IT’S BACK TO BACK FOR NHDLGA AT COUNTRY CUP

Despite scoring the three best rounds of the day, it wasn’t enough to get the Hunter District women over the line in their annual Country Cup match against the Newcastle Hunter District Ladies Golf Association. Played at Hunter Valley Golf Club, Branxton’s Leanne Daniels and Jan Scobie recorded 45 points, while the Murrurundi/ Hunter Valley combination of Christine Smith and Melita Watson and locals Pam Snaddon and Robin Woodward all posted 42. However, the overall score went the way of the visitors, 526 to 508 points, ensuring the NHDLGA retained their title they won at Tanilba Bay last year. NHDLGA

WALLINGTON AND BANKS MASTER MERRIWA

Cypress Lakes’ Max Wallington and Scone’s Lyn Banks have won the Hunter River District 2025 Sandgreens Championships played at Merrriwa Golf Club today. While it was Lyn Banks’ second Sandgreens title, it was a first for Wallington and he was relieved to win in a countback over Kurri’s Josh Stig, after a poor start. “I was six over through four holes and I ended up finishing the day six over, it was a slow start but we got there in the end,” he laughed. “It was interesting, it’s only my third time playing sandgreens and it was a bit cold

TWELVE TITLES OVER 56 YEARS AND NO ONE IS MORE SUPRISED THAN WINNER WATSON.

There really isn’t much that Melita Watson hasn’t done as a player and administrator in the Hunter River District golfing scene, but her incredible surprise victory as the Closed Champion at the Hunter River District Foursomes Championships surely has to take some beating. While Merewether’s Dom Kelly and Maitland’s Katrina Skinner-Oyston won the Open Foursomes title with a score of 86, Watson and her partner, Renee Bean Wyper, firing off an 88, proved to be the incredible story of the day. It was 1969 when Hunter Valley’s Watson won her first title, the inaugural Foursomes Championship with Pauline Thomas. Fast

BIRDIE AND CHIP IN SECURES TWO SHOT VICTORY FOR HAYNES AT HRDGA CHAMPIONSHIPS

A much needed birdie and a par saving chip in has helped Helen Haynes take the Hunter River District Championship title by two shots over local Tania Hutchins at the Vintage Golf Club today. After a tough start, where the Hawks Nest member was six over through just five holes, Haynes steadied the ship with a birdie on the par three fifth and a very welcome chip in for par on the par five seventh. “I had a few dodgy holes but I hung in there like a proper golfer,” she laughed. After the rocky beginning, Haynes completed the remaining

KURRI WIN THEIR FIRST ROSELLA SHIELD PENNANT

Kurri’s Women have won their first Rosella Shield Pennant title after a nail biting final round at Muswellbrook today. Five teams started the day with a chance to take the flag, but it was Kurri, with a resounding 5-1 win over Singleton, that shut the door on the rest. Team captain, Trish Wyper was thrilled with the win. “It’s just so exciting,” she said. “We were all so nervous at the start of play but our Ladies Captain Kriss Subat kept texting us all week with positive messsages and it really helped.” Five teams, Kurri, Singleton, The Vintage, Scone and

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY FOR WILKS

Christmas is looking bright for Sue Wilks after the Muswellbrook representative claimed her consecutive Melita Watson Order of Merit title. “It is an honour to win this twice, I am just humble because Melita Watson is just so passionate about it,” she said. “It has been a great year and I had Kerrie Fry chasing me until she unfortunately became injured.” Branxton’s Fry was hot on Wilks’ tail and at one stage was only 160 points behind the defending champion. But after Fry suffered a shoulder injury she was unable to compete in the remaining events. The Melita Watson Order

NEWCASTLE STRIKE BACK

The Newcastle district has struck back in the annual Country Cup battle against the Hunter River Golf women. 15 pairs played in a fourball format and the locals managed the Tanilba Bay course layout better than the visitors running out 33 point victors. After five contests since 2019, the Hunter District have won the shootout three times to the NHDLGA’s two. Next year the Hunter will be hoping to extend the margin when they play host at a course to be determined. NHDLGA’s Maureen Dyer (left) and HRDGA’s Lyn Banks.

KURRI TOO HOT AT SINGLETON

It was a clean sweep for Kurri Golf Club at the second staging of the Hunter River District 9 Hole Championships at Singleton today. Debra Nugent won the title with 22 points off a 46 handicap just beating team mate Janelle Endacott who scored 20 points off a 43 handicap. “I didn’t lose a ball today and I didn’t go in any of the water or sand so I think that was the secret,” Debra said. Although she has been playing for just on two years, Debra has already developed the classic golfer’s lament. “I shouldn’t say it because I

JODIE’S DUNN IT AGAIN

Singleton’s Jodie Dunn has won her second Champion of Champions title, shooting 80 in very hot conditions at Muswellbrook Golf Course. With the thermometer hitting 32, Dunn was happy with her round until the last hole. “I doubled the last so I was not happy with the finish, but the course was in great condition; I’ll be back up to play there some more.” Dunn was a four shot winner over Scone’s Lyn Banks, while local Sue Wilks finished in third place, a shot back with 85. In the Division 2 Champion of Champions, Kurri’s fast improving Kylie Short fired

SINGLETON ADDS SOME BLUE TO THE GREENS

A dead tree on Singleton golf course, painted blue, has become the talk of the town _ and that’s just the way the club likes it. The unusual sight which can be spotted from busy Queen street or while on the course, is designed to get people discussing mental health and is part of a national campaign called the Blue Tree Project. The idea to paint the tree blue was instigated by board member Alison Wyatt who learnt about the initiative while touring around Tasmania. “The first time I a blue tree saw was while travelling in Launceston,” she said.

CCWGA TOO STRONG FOR THE LOCALS

Boasting two Australian representative players, the Central Coast Women’s Golf team were too solid for the locals, winning the annual event 9.5 to 2.5 at Singleton Golf Course. The number one match saw national representative and former Ladies European Tour player Louise Mullard take on The Vintage’s Jane Holmes. It was a tough match with Holmes going down 4/3. The second match, Yvonne Boardman v Singleton’s Jodie Dunn was also a 4/3 win to the visitors and the same result in number three match, former Australian player Kim Burke versus Kurri’s Renee Bean-Wyper. The combined handicap of the first four

REID ALL ABOUT IT _ WHITE DOES IT AGAIN

The Vintage’s Liz White has made it two from two at the Hunter River District Championships, this time combining with Mel Reid to take out the Ladies Foursomes title. The duo had a day to remember, claiming both the Open and Closed Championship as well as the Overall Nett and Closed Nett Championships. The Closed Championship is reserved for HRDGA members only. On their home course, White and Reid, who had never played together before, shot a 14 over 85 to win by four shots over their playing partners, Kurri’s Sue Ford and Renee Bean Wyper. Reid, who took up

TITLE NUMBER FOUR FOR WHITE

The Vintage’s Liz White has won the Hunter River District Championship played at Cypress Lakes today. In tough, boggy conditions and slick greens, White battled it out with Hunter Valley’s Tania Hutchins, eventually shooting an 11 over par 83 to defeat Hutchins by two. White also took home the Closed Championship (open to all HRDGA members) for the fourth time. “Tania and I had a really good battle, after nine holes she had a one shot lead but I just tried to play as solid as I could,” Liz said. “A couple of pars helped early on the back nine

VINTAGE WIN SIXTH ROSELLA SHIELD IN STYLE

The Vintage Golf Club have gone through the 2024 season undefeated to win their sixth Ladies Pennants title. In a dominant display the team won 9.5 scratch matches out of a possible twelve, with team captain and regular number two, Jane Holmes not losing a match. It was a clutch play on the 18th hole against Cypress Lakes’ Carly Broun that helped Jane square her contest and keep a clean sheet. In the handicap section of the Pennants, The Vintage won 20.5 matches out of a possible 24. Scone finished in second place while Singleton came through to pip an

NEWCASTLE CONQUER HRDGA AT NELSON BAY

Played at Nelson Bay Golf Club – Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd July 2023 Another very enjoyable weekend. The four ball matches on Saturday were very close with Newcastle taking a 4 / 2 score line into the Sunday individual matches. The senior’s division saw matches finish 3 all. In the juniors Newcastle came out on top 4 matches to 2 Overall score Newcastle 11 matches Hunter River 7 matches. Weekend highlight was a hole in one for Hunter Junior Lachlan Standing. Well played by the Hunter team, everyone had a very enjoyable weekend. Thank you to Nelson Bay Golf

MENS HRDGA AMBROSE CHAMPS DECIDED ON 4 WAY COUNTBACK

4 MAN AMBROSE Sunday, 16th July, 2023 148 players teed it up on a typical winter’s day at Kurri Golf Course. Scoring was exceptional with 4 teams equal on 58 (13 under par). A multiple countback was needed to separate the 4 teams with the Muswellbrook team of Brady Benkovic, Bobba Dial, David Schmierer and Paul Hungerford being successful. The nett winners were one of the teams beaten on a countback for the scratch. Kurri greenkeeper Merv Hayward, Matt Hopley, Kurt Cresswell and Peter Fisher, holed just about every putt they looked at to record an amazing score of

CCWGA TOO STRONG FOR HUNTER WOMEN

After losing the inter district battle last year, Central Coast Women’s Golf Association were determined to wrest the title back in 2023. Fielding two national representatives, former golf professional Louise Mullard and Shelley Beach’s Kim Burke, the team was just too strong for the Hunter women. Played at Everglades in Woy Woy, Mullard and Burke had solid wins over Singleton’s Jodie Dunn and Liz White from the Vintage at the top of the field. On a tough day for the Hunter girls, only three victories for the team were recorded. Scone’s Lyn Banks, Jane Holmes (Vintage) and Helen Vandenbruggen (Cypress

DANIELS MAKES HISTORY

Branxton’s Leanne Daniels has made history winning the Hunter River’s inaugural 9 Hole Ladies District Championship. Played at Singleton Golf Club, the stableford event was for beginners and it was Daniels, with a daily handicap of 41, who was the steadiest scoring 18 points. Despite a wobbly one pointer on the third hole, Daniels came home strongly, with three pointers on the final two holes to take victory over The Vintage’s Tracey Henderson, who finished with 16 points. “It was a great event, and I am so happy with the win,” Daniels said. Kurri Kurri’s Ley Rowe finished third on

ABERDEEN DUO SHINE IN HRDGA COUNTRY CUP VICTORY

The Hunter River District (HRDGA) has won the Country Cup for the third time, defeating the Newcastle Hunter District Ladies Golf Association (NHDLGA) by a convincing 46 points. Played at Scone Golf Club, The Country Cup is a Stableford 4BBB competition between 15 representative pairs from the HRDGA and the NHDLGA. This was the fourth playing of the event with HRDGA having won previously at Kurri and then Muswellbrook before NHDLGA won last year at Muree. The result for 2023 was an impressive victory by the host Hunter River District, 599 points to 553 points. Leading the HRDGA charge was

2023 JTS Realty Denman Open Sunday 23 April

CONTACT: Brad Smith on 0419 090 398

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