SEVENTY eight golfers turned out Saturday for the qualifying round for the Specsavers handicap Stableford Matchplay. The top 32 scores counted with Adam Buchtmann the best on the day with 41 points. Congrats Adam, great score. Grade nett winners included Bill Osborne (A-grade with 39 points on a countback), Paul Shepherd (B-grade 37 c/b) and Corey Moore (C-grade 36 points). Runners-up in each grade were Paul Boyd (A-grade 39), Steven Abbott (B-grade 37 c/b) and Pete Hinton (C-grade with 35 points).  In regards to the knockout, you needed at least 32 points to qualify for the knockout with Cam Darby filling the final spot. However, since Saturday, a couple of players have had to withdraw from the competition and therefore a few reserves have got a spot. The draw sheet is in the club so could all players check the draw. Your next match must be played by February 27. In the ball competition, David Blair got the last one with 34 points.

Onto the Nearest to the Pins and “shot of the day” went to Cliff Beattie with a “beauty” to just over a foot to win the Bent on Food 9th/18th. Other sharpshooters were Scott Polley on the Wingham Plaza Butchers 1st/10th, Bill Sullivan the Caddies restaurant 3rd/12th, Jimmy Bradshaw the 4th/13th All About Conveyancing voucher and Bob Rosevear was too good for the rest in winning the 7th/16th Bayview Seafoods hole.

THE Wednesday veterans continue to attract big fields with 54 players playing a four person Ambrose last week. This created problems for some vets who now had to find “three mates” in order to get a game. However the group of Trevor Jones, Cliff Sayers, Bruce Armstrong and Alan Wellar had no such problems combining to win the day from runners-up Terry Morris, Tom Yarnold, Courtney Adamson and David Homewood. In third spot was the combination of Terry Thompson, Ted Bowen, Peter Tait and Phil Anderson. Dave Homewood had a double celebration when he also won the NTP on the 3rd/12th with a great shot. Jimmy Bradshaw did likewise to win the 7th/16th hole.

A disappointing field of just 26 players enjoyed warm, fine conditions last Wednesday arvo, with scoring difficult (our group found it difficult anyway). It was close at the top as just 1/12th of a shot separated the first two teams. In the end the team “That’ll Do” captained by Peter Bell, emerged the winners from an unlucky “Moores” (Damian Moore). Wingham Cricket Club (Matt Essery) were third. NTP on the short third hole was won by Peter Hinton with a superb shot that almost went in the hole.

THURSDAY dawned a new, but miserable day last week, resulting in only seven players competing in the Chook Run. However it still took a great score to win with Jim Bradshaw the “star of the day” with 23 big points. Runner-up Rod Brown shot two under par, a great score for the conditions, but could only manage 21 points. Still a great nine holes though. Third spot went to Dave Elliott with 19 points. There were no NTP’s this week due to the small field. The January LJ Hooker umbrella winner was also decided on Thursday and no, it wasn’t James Urquhart, (he finished runner-up after winning the past three months’ umbrellas) but yours truly Graham Steel the winner with a very modest 67 points. In the “handicapper” versus the “masseuse” grudge match, the 2016 score is now one all after the “masseuse” parred the last four holes on Thursday to finish with 19 points and take the match. Modesty forbids me to say what I had to finish second.

THIS Saturday is the February Taree Toyota Monthly Mug/MRD Electrical Medals/Kangaroofing Long Drives with a Medley 4BBB the following week. Good luck and good golfing.