PENOLA Golf Course plated host to the fourth annual Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations Golf Day last week, kicking off the month-ling celebration program.
26 teams converged on the golf course, with patches of sunshine between persistent light drizzle and southerly winds.
Despite the misty mood, the conditions did little to dampen the spirits of the 104 players, who enjoyed the hospitality of the Coonawarra Vignerons with wines flowing throughout the day.
Players started the day with a traditional glass of sparkling cabernet, to acknowledge and celebrate the first day of the Cabernet Celebrations festival before taking to the pristine 18 hole course in the 4 player Ambrose competition.
The DiGiorgio Family Wines team – led by Katie Lewis – produced a winning nett score of 53 7/8, taking home the perpetual red champion jackets, along with an assortment of dining vouchers and a dozen Coonawarra wines between them.
The red jackets will have the winning team gain VIP access to Cabernet Celebrations events throughout the month of October.
Renowned Mount Gambier golfing specialist Bill Burley and member of the DiGiorgio’s team praised organisers for the day and for the condition of the course
Runner-up nett winners went to first time event sponsors One Forty One, with team one comprising of Steve Fritsche, Ken Whitehead, Mark Forster and Craig Nesbitt playing a combined nett score of 56 3⁄4.
Results were tight in the gross stakes with only one ball between the overall gross winners and runners up.
Defending champions – Mount Gambier youngsters Jayden Eldridge, Jake Dempsey, Travis Younghusband and Matt McCallum – were the overall gross winners with a score of 61, narrowly missing the taking out the title of back-to-back champions.
Following closely behind were the presenting partners, Team Austereo SAFM and TripleM with a gross score of 62, comprising of Patrick O’Donnell, Tony Steen, Michael Rookas and Stacey Fiegert.
Coonawarra Vignerons Patrons Wendy Hollick and Doug Bowen were present to hand out the team awards, as well as various individual novelty prizes for longest drive and nearest the pin.
Individual novelty prizes were awarded to “Speedy’ Munro” for longest drive on the first hole and Jayden Eldridge on the 15th.
Julie Moran claimed longest drive on the second hole, along with Alex Lambert on the 12th.
Nearest to pin on the seventh hole went to David Pick and Katie Lewis, Jeremy Briggs and Karen Cahir were closest on the ninth and Bryan Morgan and Lambert on the 13th.
