FORMER chef and one-time member of the club’s greens staff Tod Lillicrap defied the odds and the wintry weather to notch the best overall score and win the B Grade monthly medal at the Mount Gambier Golf Club last Saturday.
Gale-force winds and heavy rains depleted the field, reducing it to 71 and it was only the very dedicated who completed the day’s play.
The weather played havoc, particularly in the early morning, where most found the going tough on the outward journey.
Lillicrap was a perfect example when he had book-end sevens on the first and ninth holes, yet three successive pars on the second, third, fourth and a birdie on the fifth soon had his game back on track.
He made the turn with 42 off the stick and came home with 41 to record a net 70, which seems certain to result in his 13 handicap going south.
He held his back nine together based on maintaining his good form on the greens with the flat stick, holing successive birdies on the 12th and 13th.
A huge rugby fanatic, he is coach of the Mount Gambier side and a proud supporter of South Sydney Rabbito’s and if you ask him about rugby he will proudly tell you about South’s premiership two years ago.
Runner-up in B Grade was another of the morning crew, “mobile man” Russell Oehms who topped the leader board for most of the day with an impressive 88-15-73, playing in probably the most difficult conditions.
He gained that nickname because he always has a mobile phone latched to an ear for almost the entire way around the course owing to the fact he has to remain in contact with his interstate regional airline business.
Therefore his mobile phone is a constant companion which, while some might find it annoying, gets a tick of approval from his very understanding playing group.
In A Grade, Richard Gosling continued his hot form and opened with 38 off the stick, followed by an even better 37 on the homeward trek to record 75 off the stick overall.
His score was aided by birdies on the third and 12th.
It was just two weeks ago when Gosling fired 72 off the stick.
Second place in A Grade went to the consistent Jeffrey Hodge and his birdie on the 15th gave him 82-8-74.
The A-Graders seem to relish the difficult conditions and there were several who jostled for the lead, including John Gosling, Klint Malin and Shane Brook all on 74.
The C Grade medal went to Darren Griffen, who has been threatening to take top honours during the past few weeks and his good form followed his second placing last week.
Griffen had 92-17-75 to win on a count-back from Robert McLennan 95-20-75.
The D Grade honours went to Britain’s staunchest soccer supporter Brian Simmonds.
The Blue Lake Soccer Club stalwart and popular golf club member, cops plenty of ribbing through his support of English sport, but is now getting the upper hand, particularly in cricket.
He managed 104-24-80 to lead Leigh McManus by one shot.
The leading scorers were Patrick Dempsey, John Gosling, Klint Malin, Shane Brook 74, Chad Chewter, Tim Kenny, Ian Ewart, Chris Wirth 76, Jason Millhouse 77.
The pro shot on the eighth hole was taken out by Mathew Knowles and the 16th went to Bryan Pink, while the birdie balls were won by Knowles and Ben Robinson.
Julie Robinson showed plenty of courage to be the only woman to take part and played with her husband Graham.
