Jennings cards best score of the day

With the long weekend, a larger field of 122 took to the Mount Gambier Golf Club on January 25 for the Men’s Stableford competition sponsored by South West Freight.

A number of Adelaide visitors joined the locals to revel in the well-presented course, including members from Grange, Blackwood and North Adelaide Golf Clubs.

This week it was the turn of a B Grader (11.0 – 16.0) to shoot the best score, with Jack Jennings (13) posting 44 points.

Jennings obviously enjoyed his round as he shot a 3 over the card 39 shots for 22 points on the front nine followed by an even better 2 over the card 38 for a further 22 points.

Birdies on the par 3 eighth and par 4 twelfth holes were the highlights, along with nine pars and seven bogies.

Second spot in B Grade went to last week’s B Grade winner, Tim MacLean (13), who despite losing a shot off his handicap still produced 39 points this week.

Following close behind were Scott Page (15), David Boyce (14) and Shayne Hosking (12) all scoring 38 points.

In A Grade (-9.0 – 10.0) Adrian Ballintyne (9) returned to the top of the standings with 43 points.

Ballintyne’s front nine laid the foundation starting off with a birdie on the first hole, before another two birdies on the par 4 fifth and par 3 sixth holes along with four pars and two bogeys, for a one under the card 35 off the stick.

With 22 points on his card already Ballintyne retained his form to add a further 21 points on his way in.

With two players finishing on 40 points, a countback was required to determine the runners up spot with David Lightbody (3) from Blackwood Golf Club taking it narrowly from Roger Davis (7).

Lightbody’s splits of 19 and 20 edging out Davis with 20 and 20. Returning to his once home course, John Gosling (4) from Grange and Jayden Eldridge (4) finished with 39 points, with Peter Lock (10) and Paul Reade (8) ending with 38 points.

C Grade (17.0 – 45.0) saw the closest contest of the day with Brady Marshall (27) taking the win with 43 points.

Marshall’s scorecard included 5 pars to show that he has the potential to lower his handicap significantly.

Second spot, for the second week in a row, went to David Turnbull (32) who after shooting below his age on Thursday continued his good form with a round of 42 points.

Also continuing his good form from Thursday, Charlie Winterfield (26) followed with 40 points.

Thirty-five points or better on a countback was needed to collect one of the 38 balls handed out.

Nearest to the pins were won by Tim MacLean (13) on the eighth hole and Shayne Hosking (12) on the sixteenth, with both players collecting five balls and a bonus ball each for walking off with birdies.

JANUARY 23 RESULTS

Like the previous week, another good field of 119 entered the Thursday stableford competition with eight players scoring 40 points or better.

Of particularly note was two of the senior members of the club, who may have created history by shooting below their age in the same round.

Both David Douglas (15) and Barry Brook (12) aged 81 shot scores of 80 and 79 off the stick respectively.

Brook has achieved this feat three times now of late, many saying it has been aided by a new putter.

As could be expected Douglas, with his low score ended up with 43 points to take out the win and the $100 Pro Shop voucher.

A countback was necessary to determine the runners up spot, with 5 players, including Brook, all finishing on 41 points.

With splits of 23 & 18 Charlie Winterfield (25) won the countback and the $50 Pro Shop voucher, from Michael Rees (9), Barry Brook (12), Bob Tonkin (23) and Gordon Bignell (13).

Again the high scoring, resulted in players requiring 36 points or better on a countback to earn one of the remaining 28 balls.

Pro Shot winners were Brian Norman (20) on the eighth and a visitor from Melbourne’s Green Acres Golf Club Matthew McCormack (7) on the sixteenth, each picking up five balls plus the extra birdie ball for holing their putts.