A FINAL round of 77 by Cameron Stewart in tough conditions on Saturday saw him pick up five shots on his nearest competitor to finish the Mildura Golf Resort Club Championships 14 shots in front.
With scores of 74-72-77 for 223, Cameron was always in charge with a wire-to-wire win. Coming second with rounds of 79-76-82-237 was Glenn Marr, just ahead of Andrew Stewart (76-79-85-240).
The new holes on the back nine at Mildura have certainly increased the degree of difficulty and with many of them being open to the elements, the wind can certainly play havoc on days like Saturday.
Coomealla champs up for grabs
The 72-hole Coomealla Club Championships will tee off this Saturday for the ladies and men. In the ladies’ section, Sue Laird will go in as the one to beat with Lee Bottomley the best chance to go close and Nia Whittle hopeful of being thereabouts after the four rounds.
In the men’s section, Greg Rhodes will go in favourite and will either be in great touch after playing plenty of golf in recent weeks or maybe burnt out from playing too much.
Cameron Stewart will look to make it two club championship wins for 2019 and is every chance of doing so if he can get the flat stick rolling well. Justin McPhee will be keen to find some form before Country Week and will be out to win over the two coming weekends.
Local favourites Mark Hann and Troy Neville will be around the place on Sunday week and hopefully will be able to get over the line around the course they play weekly.
MDGA fundraiser success
The Murray Darling Golf Association (MDGA) had its annual fundraising Texas Stableford day on Sunday with 68 golfers braving the winds to enjoy the day. Madeline Jukes, Craig Jukes, Jason Hartley and Paul White were the stars with a score of 140 to take out the win from Ed Parker, Peter Gilmore, Joel Finch and James Hancock on 133.
This was the final MDGA event for the year until the MDGA District Championships on October 12th and 13th which also includes the Champion of Champions.
Coring season
Twice a year our local golf clubs need to renovate their greens to help aerate the soil to promote growth and allow moisture to get down to the root system of the bent grass, which is a very fragile when compared to many others.
You will see nearly all of our local courses have either been cored or it will be done in the coming weeks.
This takes some patience from local golfers to accept that the greens at their local Club won’t be as good as they can be for a few weeks.
With warmer weather on its way the greens at your local Club will be back to their best in no time.
If you have any golf-related topics you would like me to look at, or have a rule change you would like me to explain, you can contact me at mildura@houseofgolf.com.au
RULE OF THE WEEK
DID you know that if the golf ball you are using breaks during the course of a shot you can replay that shot with no penalty and also if a ball is damaged during play on a hole that ball can be replaced directly?
This is explained in rule 4.2 as per below.
4.2 BALLS
a) Balls Allowed in Play of Round
(1) Conforming Ball Must Be Played. In making each stroke, a player must use a ball that conforms to the requirements in the Equipment Rules.
A player may get a conforming ball to play from anyone else, including another player on the course.
(2) Deliberately Altered Ball Must Not Be Played. A player must not make a stroke at a ball whose performance characteristics have been deliberately altered, such as by scuffing or heating the ball or by applying any substance (other than in cleaning it).
Penalty for Making Stroke in Breach of Rule 4.2a: Disqualification.
b) Ball Breaks into Pieces While Playing Hole
If a player’s ball breaks into pieces after a stroke, there is no penalty and the stroke does not count.
The player must play another ball from where that stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).
Penalty for Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 4.2b: General Penalty under Rule 14.7a.
c) Ball Becomes Cut or Cracked While Playing Hole
(1) Lifting Ball to See If Cut or Cracked. If a player reasonably believes that his or her ball has been cut or cracked while playing a hole:
• The player may lift the ball to look at it, but:
• The spot of the ball must first be marked, and the ball must not be cleaned (except on the putting green) (see Rule 14.1).
If the player lifts the ball without having this reasonable belief (except on the putting green where the player may lift under Rule 13.1b), fails to mark the spot of the ball before lifting it or cleans it when not allowed, the player gets one penalty stroke.
If multiple Rule breaches with a one-stroke penalty result from a single act or related acts, see Rule 1.3c(4).
(2) When Another Ball May Be Substituted. The player may only substitute another ball if it can be clearly seen that the original ball is cut or cracked and this damage happened during the hole being played – but not if it is only scratched or scraped or its paint is only damaged or discoloured.
• If the original ball is cut or cracked, the player must replace either another ball or the original ball on the original spot (see Rule 14.2).
• If the original ball is not cut or cracked, the player must replace it on its original spot (see Rule 14.2).
Nothing in this Rule prohibits a player from substituting another ball under any other Rule or changing balls between two holes.
Penalty for Playing Incorrectly Substituted Ball or Playing Ball from a Wrong Place in Breach of Rule 4.2c: General Penalty under Rule 6.3b or 14.7a.
If multiple Rule breaches result from a single act or related acts, see Rule 1.3c (4).
