2013

ROYAL PATTO IN VINTAGE WIN

The humble Paterson senior team caused the upset of the year when they rose to the occasion and won the 2013 Frame Cup for the Senior pennants against all odds. The underdog Paterson team surprised the Vintage players by defeating them 2 matches to1 and take the pennant for this years long drawn out series.

Back in December last year when the series got underway, Paterson were at long odds to be in the final at the end of the year. The team turned up each week and plugged away to finish equal first with The Vintage and the opportunity to meet them in the final.

The first match out on the course was between district stalwart Mick Watson & mate Ken Aird against Larry Castle & Greg Kellner. The match was tighter than a facelift, with neither side getting further ahead than a one hole margin. Vintage opened the account with a win on the first courtesy of a bogey 6 by Mick, only to relinquish it to a par with a shot, to Greg on the second.

The match then see-sawed over the next 14 holes where the lead changed on a further 7 occasions. until they completed the 16th hole and it was all tied up.

At this point the the match became an anticlimax, when the two matches following had been decided in Paterson's favour and there was no necessity to conclude the match. The generous Paterson players conceded the match to their opponents.

The second match out was between Bruce Rose & Tom Bradstreet (Vintage) and Brent Eslick & the wily Peter Griffin.

After squaring the first hole, Paterson made their move and won the next three holes, but by the end of the first nine, their lead had been trimmed to one hole. After 12 holes the match was back to square, and it was then that the lethal Brent was at his best, burning off the opposition winning three holes in succession, with a bogey, par, par barrage through holes 13 to 15.

A squared hole on 16 brought the match to an early conclusion, with Brent & Pete winning 3  & 2, and putting Paterson in the box seat with the win.

Bruce & Tom fought hard, but the handicap difference, and strokes conceded eventually saw Paterson win 7 of the 16 holes played, as against 4 by the Vintage pairing.

The final match out on the course was between Rod Paech & Don Guthrie up against Mark George and Bob Cook. This match was always going to be hard for The Vintage team due to the large number of strokes they had to concede to their higher handicapped opponents.

Rod & Don held Mark & Bob to a one hole lead until the 7th hole, where their opponents lifted to a higher gear, with wins on holes 7, 8, 9, 11 & 12 to jump to a 6 up lead. A halved hole on 13 brought an early conclusion to the match.

The win provided Paterson with a second match and the coveted Frame Cup. It was at this point that the first match out pulled up stumps.

No doubt the team celebrated long & hard at their drinking hole, The PattoTavern, thanks to the generosity of mine host Brent Eslick.

VINTAGE SENIORS

Like a good drop of Hunter Valley red, the members of the Vintage senior team continue to improve with age. In the final of the Arthur Frame Cup for senior pennants, the Vintage team bounced back from last years loss in the final, to defeat the Branxton team 3 - 0, and win the coveted cup for the second occasion.

Former Branxton member and district legend Mick Watson teamed with Tom Bradstreet to win their match against Barry Brooks & Rex Williams 3 & 2.

Right behind them Evan Gledhill and Rod Paech proved too strong for Billy Benton and Peter Tracey by the same margin.

With two matches in and the Cup secure, the final match was called off, when the Vintage team of Steve Bruce and Brian Connolly held a slender lead of 1 up, with the score recorded as a win for the Vintage and an overall win of 3 matches to 0.

PATERSON TAKE 2011 FRAME CUP IN A BOILOVER

In a dour dogfight Paterson stand in captain Kevin Rudd, masterminded a victory over the favourites The Vintage to convincingly win the Frame Cup. In the absence of regular Captain Peter Griffin, KRudd, masterminded the win with astute selection of his team pairings.

At the nine hole mark Paterson were down by one hole in each match. As the back nine progressed Paterson gradually overcame their low marker opponents, who were overwhelmed by the sheer number of strokes they had to concede.

First out was veteran Roy Bishop with Greg Kellner, up against Don Guthrie and Rod Paech led the way for Patto with a 2 and 1 victory. After the 14th the match was all square, but solid golf by Greg over the next few holes claimed a win for their team.

The number threes for Paterson Robert Cook and Phil Watson accounted for Seve Bruce & Neville Peace cruising to a 3 and 2 win, which clinched the Cup for Royal Patto.

In the remaining match Johnny Walker & KRudd were holding their own against the wily Mick Watson & Bruce Rose, when their match was called off as a result had been decided.

No doubt the victory celebrations will go on long at loud at their watering hole, The Paterson Tavern.

2010 FRAME CUP - SENIOR PENNANT FINAL

The Vintage Golf Club, in only their second year of Senior Pennants has taken the holy grail, The Frame Cup and 2010 pennant title over a despondent Maitland, who have gone down in the final two years running.

This is a marvellous achievement for a Club of only 160 members, to win the title in their second year of competitive pennant golf.

Maitland were red hot favourites after going through the season undefeated, but came up against an in form Vintage team in the final at The Oaks.

Leading the way for the Vintage were the number two pairing of Tom Hannah and Rod Paech overwhelming their opponents Stan Gardner and Kevin Hure 5 & 4. Rod Paech created havoc when he fired off 7 pars and 3 birdies in 14 holes. Not bad for an 18 marker.

The number threes were the next match in with Vintage captain John Retallick and partner David Last defeating Wayne Clements, the Maitland Captain, and his offside Gary Kennedy 2 & 1.

At this point The Vintage were home & hosed, but the remaining match insisted on playing on. Maitland pairing Ken Ward and Paul Liddell were one up after 16 but ended up going down on the last hole, to Evan Gledhill and Neville Peace.

SENIOR PENNANT RESULTS 2009

SENIOR PENNANT FINAL - FRAME CUP

After a long series which commenced early January, the final culminated with Branxton meeting Maitland in the final. 

Branxton, astutely led by non playing Captain Paul Brennan, the defending champions were gunning for three in a row, whilst Maitland were chasing their first victory for “Captain Courageous” Wayne Clements, since he had taken on that role. 

On paper Branxton was the stronger of the teams, whilst Maitland had introduced new blood to bolster their team. 

At the half way mark Branxton held a slender 2 /1 lead and at that stage the final could have gone either way. 

As the matches proceeded further into the inward nine, Branxton assumed the ascendancy and took the Frame Cup for the third year in a row. 

Gary Wilton and Ken Aird maintained a steady lead over Maitland stalwarts Ken Ward & John Mitchell, eventually running out comfortable winners 4 & 3. 

Branxton icon Mick Watson and his clever partner Peter Tracey improved their half way lead of two up, over Max Geyer and Wayne Clements, to record a 4 & 2 win. 

With the Frame Cup decided the final match between Eddie Barrett and Rod Moylan of Branxton and two former C graders Kevin Hure and Ray Harrison finished early with a gentlemanly agreement, to walk off with two holes to go. At that stage the match was all square.

SENIOR PENNANT RESULTS 2008

FRAME CUP 2008

Red hot favourites Branxton cruised to victory in the Final of the Frame Cup played at Kurri on Sunday 6 April, 2008.

Branxton were undefeated throughout the round robin series and maintained their form in the final against Dungog winning by 2 matches to 1.

First game into the clubhouse were the Branxton pairing of Mick Watson & Gary Beeton with a convincing 7/5 victory over John Copas and Spencer Shilton.

Dungog legend Ted Russell and his partner John Enright took Gary Wilton and Errol Munsenberger to the 17th hole to go down 2/1.

The final match went to the last hole where Ken Aird & George Anderson went down to Gary Wynne & Barry Rumble, but by this stage the Cup was firmly in the grip of Branxton's hands.