SATURDAY marked the opening of the Parklands Golf Club’s 2022-23 season. 

The season’s initial event was a three-person ambrose with two major prizes on offer across scratch and handicap events.

The winners of the scratch event were Allan and Kelly Hitchcock and Mark Miller, who returned a commendable score of 68 to win by one shot from Ron Oakley and Andrew and Bayley Borgmeyer. 

Also finishing on 69 was the team of James Brown, Dale Grambau and Kaitlyn Morey. 

The performance of this trio was clearly boosted by the inclusion of the talented young Morey who, after a slow start, put on an impressive display of driving down the fairways.

Winners of the handicap event were Barry Elvery, Graeme Torney and Steve Nattrass, whose 59 1/6 nett edged out the fancied combination of Barry Oldaker, Irene Box and Peter Irvin, who finished on 60 nett.

The nearest the pin novelties were dominated by Brown and Grambau, who took out nearest the pin awards on the second, fifth and 11th and the third, eighth and 13th respectively. 

Sue Irvin interrupted their clean sweep with a nice drive on the 15th.

Longest putts went to Alex Walter on the first, Bruce Taylor on the 16th and Stewart Turner on the 17th and 18th.

Box took out the birdies and ferrets’ draw, while Brown topped off a novelty feast with the longest straight drive on the ninth.

Friday nine-hole stableford

THE last of the daylight savings time Friday events resulted in another close finish with an in-form Oldaker, claiming victory by one shot from Sue Irvin who finished on 19. 

Peter Irvin was a shot further back on 18.

Unsurprisingly, Oldaker took out the two nearest the pin novelties on the 13th and 15th.

Wednesday 13-hole stableford

OAKLEY returned to the winner’s circle with victory over Bernie Cook via countback after both players finished on a most creditable 29 points. 

Three shots off the pace were Turner and John Wilkinson with Turner securing third place on countback.

Turner took out nearest the pin on the second with Peter Irvin taking that honour on the 13th. 

Phil Kosch was the longest putter on the first and Irvin was the winner of the birdies and ferrets’ draw.

Tuesday Irish stableford

GAYE Goggin, Mary McCallum and Heather Wilkinson combined to take out this event aided by a ferreted birdie on the 13th. 

Their score of 80 was one better than Irene Box, Shirley Ness and Jodie McGregor.

Box was dominant off the tee taking out nearest the pin awards on the second, fifth, eighth and 13th. 

McCallum interrupted this momentum by claiming the 15th.

Longest putts went to Heather Hay on the 17th and Sue Irvin on the 18th. 

McCallum landed the longest straight drive off the ninth and fittingly, Goggin was the winner of the birdies and ferrets’ draw.

This week

THIS week will feature the season’s first Monthly Medal and a play-off for the mantle of the best of the previous season’s medallists. 

This field comprises George Donaldson, Heather Hay, Grambau, D. Flavell, Torney, Peter Irvin, Marie Cook, Oldaker and Allan Hitchcock.