Turkey day a winner

Despite the threat of a cold wet southerly lurking in the vicinity, last Saturday turned out to be a magnificent golfing day for the annual Liquor Plus Christmas Turkey Tournament.
The big field of over 140 contestants reacted favourably to the conditions with scoring noticeably improved on last year. In 2003 Mike Dixon, with 45 points, produced a round to die for but only two others,
both of them women, had 40 or more stableford points. This year there were four players on 42 points, while in total no fewer than 13 golfers were on 40 or better. The game is getting too easy obviously.
Old Mr Lucky himself, Peter Kenny, won the top prize on a count-back from Jeff Tuoro, Geoff Bunny and Helen Newland, all of whom had 42 stableford points. It has been a great season for Peter who has also won two golfing trips to Australia, one in the Holden Scramble and one in the Corporate Contest. Well done Peter, we're pleased for you, but now, would you mind stepping aside and letting the other poor mugs have a go!
Here are the results, slightly condensed.
Top prize: Peter Kenny 42 pts
Men Group 1: Jeff Tuoro 42 pts 1st, Kevin Mackay 41 pts 2nd, Barry Smith 41 pts 3rd, Henry Stechman 40 pts 4th, Mike Dixon 40 pts 5th, Ewen Macdonald 40 pts 6th, Brent McKenzie 39 pts 7th, Courtney Gane 39 pts 8th, Rob Harrison 38 pts 9th, Dave Stevens 37 pts 10th, Bart Guckert 37 pts 11th.
Men Group 2: Geoff Bunny 42 pts 1st, Alex Tulloch 40 pts 2nd, Tim Crum 40 pts 3rd, Ray Verhaart 39 pts 4th, Jock Blathwayt 39 pts 5th, Arthur Sandford 39 pts 6th, Steve Hemmingway 39 pts 7th, Robert Young 38 pts 8th, Mick Gates 38 pts 9th, Bert Stocker 37 pts 10th, John Tatham 37 pts 11th, Gavin Anstis 37 pts 12th, Sofi Fanua 37 pts 13th.
Women: Helen Newland 42 pts 1st, Rachel Monk 40 pts 2nd, Lesley Roberts 40 pts 3rd, Helen Falloon 39 pts 4th, Marilyn Strang 38 pts 5th, Carolyn Stevenson 38 pts 6th, Lola Gaudin 38 pts 7th, Jenni Johnston 37 pts 8th, Jan Thompson 36 pts 9th, Jo Philps 36 pts 10th, Lola Ogg 36 pts 11th, Jan Williams 36 pts 12th.
9 Holers: Anne Kite 1st, Dianne Speirs 2nd.
Nearest the pin prizes were won by Jenny Sadler, Jan Williams, Pam Lochore, Steve Hemmingway, Bart Guckert, Kevin Mackay and Geoff Davies while the longest drives were taken by Brian Leighton, Roly Brown and Aileen Ogilvie.
Jonesy and I watched an interesting sequence played out at the short 8th hole last Saturday. As the rather hard case looking leading four approached the tee, their leader Kevin, in typical bossy school-teacher style, decided that the tee needed to be set back about fifteen feet.
They duly hit off and three of the four landed just fifteen feet short of the green and in the bunker. By this time Jonesy and myself were really enjoying ourselves and giving the hapless trio a right old bit of raucous barracking. Undeterred, all three came out of the bunker, on the green, and down for three. Poor old Mick, the only one to play the hole conventionally, was the one under the most pressure, but he got his par also.
Weather conditions last Monday were not the best so the Vets decided to postpone their WBS Closing Day till next Monday, December 13. Apart from the normal golfing action there will be long drives, nearest the pin and a putting competition followed by afternoon tea upstairs.
To round off their season, players and caddies of the 2004 women's Lansdowne Trophy team recently enjoyed a barbecue par excellence at Chris Lewis's home. At one stage in the evening (presumably as time wore on) the players thanked their caddies and sang their song "Love Me Or Leave Me" while the caddies responded with their signature tune, "I'll Walk Beside You". About this stage a number of rash promises for 2005 were heard and recorded. Thank you, Chris, for a great evening.
Thus we ring down the curtain on a season which began in the rain and ended with the wind. Near the beginning we had the very successful Pro-Am event which included Sir Bob Charles and near the end we had the equally satisfying Sir Bob Charles Tribute Tournament.
And so on to 2005. May I say once again, whether on the golf course, or in your ordinary life, "Fortuna Sequatur" ? may good fortune follow you.