The club thanks JCS Electrical Solutions, Puppa and Gaehl Real Estate Nagambie/Tatura, Tabilk Winery, Avenel Meats, PW Electrical, HTA Accounting, Optimum Shear, Bank Street Wood Fired Pizza and Gardens and, last but by no means least, Beer Auto Group Seymour, which kindly offered a new car for a hole-in-one on the fifth hole on Sunday.
Saturday was the Pioneer Park four-ball best-ball par event. The course is looking the best it has in ages and as a result some great scores were recorded.
The winners of the Pioneer Park trophy were Adam Harrap and Scoota Donovan with a fabulous +10, just one ahead of the women’s pairing of Dee Wright and Maureen King on +9 who collected the winners’ vouchers for the women.
There were three pairs on +8 so a countback was required to determine who claimed the runners-up prize and the father-son pairing of Mark and Rayden Hannigan did enough to stay ahead of our guests from Mallacoota, Chris Caiger-Watson and Craig Groom, and Cameron Armstrong and Leon Ellis.
The nearest-the-pin on the fifth was unclaimed and the eighth went to Mick Sullivan.
Special thanks to Donovan for sponsoring the 14th and 18th holes, which were won by Ollie Aitken and Dale Smith respectively.
The drive-and-pitch on the seventh went to Adam Harrap and the 17th was won by Mark Hannigan. Moz Fowler won the drive-and-pitch on the women’s eighth hole.
Sunday was the men’s 18-hole stroke and the weather came out to match the course.
The winner of the A-grade scratch was the clear favourite at the start of the day with good form on the course and looks tough to beat in next week’s Victorian Sandgreen Championships. Congratulations to Ed Carracher for shooting one over 73, three shots clear of Donovan on 76.
The A-grade handicap winner with 73 nett was Mick Doyle from Mt Macedon in a three-way countback from Donovan and Dylan Jack from Alexandra.
The Jacks brought their A-game with Corey Jack winning the B-grade scratch with 84. The B-grade handicap winner was Jacob Howard from Beechworth with 72 nett.
The C-grade scratch winner was Bernie O’Hare from Nathalia, with 92 off the stick.
The club’s very own young gun Rayden Hannigan was the C-grade handicap winner with a fabulous 68 nett which also won him the junior handicap event.
Murchison’s Jim Ewart won the nine holes out with 34.5 nett and nine holes in was (Bucken) Al McArthur (Mallacoota) with 32.5 nett.
Unfortunately, no-one was able to take home the Beer Auto Group Mitsubishi, however Corey Jack (Alexandra) won nearest-the-pin on the fifth, the eighth was unclaimed, Ray Falla (Ky Parklands) won on the 14th and John Moore (Strathbogie) pocketed the Donovan Building-sponsored 18th. A big shout out to Bill Harmieston for being our scrutineer on the fifth all day. Wonderful effort once again.
The drive-and-pitch on the seventh went to Cameron Armstrong and the Mallacoota boys sponsored the 17th which went to Jacob Howard. Straightest drive was won by Tom Nolan (Mallacoota).
The Sand Rake challenge for 2023’s first leg was also run on Sunday between Avenel Golf Club and Mallacoota Golf Club and the Avenel team takes a commanding 14-shot lead into the second leg at Mallacoota in November, which Hoppy reckons is “exactly where they want us”.
Huge thanks to everyone who provided cakes and slices — magnificent as always — and thanks to the women in the kitchen — Marlene, Pam, Rachel and Sam — for putting it all together. The Saturday night barbecue was well attended and the meal was delicious.
The course is looking mint and the volunteers led by Bill Harmeiston, Mark Hannigan and Tim Batten have done an outstanding job and we can’t thank them enough for their continued efforts.
Thanks to Jed and Lyn for running the tournament weekend. It’s a big job, well done!
Saturday is a stableford event but numbers will be depleted as there is a strong contingent heading to the Victorian Sandgreen Championships at Talbot — good luck, fellas.
We look forward to Murchison hosting this event in 2025.
In the meantime, good golfing to everyone.
