The Warburton Golf Club’s Wednesday 31 October stableford competition was its annual Aussies vs The Rest of the World Challenge, playing for the Nicholl/Slater Trophy.
Unlike Australia’s national cricket and rugby teams, the Aussie team, under the astute captaincy of Steuart Hawke, comfortably accounted for ‘the other mob’.
The Aussies’ average score was 32.0 points to the ROTW’s 30.6.
Of course, it did help that the two best scores on the day were recorded by fifth-generation Aussies Paul Kennedy and Mick Eldridge.
Both scored 43 but PK won the voucher on a tight countback.
Balls got down to 33 and few of the other mob collected one.
Nearest the pin winners were Stan Sluzarek on the third, Aussie Craig Brown on the ninth and PK on the 17th.
In the twilight contest, a balmy warm evening for golf brought out the best in Linda Lay.
She snatched top prize on a countback with 22 impressive points.
Linda just pipped Steve Patrick’s 22 points so he had to settle for the runner-up prize.
The ball rundown extended to 18.
Nearest the pins went to Roger Mataele on the 11th, Sam Dennis on the 12th and to Simon Spencely on the 15th.
In the Saturday 3 November stableford, young Angus Smith, even having whittling his handicap down to 12, accumulated 37 points.
This was good enough to take the A-Grade voucher.
The B-Grade winner, with the best score on the day, was Paul Long with 39.
Snorks is playing off a too-generous handicap (25) and is a clear favourite to win the C-Grade championship this month.
Ian Garside was the daily runner-up with 36 solid points.
Those who scored 33+ can collect a ball.
Nearest the pin winners were Andrew McMath on the third, Senior Kempton on the fifth, guest Dave Hart on the ninth, Peter Fox on the 12th and Martin Garthwaite on the 15th.
Andrew Williams scored an eagle on the 10th, showing that he is ‘cherry-ripe’ for a tilt at another C/Championship. He has won six of them.
