When an Eagle claims a hole-in-one
Next Saturday, 15 July, is the alliance league game which is getting very interesting at this stage of the competition.
By P Utter
LAST Tuesday, 4 July, Umkomaas Golf Club (UGC) hosted the Village Eagles and true to the group’s name, one of their players Phil Watson, soared to dizzying heights, going one better than has been reported over the past couple of weeks, where the ‘eagles’ were aplenty with two clubs galore.
Not only did Phil beat the odds of both an eagle and a two club – he just went straight for a hole-in-one on the ninth hole. In a golfer’s world, whether you’re an amateur or a professional player, it doesn’t get much better than that. Congratulations to Phil on his perfect fluke – may it be the start of many.
A few of the women played their Cancer Challenge competition last Saturday and it was Michelle van der Merwe who challenged Sabiha Bacaus and Natalie Singer, winning the A division with 40 points. Unfortunately, UGC had no B division players (quite a few of them were away) but the C division was won by Denise Nell with 31 points. These two women will go forward to play in the regional competition up at Maritzburg Golf Club on Sunday, 27 August. The men play at Umdoni on Sunday, 20 August. Congratulations to all UGC winners, Saga Reddy (A) Barrie Taylor (B) and Rob Mathias (C) and of course its two women Michelle and Denise – good luck in the regionals to them all.
Wednesday, 5 July was the usual individual stableford but this time it was one of the women members who saw the men home in the form of Michelle van der Merwe on 40 points with Alwyn Stander in second place, just one shot off the pace, on 39 points. Taking third place was Mike Harvard with 37 points, followed by Rob Finlay on 36 points.
While the women played their Cancer Challenge, the men played the 4BBB stableford competition with Ken Koster and Rob Finlay running away with first prize on a magnificent 47 points. Second was John Westwood and Mike Harvard, four shots behind the winners with 43 points. There was a plethora of two-clubs – Bruce Sutcliffe and Jacque Kirstein fourth; Dylan Sutcliffe and Mike Cromhout 13th; Jacques Kirstein (again!) and Natalie Singer 17th. The jackpot went begging again this week but the hidden birdie has been found at last. Both Jacques Hulley and Sabiha Bacaus got their birdies on the fifth hole. Rob Finlay scooped the attendance draw – well done everyone.
The club hosted the Sunday bash last weekend in which 17 players (with a range of handicaps from a +2 to a 22) took to the course to try their luck. First was Lindani on 37 points and four players tied for second place – Patrick, Thanda, Mandla and David, all of them on 35. Well done, guys. Hensford played the most golf and so will wear ‘the jacket’ at the next meeting. Next date for the bash is Sunday, 23 July, meeting at 9.30am for 10am tee-off. There will be a braai that day. A huge thank you to the organiser, as a lot of work goes into the bash, which is played every second Sunday.
This Saturday, 15 July, is the alliance league game which is getting interesting. Get your teams together and let’s see what next Saturday brings. There will be social golf on Sunday, 16 July, so call the club to book your tee time on 039-973-1042.
The Geriatrics play on Tuesdays and Fridays, meeting on the 1st tee at 7am. If anyone is interested, call Graham on 083-325-5705 or Keith on 083-305-5740 for more details. Friday afternoons is six pin starting at about 2.45pm. KidzGolf is still on holiday until Monday, 24 July – so the littlies will resume their golf tuition on Saturday, 29 July at 8am. UGC’s website can be found at www.umkomaasgolf.co.za.
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