JUST when you thought there was nothing left for Greg Rhodes to achieve on a golf course, he strikes again.
The 62-year-old Sunraysia star’s name now adorns the new course record at his home club Coomealla, after scoring an eight-under 64 off the stick last month.
The previous record was held by PGA professional Josh Younger, who hit 66 as a youngster competing back in the 1990s as part Sunraysia’s Golf Week.
Rhodes’ round came on the opening day of the Coomealla Club Championships on October 2, when he made eight birdies and not a single hole over par on the way to commanding lead after 36 of the 72 holes.
He leads the A Grade scratch scores in the delayed title with 136, 12 strokes ahead of Daryl Morgan (148) and 13 ahead of Jacob Slimmon (149).
Rhodes said it was a “fantastic feeling” and “a real thrill” to hold the course record.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a bit of success in golf but to have a course record on your home course is really good,” he said.
“I had eight birdies, I had 18 opportunities for birdies, so someone said improve your putting and your round might have been better.
“That would be right, I missed a few short ones. You just have a day out every now and again and that just happened to be one for me.
“I’ve had a couple scores of 65 and lots of 66 rounds, but it’s my best round here. It was a stress-free 64 … if that’s possible.
“I guess you do get into a zone, you say that’s the ball, that’s how I want to hit it, and that’s where I want it to go and it happens, there’s no other thoughts in your head.”
It did, however, take a little while for the score to be officially recognised as the course record.
Following the round, Coomealla captain Ross Robertson told Sunraysia Daily there would be a committee meeting to confirm the result and upon seeking clarification from both Golf NSW and Golf Victoria, there were no hard-and-fast rules when it came to course records, the matter ultimately coming back to the club.
“There are a few factors at play in the decision-making. That fact we’re currently playing under modified COVID rules has to be taken into account, although Greg didn’t end up in a bunker so that didn’t make much of a difference when it comes to bunker lies,” Robertson said at the time.
“The course has also changed a fair bit in that time, there are less bunkers to contend with and greens have been rebuilt and modified, so that’s why it’s being taken to the committee.
“Whatever the result, it was still an amazing round for him.”
That committee meeting was ultimately delayed due to the most recent COVID-19 restrictions, which also postponed the final rounds of the club championships until the opening weekend of December.
“It was a little difficult, and I appreciate the fact they had to get it right, so I was actually grateful that they did go through that process,” Rhodes said.
“It wasn’t ideal but it was probably the best way to do it.”
Alongside being arguably the best golfer in Sunraysia history, Rhodes also has national accomplishments, having represented Australia at senior amateur level and won multiple championships before COVID struck.
“Senior amateur golf has reinvigorated me as a golfer and gave me plenty of opportunities I never thought I’d have,” he said.
Rhodes is one of the hot favourites for this weekend’s Murray Darling Golf Association District Championship at Coomealla.
