Jones turns in blinder

By Denis Fuller
THE first week of the three-week Emerald Golf Club’s club championship produced only the best of everything from Peter Jones (19), who rose to the top when the pressure was on.
Jones’s net 64 set him at the top of the overall pile and head of the B-Grade push. Naturally, as recent form would decree, Ross Martin (8) lead the A Grade crowd with his net 71 and David Jennings (26) rose to the top of the C-Grade pile with a net 69.
Of the others Graham White (14) had 67, and Kameron Geeves (14) and Dean Shannon (16) headed the rest of the crowd with a net 68. Bouncer Holland, Graeme Fergus and John Fisher (35) all played to their handicaps on 70. After the first round, in the off the stick rating, Ross Martin leads with 79 in A Grade, Graham White leads in B Grade with 81 and David Jennings head up the C Grade push with a net 95.
When it came to nearest the pins, Jeffrey Marsh was closest on the fourth and the pro pin on the 18th. Leigh Morison scored on the seventh, Peter Jones on the 13th and John Fisher eclipsed the rest on the 13th.
Ben Thompson was nearest the pin after two shots on the 10th and Con Whitlock did the same on the 17th.
Martine Yeats won the ladies’ competition from a fast-finishing Leonie Scott in a close battle.
Wednesday’s Obsessively Felicitous Golf (OFG), using OFG handicaps, was won John Piggott (26) on a net 67 from an unlucky Ben Balfour (17) on 69.
Next week is the second round of the championship and it seems that, even after one round, Ross Martin has booked an appointment with the engraver to make sure his name is spelt correctly on the club champion trophy.