taking out the major prize.
Steve Dwyer and Robert Lindner filled the minor placings with 34 and 32 points respectively.
Ball winners included Jarrod Ryan, Von Duve, Trevor Little and Tim Bates on 33, Bruce Tichbon, Barry Humphries, Trevor Gartside, 32, Frank Pinneri, Josh Gale and Bryce Smith on 31.
Lock added to his prizes by taking out the novelty event with his best score over the back nine.
