SCORING was unusually hot in Saturday’s monthly medal round at the Blue Lake Golf Club, with every grade winner needing to shoot mid 60’s or better for the win.
Sponsored by JT Profile, the stroke event attracted a large field and while the A and B-graders stole the show with some fantastic golf, it was C Grade’s Brodie Dixon who took the outright win.
Playing off a generous 35 handicap, Dixon barely put a foot wrong.
Even bogeys on the first and third holes meant he was already playing under his handicap and with a par on the fifth, he was quickly on his way to the win.
An opening 49 at the turn equated to four-under par and he played well enough to keep the blow-out scores off his card.
Another three-under 49 over the inward nine saw him return with 98-35-63 to clinch the win.
Any time a player with a handicap of mid-30’s breaks 100 is a good round of golf and he deserves all the accolades.
The A Grade players chased hard and put on a show of their own.
Michael Dedonatis sat in the clubhouse as the overall leader for some time with his round of 69-5-65.
With just the two bogeys on the front nine, he was unable to get any of his birdie puts to fall, making the turn with a credible 37.
Those birdie putts did eventually find the bottom of the cup on the inward nine – no less than four – with three consecutive threes from the 10th.
The only blot on the back nine came on the 14th hole where he walked off with a bogey but that was rectified with another birdie on the 17th for a superb 32 and the win.
Derek Sargeant returned to form with a second place.
His opening 36 had him eyeing off a win but two double-bogeys to open the back nine put him out of step.
Further disaster was waiting for him on the 17th where he found trouble, adding another double-bogey on a hole he would normally score par or better.
Perhaps the round of the day belonged to Anthony Williams.
Playing off +1 is little incentive to get out on the course but he does every week and with no room for error he may have thought his round was shot after a bogey on the second hole.
But, with an almost professional handicap, the rest of his round was praiseworthy.
Even after the bogey he still managed to turn with a 34.
Three birdies and no bogeys on the back nine saw him come in with 66-+1-67 and perhaps lose another stroke off his handicap.
Williams needed all those birdies to survive a three-way count-back from Greg Cooper and Zach Westwick who all returned the same nett 67.
Since only recently taking up the game competitively, Adrian O’Donnell has taken to it like a fish to water.
Every round has seen an improvement and that continued on Saturday with his round of 86-20-66 and a win in B Grade.
O’Donnell was off to a see-saw start, a birdie on the opening hole causing a mini celebration.
However, a seven on the par 3 second hole ceased any merriment.
With an opening 46 threatening a return to C Grade, O’Donnell put his head down and proved what he is capable of with four pars to open his back nine and finish with a 40.
Barry Humphries began well, with three consecutive pars to open his round.
It was all easy motoring from there with the only speed bump coming on the 16th hole which he double-bogeyed but once again he finished on the podium, this time in second with his nett 67.
Third place went to Jacob Reed who also continues to show improvement in his game, a birdie on the eighth hole highlighting his ability.
When he can add a little more consistency to his game he will elevate those podium placings.
C Grade winner Robert Lindner almost snatched the outright win with a closing 42 on the back nine helping him to a superb round of 86-22-64.
He finished six strokes clear of his nearest rivals Dieter Rostig (100-30-70) and Tom Drenthen (95-25-70) who tied for second.
Rostig was awarded second place thanks to his better back nine
Place getters were headed by the unlucky Cooper and Westwick, followed by David Gould, Adam Dunn 69, Marty Markiewicz, Jamal Jakubenko, Tim Smith, Callum Harvey, Colin Ferguson, Roger Gale, Justin Ploenges and Robert Martland on 70.
Zeick Dalton eagled the 17th to clear out the eagle’s nest, while the rest of the novelties were nearly all won by the red-hot Williams who took out the pro shot on the fifth hole, A Grade nearest to pin and least putts.
Other prizes went to Gavin Coon for his shot on the 16th hole and Russell Lingham with the B Grade NTP.
