LIMESTONE Coast golfers joined visitors from around the country including players from Warracknabeal, Buladelah and Humpty Doo, to compete in the 43rd Annual Southern Ports Golf Week, from February 24 to March 3 at the Beachport, Robe and Kingston Golf Courses.
Around 400 people from over 60 different clubs participated in the nine events.
The weekend kicked off with the pairs events where Beachports’s Robyn Walters made it a family affair.
Robyn and daughter Stacey won the women’s Pinehurst on the Saturday, then Robyn teamed up with son Jason to win the mixed Pinehurst the next day.
The men’s pairs event was won by Nathan Chapple and David Smart by one stroke from brothers Justyn and Cameron Saint.
Increased numbers meant an extra grade for women, with over 200 players vying for championship honours.
Three grades of men and four of women competed on the three venues in a rotation on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as part of the 54-hole championship, giving competitors a taste of all three golf courses.
In the women’s championship, 18-time winner Liz Saint from Millicent convincingly reclaimed back the title by 14 strokes from Royal Adelaide’s Juliet Hugo, scoring 245 in the gross 54-hole event.
After two rounds Saint had an 11-stroke lead and never looked like being beaten.
Kingston’s Kay Rasheed, who was nett runner-up last year, went one better to claim the A Grade win.
The contingent of 26 Heywood golfers did not go home empty handed with Warwick Logan the A Grade nett winner and Andrew Wallis the B Grade gross winner.
Lucindale’s Brad Beaumont won the overall honours with a respectable gross score of 235 given the wild winds on Monday and Wednesday, but Anthony Williams’ score of 216 in 2007 still stands as the record.
Clifton Springs’ Damien Egan rounded off a good week of golf by taking home the B Grade nett and veterans’ prizes ahead of Beachport’s John Howe.
In the B Grade women’s event a close finish saw Humpty Doo’s Christine Wakefield jump from fifth to first with a blistering 89 on the final day at Beachport, overtaking Robe local Pam Symonds.
Queens Park’s Rosslyn Brooks claimed both the nett and veterans’ prizes, sneaking past Kingston’s Sandie Elsden, who rued a penalty incurred earlier in the week.
The C Grade event was a stableford competition and Robe young gun Jake Keane streaked ahead to win the men’s event with 116, from Beachport’s Alan Webster (104), who also took home the veterans’ prize.
Glenelg’s Bruce Grimm won nearest the pin, getting within 2.22 metres from the ninth hole at Beachport.
Naracoorte’s Sara Crawford went even closer to the flag at 0.64m, seeing her take home the women’s nearest the pin prize.
The women’s C Grade was even and Beth Preston’s 32 points on Wednesday at Beachport contributed to her 91 points overall ahead of several players on 90.
After a four-way countback, Penola’s Sue Kilsby snuck past Southern Ports rookie Hazel Dann from West Lakes.
Beth Preston also picked up the veterans’ prize.
After two rounds the women’s D Grade was even, but Penola’s Patricia Boyd scored a fantastic 43 points in the final round at Robe to be the runaway winner.
Mount Gambier’s Mary Kentish came runner-up with 104 points, good enough to see her claim the veterans’ prize as well.
Beachport’s Julie Howe was two points behind on 102 for third place.
The week finished with a mixed four ball better ball competition at Kingston, which was won by Michelle and Peter Justin with 45 points over Cathy and Patrick Ryan.
The event was celebrated with presentations at the Robe Golf Club on the Friday night.
