The weather for outdoor activity was once again inviting to all, be they cricketers, surfers or golfers. The Forbes golfers took every advantage of the comfortable conditions and acquitted themselves well.

The Saturday Men’s competition was the Monthly Medal, sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, and contested by a field of enthusiastic 76 players who were keen to do well.

The A-Grade saw Kim Herbert with a ‘runaway’ win, scoring 64 nett. Kim was comfortably ahead of Harry Callaghan (66) who led a bevy of strong players. 

The B- Grade saw the closest contest. Ken Sanderson won on count back from Jake Hemming when both finished on 68 nett. 

The C-Grade mimicked the A-grade in scores. Brian Clarke, who is in tip top form, scored 64 nett, ousting visitor Tom Wood (W/W) who had 66 nett. They went stride for stride, but Brian had the handicap advantage.

The NTP’s went to: 9th – R Murray, 18th – J Mallon. The Pro Shop Super-pin, on the 3rd green, went to Reggie Murray with a shot to 2.25 metres. The ball sweep went to 72 nett on count back. Check in the Pro Shop if you think you earned one.

It was pleasing to see many club players back on the course after their long break, and it is also pleasing to see a number of visiting players.

On Saturday, 28th January, the comp is an Individual Stableford, sponsored by Rob Allen Livestock Transport. Forbes will host the CWDGA Pennants on Sun 5 Feb, for which the course will be closed until after midday. Some teams still need players, but all are welcome to come and watch.

Head Pro Adam is organising a Mizuno Equipment Day on 16th February. Contact him or the Pro Shop if you want to try them out.

By Short Putt

The golf course is looking good and it seems that the only thing missing are the flagsticks.

After a concerted effort by the course staff we are excited to announce that golf will re-commence this week with the availability of the back-9 holes. The Forbes Vets will have first use on Thursday, 15th December with the Summer Sixes also restarting that day.

Saturday competitions will commence on 17th December and require playing the back-9 twice using a stroke play format. However, there is more than enough opportunity for social play and the Summer Sixes.

The Pro Shop will be open from this week onwards, with both Head Pro Adam and Assistant Pro Michael ensuring it is fully operational. Call the Pro Shop on 6851 1554 if you have any questions.

Having only a 9-hole layout means there will be a lot of pressure on the course. All players are reminded to repair any pitch marks on the greens, fill any divot holes on the fairway and remedy any holes made on the tees. This will help the course staff in their efforts to get the full course back as soon as possible.

The golf course, along with many other of our community sporting facilities, is gradually drying out under this sunny weather.

On the golf course, drying of the fairways has enabled groundsmen to start mowing with the intent to reduce the rank grass growth before the fairway mowers can work effectively. The irrigation system still needs repair, but most greens can be watered manually.

A spraying program is in action to mitigate against fungal growth. There is still quite a bit of debris around the course and some greens will need repair. 

In the near future we will ask for volunteers to assist with some of the repairs. If you think you can help please call the Course Supervisor, Jack Elliott on 0478 678 804 or Club President, Tony Cogswell on 0418 220 510.

The Pro Shop will be open shortened hours during this week, and then fully operational by the weekend. Please call ahead on 02 6851 1554 to check if it is open.

We expect to get a composite 9-hole layout operational for this weekend, 10th and 11th December. The success of that will determine when we can re-commence the Summer Sixes competition.

By Short Putt

On Sunday the annual Pybar Shootout at the Parkes Golf Club had a strong starting line-up. 

On the 2nd hole Geoff Leonard exited, on the 3rd it was ex-president Mark Kelly’s turn, on the 4th hole Peter Bristol had to pack up, on the 5th hole it was adios to Jarrod Kemp, on the 6th par 3 a double par was way too much for Anthony Riach, on the 7th another gun went pop for Brendan Chambers. 

On the 8th hole David Speakman had trouble with the chip-off, on the 9th hole club President David Stevenson lost an 8-person chip-off, on the 10th Rob Leawent over the fence on his drive. Tony‘Scrubber’ Evans was next to go on theshort 11th. On the 12th one of the favourites Joe Van Opynen exited stage left. Onthe par 5 13th big hitting Phil Barnard leftthe game. On the 14th,another strong contender Michael Thomas went out. On theshort 15th Lindsay Elliott left. On the par 516th it was Robert Norman’s turn.

On the 17th Mick Jeffress, couldn’t keep pace leaving Rob Cheney and the most under rated golfer, Nym Dziuba, to tee off for the prize of Pybar Shootout champion for 2022. Both hit solid drives and then hit decent approach shots in.

Unfortunately, Rob’s putter let him down when it was most needed leaving Nym to close out and take the title. Big thanks to all participants, referee John Green, club Captain Cath Kelly and Pybar rep Paul Thomas, and Steve and Kerry in the clubhouse.

This weekend is the annual 18 Hole 4 Person Ambrose Prostate Cancer Awareness sponsored by the Parkes Prostate group.

By Peter Bristol

The Forbes community is recovering from the effects of two high flood events in two weeks. As with many of the sporting venues around town, the golf course is still quite wet.

The aim is to get the golf course running as soon as possible with the first job to ensure the health of the greens and then to mow the fairways when they dry. There is not much that volunteers can do at present, but once the course dries enough to enable traffic around the course there will be a call for bodies to help with the clean-up.

If you think you may be able to help, call the Course Supervisor Jack Elliott on 0478 678 804 or Club President Tony Cogswell on 0418 220 510. 

Planning is underway for the commencement of competition play when we are able. The Summer Sixes will probably start in the new year with a revamped format.

On the weekend of 12th and 13th November a team of golfers from Forbes and Parkes travelled to Shoalhaven on the South Coast to represent the Lachlan Valley District at the NSW Country Championships.

Our players did well, but their scores of Day 1 – 296 and Day 2 – 294, aggregating the four best individual scores each day, meant they were a long way behind. The eventual winners were Newcastle (280, 280)from Central Coast (281, 280) and Illawarra (281, 282).

Each of the Lachlan Valley team contributed in some way, with Steve Betland and John Betland scoring par 71s along the way.

Pro Shop is closed at present, but stay tuned as best you can.

By Short Putt

Last Saturday our last round on the existing Parkes Golf Course layout was played as construction had commenced on the realignment of the western boundary holes.

There were 85 players with some visitors from Forbes for the 4BBB Stableford and the annual Naggers Cup.

In the 4BBB event Robert Rea and Bruce Symonds were the overall winners with a total of 48. The husband and wife pairing of Mel and Craig Matthews were two points behind, with Dub Rodgers and Neil McMillian, Gordon Pritchard and Peter Bristol, Michael Lynch and Rod Luyt and Robert Hey and Craig Matthews all together on 45 points. 

In the individual event the scores would have won on any week with Simon Hogan on 41 points winning on a countback from John Green. John’s score coming off a 2 over 73 scratch score was by far the best scratch score. They were only 1 point ahead of Dub Rodgers and Peter Magill, and Craig Matthews. 

There were 12 other players at Stableford par or better making it a well contested event.

The Naggers Cup, sponsored by Liz Matthew’s family, was won by Mel and Craig Matthews. 

The Nearest the Pins: Idlerite Tyrepower 1st by Michael Dellaca at 334cm, the Griffins Leading Edge 4th by Peter Magill at 120cm, the Dirt Doctor Landscaping 6th Peter Magill at 577cm, the Parkes Ready Mixed Concrete 9th by Craig Matthews at 68cm, the Harvey Norman 11th by John Green at 270cm, the Westlime 15th by Brendon Simpson at 636cm and the Central West Glass 18th by Jack Dolbel at 31cm. The lucrative 6th hole was won by Peter Magill at 577cm. 

In the women’s competition Sandra Freeman won the B grade 4th, Kath Jeffress won the A grade 6th and C grade 11th wasn’t claimed. Ball winners: Mel and Craig Matthews 46, Dub Rodgers and Neil McMillian, Gordon Pritchard and Peter Bristol, Lindsay Elliott and Wayne Tucker, Michael Lynch and Rod Luyt, Rob Hey and Craig Matthews 45, Frankie Cock and Marg Hogan 44. 

Week 6 of President vs Captain: Dave picked up 195 points to Cath’s 181. David has a 3-2 lead.

By Peter Bristol

The November Monthly Medal round, featuring the Medals of Medals round for 2022, had 82 players on the course at the Parkes Golf Club.

Jack Elliott, with a one over par round 72, took out the A grade by two strokes from Aaron Wilkie. Joe Van Opynen, was back on 77. In the nett event, Jack won with a fine 69, just beating home both Michael Thomas and Joe Van Opynen on 70.

In B grade Aaron Drabsch, shot a low 83 to take out the scratch from Nym Dziuba on 86. Aaron was also too strong in the nett event with his 68 holding out Matthew Clarke on 71 with Nym back on 73. 

In C grade Ryan Edwards had to survive a countback with his 91 to take out the scratch. The unlucky player being Wayne Tucker. In the nett event Bruce Symonds shot an impressive 68 to be 1 clear of Ryan and 3 clear of Wayne.

In the prestigious Medals of Medals, Michael Thomas was successful in A grade, David Speakman picked up the B grade award and Bruce Symonds took out the C grade. 

In the Griffins Leading Edge putting competition Jack Elliott hit the magical 26 putt number. The Wally Norman Vets Medal was won by Gordon Pritchard which was the first time he’s claimed this prize. The Putter of Putters for 2022 was taken out by Jack Elliott.

The eagle’s nest was raided with two eagles recorded. Big hitters Anthony Riach and Michael Thomas were able to get to the par 5s in two and knock the putts in.

Ball winners: Joe Van Opynen, Michael Thomas 70, Jim Kuntze, Aaron Wilkie, Wayne Tucker, Matthew Clarke 71, Beau Tanswell, Brian Hogan Snr 72, Garry Philips, Peter Picker, M.Skene, Graham Cooke, Wayne Powter, Anthony Riach 73.

In the President versus the Captain, David has a slender lead of 3 points over Cath 366/363.

In the Ladies event Leone Stevenson was the winner on 39 points beating home Anita Medcalf by a point with Judy Fisher a further point back.

The impact of flood waters in the Forbes Shire has been felt by many, with varying results.

At the Forbes Golf Course the staff were mowing the greens and as much of the fairways and rough to ensure the flood waters would flow and disperse more easily. They also cleaned up around trees and structures to reduce the opportunity for flotsam to be caught.

Preparations included picking up the tee markers, mats on the practice fairway, rubbish bins, large sand buckets, signs around the course, and anything else that could float away. Covers to the electrical equipment for the irrigation system were checked to ensure they did not drift away and leave a hole for someone to fall into.

Final preparations were to lower the hand rails on the 9th walk bridge, raise the equipment in the workshop as high as possible, and to move the equipment to as high a ground as possible. This did not prove totally successful, but saved some significant impacts.

Once the waters subside the first actions will be to wash the greens and remove any silt, thus allowing them to dry. The irrigation water pumps will need servicing, as also will the mowers and other equipment before use. Inspection across the whole course will be made to identify those sites needing repair.

The irrigation system will be flushed and all electrics checked, then a test operation will be made. And flotsam and debris will be removed.

The time taken for the flood waters to subside is unknown. Obviously, this will have an effect on the golf programme, on the Summer Sixes competition, and also impact the programme schedule for next year.

As soon as possible the club officers will notify players of the arrangements for the return to our game.

By Short Putt

The Parkes Golf Club held its annual 27-hole Foursomes Championship on Saturday. The club also had a successful Breast Cancer Awareness Day, co-ordinated by Leonie Stevenson. 

In the men’s division 1 Aaron Wilkie and Joe Van Opynen were the winners with a 113 only 6 over par for the day. In division 2 the pairing of Ross Smith and Wayne Parker won the event for this year.

In the men’s A grade nett Ian Hendry and Peter Bristol took out the event and Ross Smith and Wayne Parker were successful in the men’s B grade nett. 

In the ladies A grade Anita Medcalf and Dale Matthews were winners in the scratch in front of Kathy Jeffress and Kristine Smith. Anita and Dale won the nett event 4 clear of Cathy Kelly and Colleen Staples. In the ladies B grade scratch Kaye Inglis and Jenny Hoy were successful. Kaye and Jenny also won the nett event. 

The Nearest The Pins this week were: Idlerite Tyrepower 1st by M.Skene at 244cm, the Griffins Leading Edge 4th by Joe Van Opynen at 275cm, the Dirt Doctor Landscaping 6th Colleen Staples at 270cm, the Parkes Ready Mixed Concrete 9th by Anthony Riach at 197cm, the Harvey Norman 11th by Damien Noll at 93cm, the Westlime 15th by Steve Betland at 300cm and the Central West Glass 18th by John Betland at 45cm. The lucrative 6th hole was won by Colleen Staples at 270cm this week. 

For the ladies Jenny Hoy won the B grade 4th, Colleen Staples won the 6th and Jacqie Charlton claimed the C grade 11th. 

Ball winners were: Ron Hetherington and Trevor Chatman 108.5, Michael Thomas and Max Keith, Peter Magill and Brendon Simpson 109.5, Ben Howard and Anthony Riach 111.5, John Green and Luke Clarke 111.75, David Stevenson and Craig Matthews 112.

This weekend is the Telescope Tyres & Batteries/Hankook Masters Monthly Medal. Griffins Leading Edge Putting Competition in conjunction / Wally Norman Memorial Medal. Final of the Medal of Medals Sponsor – Parkes Betta Home Living; Final of the Putter of Putters Sponsor – Griffins Leading Edge.

By Peter Bristol