With Harden Golf in its 85th year it is only fitting that an established regional legend, who has graced our honour boards many times, wins the GO Kruger Harden Open Tournament along with the co-sanctioned South West District Golf Championships. That regional legend is Geoff Walker from the Young Club and Geoff is a very regular visit to Harden’s major tournaments and a strong supporter of South West District Golf. Geoff claimed the title with a very impressive 2 under par 69 off the stick, 2 shots clear of his nearest rival. The weekend was the first without rain in a couple of months and the recent prolonged saturation came at Harden’s benefit. Many, many male golfers in the region were quite toey for a game with nearly all of the other South West Club’s closed or severely restricted from soggy fairways and greens.
The perennial links at Harden proved again their durability as the premium winter course in the district. This led to a substantial turn out for both days of the tournament with close to 50 turning up for the 4BBB day on Saturday and 80 set for play on the individual event on Sunday. The weekend was hosted by the Harden Country Club Board who through the Directors and staff did everything within their powers (including manning the BBQ themselves – the Chairman’s Chicky Soup was the highlight !!) to make players feel welcome in the chilly conditions. The players and organisers would especially like to thank Jim, Ron & Darren of the GO Kruger Trust as Gold Sponsors of the weekend, along with Silver Sponsors the Harden-Murrumburrah Bendigo Bank, the South West District Golf Association. Associate sponsors Harvey Norman of Young are also thanked for their hard work in getting bang for our buck at trophy buying time. Father & Son Claim the 4BBB Day On Saturday, the field contested a 4BBB event in Men’s Stableford, Men’s Scratch and Mixed/Medley Stableford divisions. Local Scott Fuller specialist, Jarrod Filmer dragged his father around and between them they did just enough to sneak home on a last 6 hole countback with 43 points to claim the Stableford prize. The Filmer boys did just enough on the back 9 to get by last weeks Medal winner and form player in Matt Schofield who coupled with Craig Henman to take the runner up trophy. The scratch event winners with 35 points were Geoff Walker and Alan Wilder of Young who gave the field a strong barometer of how hard the course was playing with the boys making their round 1 over par between them. The hole that let them down on Saturday proved to be Geoff’s blessing the next day. The Mixed/Medley division was wrapped up by seasoned local coupling of Peter & Jeanette Elliott with a rock solid 38 points. Great to see Peter back on the course after his knee replacement and associated concerns.
Nearest the pins were very handy and went to Cootamundra player Darryl O’Keefe on the 10th with 1.07 metres, and Canberra player Scott Miller on the 18th at a mere 2.18 metres. Walker Eagles 3rd Hole on Way to Victory As stated before, Geoff Walker is no stranger to Harden and his name is on our Open Tournament Honour Boards more than 10 times, proving he knows how to gain the rub of the greens here. A freakish event happened and the ripples it sent around the course and back into the Club House occurred on the 3rd hole. After a straight and fair length ball from the tee to the fairway on the hardest hole on the course, the 3rd (406 metre par 4), Geoff was facing quite a solid length into the wet conditions and increasing sneaky cold breeze. He summonsed his hybrid and knocked it true and straight. After 1 bounce, a hop and a squirt along the green, in she went for a 2. An eagle on our number 1 ranked hole with a heaven wood in hand would have to rate better than a hole in one !! Geoff played some very solid golf but I am assured by his playing partners that his putter was what won him the tournament canning some freaky putts to hold par on a few holes. Geoff’s 69 off the stick with a scratch handicap, and in very trying conditions proved the quality of the man in becoming not only Harden Tournament winner but also South West District Golf Association Champion. This now makes Geoff eligible to compete in the NSW Amateur tournament in Sydney in January 2017 and we look forward to following his progress.
In his speech, Geoff in his softly spoken and humble manner was all praise for the Greenkeepers and volunteers who continue to put together a well presented and challenging layout considering how few a dry daylight set of hours there has been to actually keep greens. Runner Up on the day and 2 shots back was Joe Trinder from Cootamundra who shot par for the day and may well have won the event except for Geoff’s freakish shot on the 3rd. The A Grade nett winner was local Club Champion Ben Glover who later admitted that his putter let him down but still scored a very handy 70 nett. The A Grade stableford winner was also no stranger to the Harden course being one time local but now back at Coota in Kenny Alexander. Kenny had 37 stableford points. Mitchell Deep Claims the Junior Trifecta Cootamundra local Mitchell Deep is continuing the pedigree within his wider family unit and swept all ahead of him in the Junior Division. Mitchell claimed the SWDGA Under 16’s shield, the SWDGA under 18’s shield and the Harden Open Junior Champion titles. Mitch proved the course was hard work for all out there but came home with a very solid 84 scratch and 75 nett to claim his victories. Tam Kennedy Finally Is Out of the Mist for B Grade Maybe it was the classic Scottish weather that brought him out of his recent doldrums, but it worked. Harden local Tam Kennedy picked up the B Grade scratch event with a tidy 88, whilst Geoff Forsyth of Cootamundra picked up the runner up only 1 shot back of Tam. The grizzled but wily veteran Ron Page claimed the B Grade nett result with a 73 nett and the B Grade stableford went to another local in Damien Kemp with a solid 36 points. Nearest the Pins for Sunday were claimed by the man fresh back from the Thailand World Amateur Masters – Ian Kinlyside on the 10th at only 43 cm and by the Junior legend himself Mitch Deep at a mere 1.14 metres on the 18th. I am reliably informed that both birdies were made ?!? Pennants This Sunday With wash-outs, byes and deferments, there has not been much of a chance to get a rhythm up about this years Pennants defence. Round 4 is set down this Sunday at Gundagai vs Gundagai from 9.30am.
The team selected for this round is on the board at the Club and is Craig Filmer (c), John Hawkins, Brian Wales, Tam Kennedy & Ron Page. First sub if required is Peter Steinke if unable to make it. If more then the team members should contact the captain on 0418 204 644. Good luck gang. The wash out round will now be played on the 17th so team members are asked to leave that free and the team will be announced next week. That match will be vs Cootamundra at Harden. Presently the team is well placed yet last year we beat Cootamundra to make the final in the last round and it shapes up like dejas vu all over again ……. 1st and 2nd will play the final on the 24th July. Midweek a wash-out The weather comes in many forms and unfortunately has had another calamitous effect on our midweek warriors. Whilst 6 played on Wednesday, the poor conditions on Friday led to the calling of a non event. I am sure they will all be out in force this week. This Weekend This weekend being the 2nd and 3rd July in our program will see the boys playing their July Medal for the Peter Joseph and Harden Fuel Supplies trophy. The girls have a stableford event set for Saturday for a Club trophy and on Sunday will be playing their 5th WGNSW Medal for Toni Filmer’s trophy. We hope Toni’s sliced and diced hand from a cut out sun spot has healed by then to come out and host the day for her trophy. Enjoy your golf and stay warm ………… or as warm as you can. Alby
