THE Blue Lake Golf Club women’s club championships ramped up last week with semi-finals held in fine, spring conditions.
The field had been narrowed after the best three scores of eight qualifying rounds of stroke monthly medal competitions for 2021, followed by the knockout match-play stroke quarter finals.
There were a few byes along the way due to unforeseen circumstances but the final has been set, with Dianne Perryman and Rosemary Martland to play off in the Division 1, while Bev Pascoe meets Trudy Herbert in Division 2.
The first semi-final saw current club champion Josie Ashby pitted against Rosemary Martland and it all came down to chipping and putting.
The first hole was squared, Martland putted for birdie on the second after landing on the green, then the third to mix it with wins and losses.
Ashby chipped to within 2cm from the flag on the seventh hole, but unfortunately on the eighth she conceded the hole after miscalculating the number of strokes.
On the turn into the back nine it was all square.
The scores see-sawed, as Martland had a lost ball on the 13th hole, then halved the 14th.
The next three holes proved too much for Ashby who the 15th and 16th, then the 17th after Martland had a long shot in that hit the edge of the bunker for the ball to finish two feet from the flag, to take the game 3/1.
It was a good effort from Ashby as she plays off a 22 handicap and Martland 10.
The second semi-final between Dianne Perryman and Sue Agars was also a test of determination as both have played in finals and know what is needed on the day.
The front nine saw three wins for Perryman and Agars two, with four halved.
Perryman was 1-up and then took the 10th to apply the pressure.
The pair halved the 11th hole, then Perryman won the 12th and 13th.
However, Agars was not done and halved the 14th and 15th, but the win by Perryman on the 16th saw a 4/3 finish and a grand final berth.
Unfortunately in Division 2 the first semi-final was won on forfeit by Trudy Herbert after Lesley McPherson had to pull out due to unforeseen circumstances.
Herbert now advances to play Bev Pascoe in the grand final.
Pascoe, also a former winner in the club championship’s and handicap championships over the years played relative newcomer to finals, Karen Panagopolous who was equal to the task.
Pascoe is known for her steadiness but Panagopoulos had a bit of youth on her side and has improved significantly in her first couple of years since taking up golf.
Pascoe won the first hole, Panagopolous then had a chip-in ferret resulting in a birdie on the second, a win on the third then four halved holes followed.
Pascoe upped the anti to win the eighth and ninth holes to go to the back nine 1-up.
Both had two wins then a halved hole on the 15th hole, but Pascoe secured the win on the 16th finishing 3/2.
There was a stableford competition for those not involved in semi-finals and some excellent scores were recorded.
In Division 1, Ronda Edwards claimed the win after scoring on every hole to sign for 39 points with splits of 18/21.
Par’s came thick and fast on the fourth, 12th, 13th and 17th holes.
Runner-up Lee-Anne Medhurst was also pleased with her game, coming in two shots under her handicap with 35 points and splits of 17/18.
Only one par with six three-point holes was a solid effort, with just two wipes on her card.
Division 2’s Trudy Herbert compiled 42 points which will certainly give her confidence going into the club championships grand final.
Herbert has dropped her handicap almost after every game the last several weeks and after the final, will move up the ranks to Division 1.
With splits of 23/19, a four-point par on the first hole set the scene, then scoring on every hole wqhich included seven three-pointers.
Her playing partners said she could not do a thing wrong.
Runner-up Lynda Nannings was also happy with her result of 37 points.
Her card did not include any pars but she had consistent nine’s of 19/18, scoring on every hole and included six three-pointers.
Nearest to pin winner’s on the par 3 second hole were Division 1’s Helen Stratford and Herbert in Division 2.
New member Jaynee Obherer was the pro-shot winner on the fifth hole.
Novelty winner’s were Jenny Bowman, with a ferret on the par four 10th hole, while Stratford scored a birdie on the par 3 second.
