Handicap Day Results Nov 8 2009

BRG Handicap Day Results - November 8 - St. Andrews Beach

The 11th Victorian Bushranger Golf Handicap Day for 2009 was held at St. Andrews Beach Golf Links in sunny and hot conditions. A field of 14 scoundrels lined up on the Tom Doak-designed course (rated by Golf Australia magazine in 2006 as one of the top 10 courses in the country) to play an individual Stableford competition. The course was in great nick from tee to green, although the greens, while still running truly, were a touch woolly compared to how quick they can get on the Peninsula courses. The rough was very tough and some players spent longish periods looking for balls - usually not finding the one they lost but collecting a few that other folks had put in the magoombah. Below we see a few Bushrangers trying to stick to the fairway at St. Andrews Beach.

According to Club Delegate and BRG impresario for the day, Ian Crotty, all went smoothly and we must thank Rob Lugton for his sponsorship of the day with a generous contribution of Nike golf balls for the prize pool. Rob obligingly shot a solid round of 37 points to take second place and win some of his own balls back! However, the big news of the day was the win by Richard Fellner with 39 points and the third place by Big Mick Van Raay that has blown the race wide open for 2009 Vic BRG Player of the Year. It was Richard's first win for the year after having been the bridesmaid three times with 2nd place finishes at Handicap Days 4 & 8 and the Kelly Gang Shootout weekend in July. Below is Richard hitting his drive on the tricky par four 14th hole.

Big Mick tied with Ian on 36 points to share the 8 points in the POY, but Mick took the 3rd place prizes on countback after an epic battle between the two (playing in the same group) on the back nine. Mick was four points down after 9 holes, then shot two over off the stick for the next six holes to get two points up on Ian. Mick then wiped the 17th to leave the pair all square going down the last hole. With two shots on the hole, Mick looked in the box seat, but then lost his drive in the local thickets while Ian cranked one 250 down the middle to leave himself a short iron to the green. Then Mick smashes a solid drive and follows that up by nutting a 5-wood to 15 feet to give himself a putt for a three pointer! Ian then dumps one in a bunker, cant get up and down and they square the hole with two points each. It was a vital hole in the context of the year as it earned Mick an extra point in the POY that will see him tee up at the final event tied for the lead. Below are the final results.

Above we see Warren Birchall, Rob Lugton and John Hearne preparing to putt on one of the large two-tiered greens at St. Andrews Beach.

Click here to check out the Bushranger Golf Picasa Galleries including shots from St. Andrews Beach.

Below we see the winner, Richard Fellner, posing proudly with his bottle of Bushranger Shiraz after the presentation.