Playoffs decide the championships in 3 events
Well, the carnival is over.....and some might say thank goodness. If it wasn't for the wonderful hospitality of host club, Gatton, and the comradarie built up over the years this event has been held, some ladies may not have returned to the final stroke round of the championship. Whispers in the car park suggested this might be the case on Tuesday due to the weather and difficult conditions. However, everyone returned to the Gatton golf course on a chilly Wednesday morning to complete the last round - and an exciting finish it turned out to be. When the cards were finally tallied up, Marie Cook and Paige Large were tied on 172G in silver division. Helen Payne had continued her good form and won Bronze I with 191G. Bronze II was also tied with Day one leaders Del Webster and Aliecia Freeman on 205G. A one hole play off secured the win for Del in Bronze II but it took Paige three holes to defeat Marie of Millmerran club with both players parring the first two holes.
Click on the image to open the gallery
Tuesday 20th August
The Downs and South Western District golf championships are underway at the Gatton Jubilee Golf Course.
Day 1 Foursomes event saw 104 players tee off in a shotgun start in beautiful warm August weather. The course however presented it's challenges in the dry conditions with very slick greens. At the end of play, two teams were tied on 85gross, Carol Champion (St George) & Sam Hinze (Warwick) and Margaret Richards (City) & Carmel Macdermott (Tba). A play off followed with Richards and Macdermott winning on the first play off hole with a clutch putt from Margaret. City players Christine Ryan & Patricia Ibell put in a fine performance to win the 18 hole nett event with 651/2. Other good results came from Tba players Tricia Harding & Fay Price (90gross) and Div 2 gross winners Rhonda Van Ansem Brooker & Betty Walker from Gatton. The district committee was privileged to welcome Norma Lovelace to the championships and as a guest at the dinner. Norma was president of the district from 1981 - 84 and still shares a huge interest in the district and women's golf. Norma was awarded an OAM for service to the community through the Queensland Country Women's Association of Australia in 2012. In 1986 Norma Lovelace was elected to Country Vice President of the QLGU and was President of the Queensland Ladies Golf Union (QLGU) from 1991 to 1995.
70 players enjoyed the annual dinner at the club with some very good light entertainment provided by the Gatton ladies - The Golfers Wedding - enjoy the photo gallery to see The Vicar, The Wedding Party consisting of four brides and a flowergirl.
If players thought the course was tough on Monday, Tuesday greeted them with cooler temperatures and gusty SW winds up to 40kmp/h. Balls just wouldn't hold the greens and some were seen to run on and take a right hand turn back off the green! Some players, however, managed to tame the conditions and leading Silver Division is Margaret Richards (82gross), in Bronze 1 Helen Payne (Tba) & Coral Walton (City) share the lead (94gross) & in Bronze II Aliecia Freeman & Del Webster from City lead with 100gross. Play continues tomorrow with, hopefully, a better weather forecast.
