NAMBUCCA Heads Island Golf Club’s Daniel Wren has got more go in him than a border collie on espresso.
The greyhound-lean greenkeeper who has a smile for everyone capped a mighty week when he paired with clubmate Phillip Frost on Saturday to win the Nambucca Smash Repairs medley fourball best ball stableford with 47 points.
Before he teed off, Dan was seen mowing and blowing the greens at sparrows to have things just right for the 96-strong field, while earlier in the week he and Head Greenkeeper Clint Lavender built a beautiful new garden from scratch between the 18th tee and 17th green.
Pictured above: Daniel Wren had a weapon of a week at the Nambucca Heads Golf Course.
The new garden near the 18th tee looks a treat, and the plants selected are on point for the situation.
Beaten only on countback were Kevin Mulhall (who also had a monstrous week) and Greg Lucas.
Spare a tiny thought for Shayne Scott and Chris Knight who finished third and were relegated to top of the ball run after carding 46 points – one shy of the ask – after both pulled their tee shots out of bounds on the last and finished with a wipe.
Grant Ellis channelled a snake on the 1st for the Ecomist prize pack and Mulhall was closest on 7 and 18, the latter for the $85 Pro Pin. Michael Jolly – with a young family member in-tow – scored the NTP on 5, Dave McBarron on 8 and Ken Klem on 15 while Garnet O’Brien will gobble one of Steve Ward’s master creations after baking it close on 13 for the Pizza This Pizza That salute.
On Sunday, Steve ‘The Iceman’ Frost partnered with Dan Wassens to win the final of the fourball match play knockout, with a 4 and 2 result over Ken Klem and Chris Brownlie in the grand final.
Professional coaching has been paying off for Shayne Scott and her handicap is crashing as much as her enjoyment and expectations are soaring.
One of The Island’s most loyal supporters, Peter Bush (18 handicap), corked with 41 points to bottle the field in the Toyota Genuine Service Dolphin Day medley stableford on Thursday 24 September.
Bushie parred the 2nd and 17th, birdied the 5th and had nothing worse than a bogey for an eye-watering 82 off the stick, and he’ll now be fitted for an embroidered shirt to mark the moment.
Sweet-swinging Stuart Johnston (12) wowed with 40 points (10 pars and 77 gross) to win Div 1 from Dave Mattacott (19) on 39.
Dave Bartos (20) returned 39 points for the Div 2 dance, one clear of Colin Dunne (25).
Bartos started brightly with the longest putt on the opener and flag pests were Tristram Edwards on 5, Garry Johnstone on 7, Greg Smith on 8 and Andy Mackinnon on 15. Roy Louis banked the $70 Pro Pin on the last and Geoff Goesch has dinner sorted after dicing it nicely on 13 for the gourmet pizza.
Sue Brooks winds up on the 16th which was playing brutally long on Saturday thanks to a super stiff nor-easter.
The club’s women always have interesting comp formats and it was an American Foursomes on Wednesday 23 September. Strong golfers Deidre Fletcher and Glenys Thompson Yankee’d the day with 66.87 nett for the win.
Susan McWilliam and Sue Seymour were runners-up on 68.12.
Henny Oldenhove and Kerry Shearer grabbed the pins on 5, Jenny Ainsworth on 13 for the loaded flatbread and Fletcher on the 18th for the $38 Pro Pin.
Mulhall (19) signalled he was locked in more securely than a honeymooners’ hotel room with a stonking 39 points to win the Nambucca Smash Repairs stableford on 22 September.
He had five pars and the grand finale was a hole-in-one on the 18th!
Michael Tarleton (21) also carded 39 points to be runner-up and first in the ball run which went down to 36 with Colin Habgood the last to collect.
Pins went to Habgood on 5, Stuart Johnston on 8, Michael Tarleton on 13 and Mulhall of course on the last, banking a box of balls for the memory-maker.
Catchya on The Island where if you play anywhere near your handicap you’ll be in the conversation for the big cash prizes in the Good Time Charlie’s Cup on Sunday and Monday. Still spots left in the field and with Daylight Saving kicking in, there’ll be plenty of time after the rounds to think about mowing.