home > Events > Results

ZONE 2 REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010

The District hosted the 2010 Regional Championships over the weekend of 21 & 22 August, 2010, hosted by Muswellbrook Golf Club in their centenary year.

A quality field of of 108 low marker golfers participated including representative teams from our neighbouring Districts, Central Coast, Lower North Coast and Newcastle, vying for the Jim Baker Shield.

A shotgun start was utilised on both days. Conditions on Saturday were tough, with an icy westerly whistling across the course keeping officials within the Clubhouse.

After the first 18 holes the leading score was 71 (one under par), shared by Mark Hale (Branxton), Brent Soutar and Davy Morgan (Central Coast). One shot back on even par were local Kymble Pascoe and Callan OReilly  (Toronto).

As is the norm in this event the top eight players are seeded for the final round on Sunday.

Play comenced at 7.30 am on Sunday in perfect conditions for golf. The westerly wind had blown itself out and under a warming sun conditions were conducive to low scoring.

Strangely, only one player performed in the benign conditions. Callan O'Reilly came from one shot back to return a 7 under par 65 and win by the ridiculous margin of 9 strokes. Callan turned 3 under par and the proceeded to add a further 4 birdies to his bagful. His bending exercises on Saturday evening definitely appeared to assist his Sunday golf, whilst others who trained with him amazingly showed no benefit.

Runner up was John Fitzpatrick from Morisset Club on 146. An opening round of 75 had him 4 off the leaders, but a one under par 71 on Sunday saw him leapfrog the other leaders as they floundered.

The Junior Champion was Clayton Bridges of Belmont with a two round total of 150,  6 over par. His two rounds of 76 - 74 provided a one shot win over a fast finishing Nathan Waters of Scone. Nathan was heading for an ordinary day after the opening 9 holes on Sunday, but five birdies in concussion on the back nine to finish one over par for the round and runner up to Clayton.

Local identity Gary Mears won the Seniors Championship with rounds of 77 - 76 = 153. "Budgie" was heard to comment on the ideal pin placements. Derek Field of Scone quinella'd the event for the District with his two round total of 155 to be runner up.

Jarrod Hartman (Port Macquarie) took the 36hole handicap trophy on 141. A closing round of 80 -67 edged out Toukley & Central Coast stalwart Dave Willett on a countback.

The historic Sandy Cameron Shield for the best Club team of four was won by the Muswellbrook No. 1 side consisting of sMac Dawson, Scott Hayes, Kymble Pascoe and Andrew Partridge. Their winning score was 449.

The inter district teams event for the Jim Baker Shield was won in "Steve Bradbury" fashion by the Hunter River team when the favourites Newcastle along with the Lower North Coast sides has players disqualified due to simple technicalties, such as failing to sign cards.

This took both teams out of the equation leaving the Hunter River side to fight it out with the Central Coast, but with a 42 stroke advantage after the opening day the Hunter were untroubled to win the Shield.. A zealous local official later calculated the results including the scores of the defaulting players and found that the Hunter would have won it in their right had they not been disqual

The full table of results are below:

2010 MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS - BEN OWEN CUP

Sweet swinging Maitland member Peter Gibbs scored his first major District title when he cruised around the course in 4 over par, 75 to win the 2010 Masters Championship. On a slow track combined with slick greens and a few tricky pin placements conservative golf was the order of the day.

Teeing off in the first group of the day, Peter was able to maintain a level head to play to the conditions. His round only included one birdie and tempered by 5 bogeys. Peter can consider himself unlucky not to make the rep side for the Regional championship but his decision to declare Newcastle as his home Club has precluded his selection. Hopefully the Newcastle DGA selectors will be watching his form.

Golf refugee, Robbie Logue (no home course), from The Oaks Club, came in runner up one shot in arrears on 76. Steady par golf interspersed with 5 bogeys were the story of his day. The bogey 6 on the 15th hole, which is rated the easiest on the course was a costly one.

Gary "budgie" Mears from Muswellbrook, appeared an also ran after a front nine of 41. The back nine saw a fight back and after the 16th hole was right in the picture, being one under par for the nine, but fell away to 3rd place with a bogey bogey finish, for a total of 77.

Recent retiree Mick Sarquis from Maitland is showing the benefit of additional golf, when he returned a  68  to win the 18 hole nett event. An ordinary front nine of 44 followed up with a triple on 10, double on 14 had him finishing amongst the middle of the field, until he laid on two birdies on 16 & 17 to provide the winning edge.

Another Oaks refugee, Ron Stewart was runner up in the nett event with a score of 69 one ahead of Sooty. Balanced golf of 9 over par on each nine provided a total of 89 strokes, nett 69.

Muswellbrook golf tragic Elie Raad came in 3rd place for the nett event on 71 on a countback from Maitland member Reg Crick.

KING WARBURTON CUP - 2 MAN AMBROSE C'SHIP

The final District event to played on The Oaks layout, prior to the closure of the course, to enable major renovations to the course layout  to commence was played on Sunday 18 July, 2010. In 16months time we look forward to returning to the new layout.

Winners of the King Warburton Cup, were the ever consistent Mark Hale and his partner Tony Lamb from the Branxton Club. Their winning score of 63 was 9 under par for the 72 layout. Ten birdies and a solitary bogey on the 4th hole provided the pair with a 5 stroke margin over father & son team of Paul & Cameron Benkovic. Their nines of 32 out and 31 in was red hot golf.

Paul & Cam got off to a slow start of even par for the front nine but came alive with a stunning 3 under par on the inward nine.

Division 2 scratch winners were Vintage members Shane Walsh and Nev Peace on even par, 72 edging out another father and son team of Mark & Dean Lauder from Paterson, who finished a solitary stroke in arrears on 73.

Early Division 2 favourites Mal Newman & Dave Parkinson failed to live up to their form and will be overlooked for representative selection for coming rep events.

Two four markers, Muz Flannigan and Mark Harrison, from The Oaks, took out the nett event in Division 1 with a 63 nett. The pair actually had the second best scratch score (65) but were awarded the nett on the basis of the trophy value.

John Goodwin (Kurri) and Mark Killick (Branxton) paired up to win the Division 1nett runner up prize on 64¾ after a scratch score of 70.

Locals John Hickey and Dusty Lawless are in a purple patch of late. Their winning score to win the Division 2 nett trophy of 63¾ gave them a narrow win by one stroke over Kurri "greenie" big Al Mudd and his partner Dean Latter.

MIXED AMBROSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

SUNDAY 23 MAY, 2010 - SINGLETON

A capacity field of 92 players took to the course at Singleton to compete in the Mixed Ambrose Championships.

Highlight of the day was a magnificent hole in one by Missy Beavis of Maitland on the final hole. The pin was tucked away behind the bunker in the back left of the green, in a seemingly impossible position. After a few anxious moments looking in the creek to the rear of the green for her ball, her playing partners discovered it in the hole for an ace. Well done Melissa.

Winners of the 2010 Championship were Kurri golfers Chris Ford and his mum Sue, Tricia "Killawarra" Wyper and Tim Lawrence, with a record score of 57, 12 under par. An average front nine of 30 was followed up by a blistering back nine of 27. Four birdies and eagles on both par fives equated to an 8 under for the nine.

Scratch runners up also hailed from Kurri, providing the Club with the quinella. Andrew & Renae Wyper teamed up with Kevin & Patsy Fielding to finish 4 strokes behind on 61.

The nett winners were David & Gail Smith and Tracey & Steve Rachell from TheVintage club on nett 51 5/8.Hero of the team was big hitting scratch marker Steve, who was assisted by the ample handicaps of his playing partners. It was pleasing to see The Vintage members supporting the District events.

Runners up in the nett were a "combo" team from the Denman and Scone Clubs.  Jake Teague, Errol Lockwood, Sue Wilson and Vicki Pascoe combined to finish with a creditable  54 1/4.

2010 SAND GREEN CHAMPIONSHIP

District Captain Dave Parkinson was more surprised than anyone when he took out the 2010 Sand Greens title at Merriwa. An ordinary outward nine of 40 was backed up with a more consistent 38 on the back nine to take the Championship by a stroke. On current form Dave has impressed the selector (himself) and is knocking on the door for representative honours.

Michael Googe of Muswellbrook was runner up one shot in arrears on a countback on 79 from  tournament favourite and sand green exponent Phil Ledgerwood of Murrurundi.

Peter Barwick of Muswellbrook was the nett winner on a countback from second favourite, Howie Lane of Murrurundi. Mal Newman of Singleton benefitting from a handicap blowout thanks to the new system came in third on 67.

Special mention should be made of the Merriwa Lady members who started the field, provided the entertainment and refreshments at the halfway house on the course, provided a delicious afternoon tea and completed the match results by the time the District officials hit the Club house.

BAKER TRINDER RESULTS

In one of the most keenly contested Baker Trinder Shields the Hunter River junior side claimed victory when Nathan Waters won the Shield on the third play off hole.

At the conclusion of the round robin series Central North, Hunter & North West were tied on 4 points each from two wins apeice. Central North & Hunter had 13½ games each whilst North West dipped out of the equation with 13 games.

North West could have won the event but for one of their players conceding the 11th hole, which he should have won, when he suffered a memory lapse and forget his opponent had drowned one in the greenside dam. From that point the match swung dramatically and eventually went to his opponent. Had he maintained his momentum they would have finished on 14 games and won the Shield.

In the final round the local side were heading for a flogging, but comebacks from Cameron Benkovic to square his match and Nick Gulliver hanging on grimly to win his, plus a comprehensive 6/5 win by Dylan Perry was sufficient to scrape into the playoff.  The Shield had to be decided by sudden death play off between the two number one players, Baxter Ward and Nathan Waters.

The innovative officials decided to make the 18th hole the playoff hole as they do in PGA Tour events. This backfired  when after two attempts no result had been reached. The two players were then sent up the par 5 first hole, where Nathan, with his opponent on the green in regulation, fluffed his greenside chip onto  the putting surface but made amends by canning a twenty foot snake for birdie and a win.

Congratulations to the team on the win. Special thanks to Scone for hosting the event at short notice.

2010 JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The District Junior Championships drew a disappointing field of 53 young golfers to Kurri on Sunday 14 March, 2010. This included young girls vying for the Newcastle Hunter Ladies Golf Association, who combined their junior championships with our Districts, for the first time.

The winner of the NHLDGA Junior Championship was Aliza Huff of Belmont with a spectacular 77 off the stick, whilst fellow clubmate, Layne Flannery won the nett event on nett 73.

The 2010 Junior Champion and winner of the Dave Parkinson Shield was Cam Benkovic from Muswellbrook on 72, parring the course off his 3 handicap.

Nathan Waters (Scone) has certainly hit his straps this year and continued his form with 74 hits to take the Boys 16 - 17 years scratch trophy. James Towns from Maitland (no relation to Geoff or Jono) returned the best nett score for the division, with a fine 67.

Branxton's Adrian Chomiszak was successful in winning the Boys 14 -15 years Scratch with an impressive 75 hits, whilst Jack Clark of Singleton won the handicap trophy with a nett 68.

Isiah Wolferstan also hailing from Branxton, returned the equal second best score of 74 to convincingly win the Boys 13 and under scratch trophy. The "Mighty Midget" from Maitland Hayden Gulliver scooped the net trophy with a nett 70, and took the side bets off his big brother once again.

4 MAN  AMBROSE  CHAMPIONSHIPS

KURRI -  1st NOVEMBER 2009

Mark Hale continued his dominance of District events this year, when he teamed with fellow Branxton members Peter Callingham and Mick Ross, and just to top up the team in called in the "big gun" Glenn Marcheff from Singleton for the District Ambrose Fours Championship.

Their winning score of 17 under par, 55 was a record for this event, which will stand for some time. To save space it is easier to advise that the only pars (3 of) they had were on the long second hole and the 8th & 14th par threes. Eagles on 7 (almost holed out) and 18 made up the balance of the round. Apparently an eagle chance went begging on 12 when a relatively short putt went begging.

The Scone team of Derek Field, David O'Donnell, Wayne Phelps and Chris Waters were scratch runners on 11 under par 61. The team played consistent golf for their rounds of 30 out and 31 in. Birdies and pars made for a neat card.

Burglars from Maitland Adam Roy, Peters Gibbs, Adam McKenzie and David Bell won the nett score trophy with their round of 58 nett 54 1/4. Two mirrored rounds of 29 strokes each nine, blemished by 4 pars cost the team any chance of a scratch victory.

Popular runners up were the Aberdeen team of Peter Cooper, Peter May, John Golledge and Tony Strong finished half a stroke behind on 54 3/4. The team's individual handicaps ranged from 11 to 18, but played like single figure markers for their 10 under par scratch round.

With record breaking scores such as these it was obvious that it must have been a perfect day weather wise aided by a course in tip top condition.