HILL TOP GOLF
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The course may have been damp after recent rains and set to its maximum length, but Matt Miller was undeterred and went around in 69 strokes for a nett 71.
Brilliant as that was, it was not enough to win the GMCU Monthly Medal as Ray Nicholson shot 73-2-71 to beat him on a countback.
Miller scored two birdies and parred the rest, whereas Nicholson scored three birdies, but had five bogeys which included three par-3 holes.
Jarrod Taylor won B-grade with 93-21-72 and Jeff Baker was runner-up with 96-23-73 on a countback.
Ball winners: John Keller and Bob Wildes 73, James Ibbotson 74, Paul Franke, Glen Pearce, Domenic Cricelli, Tom McConchie 75, Ryan Butler, Steve Allison, John Fanning, Tim Nicholson and Barry Williams 76, Graham Meneilly and Graham Smith 77 on countback.
Joyce Baird won the women’s competition with 96-20-76 and Sharon Jeffers beat her daughter Bec in the countback to be runner-up with 77. Jan Coe won a consolation ball for her nett 80.
Midweek: Garry Reese won Tuesday’s stroke competition with 77-9-68 and Todd Louttit was runner-up with 73 off a scratch handicap. Trevor Allen and Andrew Ciavarella had 74s, while Bruce Gross and Craig Trethowan had 76 to claim line-balls.
Ross Kelly scored 37 stableford points on Thursday to win by two from runner-up James Ibbotson. In the ball run-down, Frank Hill and Garry Reese had 34s, Mark Mackinder 33, Paul Franke and Peter Hutton 32 on countback.
IGA chook run: Judy Ashcroft won Thursday’s competition with a nett 28 and Bev Roberts was runner-up with 33 on countback. Consolation balls went to Ryan Lindsay, Robbie Montgomery 33, Travis Worm, John Rennie and Jan Coe 34.
Coming events: Bill and Judy Ashcroft are sponsoring Saturday’s stableford competition and the following Saturday is the Perry Ag Farmers Day.
Bookings must be made online for all competitions and for Links and Rinks Bistro.
Voting re the subdivision behind the 13th tee must be posted to arrive by Monday, July 13. Ring Ged at the clubhouse for further information
MERRIGUM GOLF
The first round of the "Tree-Ball Challenge", a pairs Ambrose cross-country, was played at Merrigum on Saturday.
There was a good turn-out for what is an enjoyable change to the seriousness of the championships and it at least gives us an excuse for playing parts of the course some of us often see but shouldn't.
Gary Eden and his guest Shane Pollock were the comfortable winners with a good score of 76-17-59.
They clearly didn't struggle with the flora as the rest of us did in compiling their score and will be looking to back it up later in the year when the second and final round is played.
Their playing partners Greg Hall and Bruce Brown headed the ball competition with a round of 72-10-62.
There was distance to the next ball winners, recently crowned club champion James Campbell and the suave Mal Campbell, looking resplendent in driving his cap (à la Bryson DeChambeau) and bringing style and class not normally seen at Merrigum; their score was 74-8.3-65.7.
We have been led to understand Mal has some plus fours he will break out in the not too distant future.
Nearest the pin winners were James Campbell shooting to the third green, John Fuller to the fourth, Shane Pollock to the ninth and Bernie McGrath going to the jackpot 18th.
It was not a good start to the day for one group with three of the four going out of bounds off the tee on their first hole and the fourth coming within a whisker of doing the same.
It proved the difference between getting into the ball competition or not for one of the pairs.
This Saturday's event is the Cliff Pini memorial 4BBB par.
TATURA BASKETBALL
Tatura Aussie Hoops commences Tuesday, July 21.
Aussie Hoops is a basketball program for ages 5-10.
Where: Tatura Stadium, Albert St, Tatura
When: Tuesdays 4.30 pm to 5.15 pm for eight weeks
Cost: $85 new registration (includes Aussie Hoops Pack), $40 returning player
We follow the return to sport guidelines of Basketball Victoria, DHHS and local government, and we will have a biosecurity officer in attendance at all sessions.
You can register via the Aussie Hoops Programme Finder or the Tatura Basketball website — go to the Aussie Hoops page.
Please contact Lisa at taturabasketball@gmail.com or phone 0428 242 889 if you have any queries.
Sports Editor