THERE are many community groups and organisations whose existence and success are wholly dependent on the efforts of small groups of volunteers.

The efforts of the volunteers of Parklands Golf Club in the past week are testament to the Sherry Anderson quote “volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless”.

The frequent recent rain had left areas of the golf course water-logged and had severely hindered preparations for the club’s annual tournament. 

In response to the opportunity presented by three days of fine weather leading into the opening event, the club postponed the Monthly Medal competition on Saturday to focus on taming the grass on the fairways and the rough. 

An army of 15 volunteers presented on Saturday to help prepare for the tournament. 

In sights reminiscent of the Ride of the Valkyries helicopter scenes in the movie Apocalypse Now, volunteers drove, rode and pushed mowing equipment to have the course looking magnificent ready for the tournament.

Sunday

THE tournament commenced on Sunday in fantastic weather for the three-person gentsomes competition.

The gentsomes format has all players drive, then the team selects the best drive and all play their own game from that position. 

The best two stableford scores from each team, for each hole are recorded. 

The clear winners for the day were the team consisting of Kelly and Allan Hitchcock and Mark Miller with a score of 86.

There was a close finish for second place, which was taken out by the team of Bruce Taylor, Stewart Turner and Bernie Cook on 84 points.

Barry Oldaker claimed a selection of the novelties with nearest the pin prizes on the second, fifth and the 13th, and also claimed his teammates had left him with sore shoulders.

Similarly, Marie Cook had a successful day with the novelties, claiming the nearest the pin prizes on the second and the 15th, along with the longest straightest drive on the ninth. 

Sue Irvin was nearest the pin for the women on the fifth.

The longest putts for the men went to Turner (first and 17th), George Donaldson (16th) and Peter Irvin (18th). 

The longest puts for the women went to Toby Salter (17th) and Heather Hay (18th).

Friday

FRIDAY afternoon presented unfamiliarly enjoyable conditions for the field competing in the nine-hole stroke competition, which was won in a close finish by Bruce Taylor with a nett score of 33.

Barry Oldaker’s recent run of wins was halted when he was relegated to second with a nett score of 33.5. 

The nearest the pin prize went to Turner on the 13th, and Peter Irvin took home the prize for longest putt on the first.

Wednesday

OLDAKER’S winning run continued with a score of 23 points in Wednesday’s 12-hole stableford competition.

Turner claimed second with a score of 18 points from Taylor in third with 18 points. 

Unsurprisingly in the small field, Taylor claimed the nearest the pin prize for the 13th, and Oldaker was also among the novelty winners. 

Alan Flavel had the longest putt on the first and George Donaldson won the birdies and ferrets prize.

This week

THE club’s annual tournament continues with the 4BBB competition on Wednesday and the women’s three-person Irish stableford competition on Friday. 

The tournament wraps up on Sunday with the always popular four-person ambrose. 

The ambrose is open to any combination and visitors are welcome at 11am for an 11.30am shotgun start.