PARKES GOLF By PETER BRISTOL On Saturday Finne Latu and Jim O’Donoghue were the day sponsors for their featured 2 Person Ambrose. Finne and Jim put on an excellent day each year and the players are appreciative of their generosity. There was a spit cooked meal after play that had a shotgun start so all players were back in the clubhouse together and enjoying the camaraderie that golf provides. It was a great day for playing golf with a bit of a breeze but Spring like temperatures and the course getting greener by the day. There were 70 starters. With the golfing gods looking down on him Finne was able to combine with Mitch Cambourne to win the days prize with a 63.75 net. It was a great round of golf with each player requiring 9 drives, it evened up the landscape and made all team members a bit more accountable. Finne doesn’t get the long bombs out too often these days, but he kept on or near the short grass all day while Mitch was lobbing them just in front of the down wind par 4’s which made scoring a bit easier. Runners up were the regular team of Matt Lawryk and the other sponsor Jim O’Donoghue. These boys played out of their socks just falling 0.75 of a shot short on the day. Matt played his normal finesse game matched by the power drives and Jim was keeping it all intact and providing great support. These 2 teams were clear winners with the next best pairings of Craig Dunn and Michael Williamson back on 66 followed in by the Matthews team of Craig and Mel on 66.25 and 3 teams tied back on 66.75. In the scratch scores for the day, the best was Nick Kelly teamed up with Aaron Wilkie. It was a bombers delight on the down wind holes and Aaron was presenting plenty of opportunities for birdies. Nick was very tidy around the greens as they combined for a 68. Matt and Jim had a very good scratch score of 69 followed in by Mark Kelly and John Green who combined well on the day a stroke further back. The Nearest The Pins winners were – Bridgestone Mining 1st Jim O’Donoghue at 410cm, Griffins Leading Edge by Aaron Wilkie at 255cm, Parkes Ready Mixed Concrete 9th by Andrew Huntly at 375cm, the Westlime 11th by Chris Goodie at 100cm, the Gulf Western Oil 17th Troy Thomson. The Longest Drive by Michael Williamson at cm. The lucrative money hole was won by Phil Bishop at 128cm. The Money Hole was won by Troy Thomson. Ball winners were Craig Dunn and Michael Williamson 66, Mel and Craig Matthews 66.25, Gordon Pritchard and Joe Davies, John Green and Mark Kelly, Dylan Hood and Justin Middleton 66.75. This week is the time honoured Bob Smith Memorial Day sponsored by the Smith family. VETERANS GOLF By BARRY SHINE Successful Forbes farmer Stuart French took this attitude to the Parkes Golf Club last Thursday blitzing all playing the Lachlan Valley Veterans Golf Association monthly 18 hole competition with a score of 41 points. At the same time Stuart was crowned winner of the LVGA district final for the NSWVGA Medal from those who qualified after rounds played earlier this season. Keeping it in the twin town competition was runner-up Don McKeowen from Bogan Gate who plays the weekly T/T comp out of the Forbes club posting 36 points. They also shared spoils in the monthly A grade competition. Visiting players took B grade honours with Cowra’s Elwyn Ward best registering 40 points from Peter Howarth of West Wyalong next on 36 points. Forty five players took part in overcast but dry condition where Forbes again ruled supreme in the teams event with their best three scores from 12 players posted 109 points. Next Parkes (14 players) 106, Grenfell (8) 105, West Wyalong (4) 97, Condobolin (3) 88, Cowra (2) 71, Bogan Gate (2) 63. Nearest the pins - 4th A grade Nym Dziuba (P), B grade Elwyn Ward (Cwa), 11th A grade Ian Phipps (P), B grade nil. Forbes and Parkes players to collect balls in the sweep – 36 points Phil Smith (P), 35 Barry Parker (F), Linday Elliott (P), Rob Staples (P), 34 Nym Dziuba (P), 33 Les Little (F), Kim Herbert (F), Ian Phipps (P), 32 Phil Smith (P), Alf Davies (F), John Pearce (P). This week Forbes will host the twin towns weekly competition with nominations from 9.30am for a 10am shot gun start. Be there or be ‘square’. For the diary the next LVGA 18 hole comp is scheduled for West Wyalong on Thursday, 18 September.
