It was a big week of Elders Club Championship action for the ladies at Lucindale last week. Wednesday was quarter final day with some semis also being completed. In A grade Leanne Graetz defeated Isobel Carracher 2/1. This was also the score for the match between Sharon Menz and Michelle Justin, with Sharon victorious. B Grade saw Jacki Baker get over the line 1 up from Judy James. In the C grade the top qualifier Julie Wilks had to go to the 20th hole to defeat Anne Wagner, Yvonne Mitchell got the better of Kim Knight 3/2 and Vanessa Stone defeated a gallant Audrey Brooker. The D grade girls were experiencing their first taste of match play conditions and did very well with some close games, the more experienced girls coming out victorious. Megan Watson over Sue Giles and Rachel Smith over Emily Davidson.
We celebrated Jill’s birthday with her after play.
Players who were not involved in the Championship finals played a Stableford round, of these Annie Haynes had the best score over 18 holes with 31 points and it was good to see Marg Qualmann out on the course again playing 9 holes with another group of newbies to score 11 points. Nearest to the pins were Sharon on the 3rd, Anne 12th and Heather Pitt on the 16th.
Friday saw the remainder of the semi final matches played with Leanne playing well to go into the A Grade Final by defeating the top qualifier and winner of the Allambie Park Trophy Jill Redway and Vanessa defeating Yvonne in the C grade.
Sunday dawned with the weather looking as though it was going to be much the same as it had been all week, cold, miserable and showery.
The Club Championship was a closely contested match played between Sharon Menz and Leanne Graetz. Both players played very consistently with just the occasional miss hit and both having their share of luck with strayed balls hitting trees and landing back on the fairway. The match saw Sharon taking the early lead by as much as 3 holes but Leanne not to be outdone fighting back to level the match by the 24th hole. The match then see-sawed until the 32nd hole where Leanne took the lead for the first time since the second hole of the day. Sharon parred the next hole to immediately square up the match again. It came down to a putting competition on the 36th hole to decide the 2012 Club Champion and Sharon proved to be a worthy winner of her 6th G. W. Harrison Trophy.
The B grade final, played between Petrina Smith and Jacki Baker saw Petrina play the better golf early to be 4 up after 18 holes. Jacki managed to steady and halve 5 holes in a row but Petrina’s relentless pressure of excellent driving from the tee and great support from her other half Geoffrey around the greens gave her the win when she finished the match in dramatic style by chipping in out of the bunker on the 31st hole and take the match 7/5.
The C Grade match between Julie Wilks and Vanessa Stone was a close affair with neither player able to get a significant break away. The match was all square after the designated 27 holes and took a further 3 holes before Julie won the par 3 12th hole the second time round to claim victory. Perhaps her experience in having to play the extra holes in the semi final helped her to take out the final. Julie has been in great form this year a won the Norah Limbert Memorial Trophy for the best 2 nett scores in qualifying with her two 68’s.
The D grade final was played between two very promising first year players Rachel Smith and Megan Watson and refereed by their very proud mentor/coach Vicki Snodgrass over 18 holes. Rachel had the lead by up to 2 holes throughout the match but Megan fought back to level the match on the 18th. With both players having good drives down the first play off hole it was Megan who was able to finish the steadier and take out the Championship.
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