Mike is a Morning Person

The late change of the tee-time got around to most of the sixteen people who arrived at Nudgee, including visitor Chris Jordan. The pre-dawn chill didn’t warm up for most of the day, as our sponsor selected Stroke on the usually easy layout of the Brook Course. It didn’t take the first group long into the back nine to notice several layout changes there, including two temporary greens which are the bane of GPS users everywhere!

The 19th is now the old 3/15 from the 14-hole layout. 20-24 is the previous 21-25 with 22 & 24 shortened via temporary greens. A new par 3 of about 100 metres targets the 25th green, while 26 and 27 are unchanged. Par for that nine is now 32 making par for all 18 now 68.

Somehow making his way around all of that in 60 nett was life member Mike Brennan. His performances year to date had him concluding that he was no longer an early-morning golfer, yet today’s performance must have found some of his previous mojo.

Runner up with 64 was David Cunneen, who’s been doing good things with the Solomons in Matchplay, so we’re glad we got to see a bit of that, too.

The new layout has six pin shots, and they went to our winner, our president, our secretary, Eric Brunovs, Phil Dacey and George Young. Longest drive was on the 24th, which is the same tee-block it’s always been off – won by David Sullivan.

Next game is in two weeks time on 7 June at 7am. It’s the Captain’s trophy and the second-last putting round so get to Redland Bay for that one.

 

Davids Clear the Fog

Arriving at Carbrook in the pre-dawn gloom involved driving through a thick fog for most of the field. When we’d all arrived there were 17 people, including visitor and host Chris Jordan. After the pairings were randomly drawn for this 2-ball ambrose event the first group set off with a fog providing enough cover to prevent the sunrise. Turning towards the back nine found it still shrouded in fog but that finally lifted around the 12th hole, to be replaced by a storm brewing in the west, that thankfully didn’t hit until we’d all left.

The long-hitting David-pairing of Dave Brain and host Dave Sullivan combined well to record a winning score of 63¼. Runner up on 64½ was sponsor Mick van Bemmel and Ian van der Hoeven. Pin shots on 2 went to George Young, 7 to president Dennis Hogan, 11 to Chris Young and 14 to Dave Brain. Winner and local Dave Sullivan got the longest drive.

The Captain provided me the results of the club championships. A grade winner was George Young, with B grade won by secretary Mick van Bemmel. He also provided me the Matchplay seedings for September 8.

A Grade

1. George Young
2. Dennis Hogan
3. Chris Young
4. Tony Armbruster

B Grade

1. Mick van Bemmel
2. Phil Dacey
3. Steve Friedrichs
4. Mike Brennan
5. Scott Porter
6. Eric Brunovs

Typically 1 plays 4 and 2 plays 3, but if any of the top four don’t turn up on September 8, reserves may be needed. Otherwise, we’re looking for match referees, so brush up on the matchplay rules, since they differ slightly from the normal ones.

Before then, is the next game next week 23 June at Nudgee. Amended Tee off is 6:30 am, and they usually put us off the Brook course.

 

Blair’s Birthday Buggy’s the Best

A small amount of rain before dawn greeted the 12 people who arrived at Oxley for the last championships round, and the first game of winter. The rain all cleared away as attention was drawn to the latest golfing weapon of birthday-boy Blair George, his new motorised cart.

Most of us were thoroughly impressed, while some claimed it looked like the NDIS had provided it. He set off in the first group as the field waited to see how it would affect his performance.

Turns out it didn’t provide an unfair advantage, as he played one over his handicap for an honest 73. Yet that was enough to win the day, since the next nearest was Phil Dacey with 74.

Pin shots went to Mike Brennan, Dennis Hogan and Mick van Bemmel, with the long 13th going unclaimed. Longest drive went to Scott Porter.

With the last championships round now played, the Captain will be working out the place-getters, so when he’s done that I’ll post the results on this site. Also complete is the qualifying for the matchplay, so I’ll post that when it becomes available too.

That was also the sixth putting round, so anyone who’s played them all now has a contest score. There’s two rounds left for those that haven’t, or for those who want to eliminate some bad ones.

Next game in a fortnight will be a team’s competition. The 6:38 tee-off at Carbrook on June 16 will likely be after a team-selection process, so arrive in time for the captain to facilitate that.