Emerald retain shield

By Dennis Fuller
LAST Saturday at Emerald Golf Course, Olinda rolled down the hill to challenge for bragging rights in a stableford, team challenge.
The course rating was set at 67 after a raft of good scores and late in the day, with the sun beating down, Emerald, for the second year running, took the shield.
Emerald finished with an average of 32.28 to better Olinda’s 28.13, to prove that a home course advantage takes some beating.
The individual winner for the day was Graham White (13) who cruised in with 42 points to prove that a hip replacement cannot keep a good man down. White was the winner for Emerald in A Grade while John Mills (5) won from the Olinda group with 37 points.
The Emerald B Grade winner was Andrew Tudor (20) on a count-back from Ken Hill with 38 points. Olinda’s winner was Bruce Williams (14) with 32.
Con Whitlock (25) headed the other Emerald C Graders home with 38 points and Gary Westbrook (25) rolled the other Olinda contestants with 37.
Others to cope well with the pressure were Martin Yeats on 40, Ron Wilson, John Ellerbock, Ross Martin and Dave Hunt with 35, Andrew Collier 34 while a group of golfers including Rod Ward, Rick Arthurson, Peter Jones, Leigh Morison and Dennis Fuller all managed 33 points.
Nearest the pins were won by Garry O’Brien on the 4th, Graham White the 7th, Brian McCoy the 12th, Rod Ward the 13th while Ross Martin scooped the pool for the pro pin on the 18th.
Next Saturday things start to get really serious with the first day of the three-round club championship. Also, the September monthly medal is there for the taking as well.