Forbes golfers enjoyed three days of golf last weekend with a Legends Pro-Am on Friday, Mens Stroke comp on Saturday and the Sunday Stableford Medley.

On Friday 110 players, including 32 professionals, contested the Legends Pro-Am.

The pros had a three-way tie for 1st place, with Martin Petersen (Bega), John Onions (Vic) and Bryce Mawhinney (Young) finishing on 1-under.

There were 18 clubs represented among the club players, who contested Stableford in three men’s grades and a ladies grade, as well as numerous NTP’s.

Forbes players featured well in the prizes, with Jim Carpenter (A-grade scratch), Peter Dawson (A-grade Stableford), Graham Newport (B-grade Stableford), Stuart French (B-grade Stableford runner-up) and Jenny Fletcher (ladies Stableford runnerup) all taking home prizes.

The pros found the course challenging and voted the greens the best they had played on this year. Thanks to the Forbes Shire and the many other valuable sponsors for helping to make this happen again.

Saturday was a stroke event, sponsored by B&C Autos. Many of the field of 65 had played on Friday and managed to find ways to drop shots with ease.

In the A-division, Neil McMillan took the winner’s spot with 70 nett on count back from Stuart French (70 nett). The B-division went to Andrew McDonald (67 nett) ahead of Tom Edols (68) who showed that straight and consistent can return a good score.

The ball sweep went to 74 nett on count back, with the lucky recipients being: 67 – A McDonald; 68 – T Edols, F Donohoe; 69 – B Squires, D Rhodes; 70 – N McMillan, S French; 72 – R Taylor, T Griffiths; 73 – D Bayley, P Pymont, M Collits, L Byrne and 74 – M Westwood, R Borger, P Dawson, C McMillan.

The NTP’s went to: 9th – A Borger; 18th – S Sallaway.

Sunday had the usual Stableford Medley.

The winner was Ron Morris with 37 points, feeling he was being chased by Barb Drabsch who finished on 36 points. There was no ball sweep. The NTP’s went to: 9th – Bess Shields; 18th – Barb Drabsch.

Saturday was the Monthly Medal, sponsored by Adept Plumbing.

Most of the field of 80 players found the scoring quite difficult but the winners found it a breeze.

The A-Grade winner was Peter Grayson, who played consistent golf to record a nett 70. Runner-up, once again, was Phil Maher on 72 nett, who had a roller-coaster round and may have won with a bit of luck.

The B-Grade title went to Rob Webb with a nett 70. He was consistent all day. Ian Bown was runner-up with nett 71. A high score on the 17th included an air swing.

The C-Grade was won by John Pritchard, a visitor from Orange with a nett 67. However, the medal goes to runner-up, Allan Rees with his 69 nett.

The ball sweep went to 75 nett on count back, going to: 66 – J Morgan; 67 – J Pritchard; 69 – A Rees; 70 – P Grayson, R Webb, T Edols; 71 – I Bown; 72 – P Maher; 73 – J Zannes, P Dawson, B Squires, T Hanson; 74 – P Pymont, R Borger, B Thomas; 75 – M Haley, P Nixon, J Haley, G Forrest, R Davies, W Judge and G Coles.

The NTP’s went to: 9th – Marty Woods; 18th – F Donohoe. Neither got their ‘2’. There was a big group of visitors from Wentworth GC and Tony Hanson from Shoalhaven. We may see them again for the Open this weekend.

There was no Stableford Medley on Sunday. Instead the day belonged to the Forbes Ladies Open, which was contested by 71 players. Players travelled from Mudgee, Wellington and our near neighbours.

There will be full report provided but for those interested, the scratch winners over the three grades contested were, A-Grade: Catherine Cox (Mudgee) with 89; B-Grade: Sally Crosby (Fbs) with 98 and C-Grade: Deb Dingwall (Fbs) with 103.

By Short Putt