CHRIS ‘George’ Marshall was a happy camper after “only taking 12 months to have a decent round” since joining the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club from Armidale.
The four-marker shot a one under par 68 for 41 points – including a bird on 9 from the 1st fairway – to sweep Div 1 in the Domina Insurance stableford on Thursday 12 February from the ever steady Peter Farrell (6) on 38.
Graeme Howard (36) from the posh Cromer Golf Club in Sydney found conditions to his liking to post 36 points for the Div 2 W, one better than Trevor Hopkins (20).
Don Lavery banged the putt from afar on 1 and the Andrews snaffled the first nearest the pins on 5 (Donovan) and 8 (Mackinnon). Peter Thompson was closest on 8, Greg Jager has a Steve Ward pizza to share or not with his machinery shed mates after hitting it tight on 13 and Peter Moxon collected three lobsters on the last for the Pro Pin.
The women played a monthly medal on Wednesday 11 February and Deidre Fletcher (10) was again to the fore with 69 nett to claim Div 1. Fletcher’s round included eight pars and a bird on the last.
Rhonda Rowe (29) had 101 dalmations but also three pars including the tough 9th for 72 nett to salute in Div 2. Robyn Dyer (34) completed the medal podium with the best in Div 3.
Pins on 5 went to Henny Oldenhove and Jenny Thorne, Kay McGoldrick was closest on 13 and Donna Easy bagged the $27 Pro Pin on 18.
Courtesy of major sponsor BMW Carpets, the women’s 2026 season opening day saw a bumper field of 36 pairs for a fourball best ball on Black Friday.
Bonville, Sawtell, Woopi, Dorrigo, Kempsey, Forster-Tuncurry, South West Rocks, Coffs, Bowraville and the hosts were represented.
The home team of Parkes-Scott were simply the best with 48 points, two clear of Bonville’s Bowles-Hardcastle who won the countback from Kelloway-Hobday in third place.
On Saturday, Rangi Davis (33) from the digital-only Golf Australia Club had 42 points to head home Chris Knight (11) on 40 in the Domina Insurance medley stableford.
Like a mushroom, Knight pops his head up on the leaderboard only when it’s moist, and his round of 76 off the stick included birds on 4 and 17 and a dumb triple on 6.
Peter Miller drained the putt from afar on 1 and pins went to Scott Burley on 5, Egan Dunn on 8, and Geoff McCann on 15. The always classy Stuart Johnston got it close to the most improbable of pins on 13 for the pizza and Geoff Harris decided to make a par on the last more conventionally than an up and down from the front right trap, to take the $40 Pro Pin.
Domina General Insurance sponsored the stableford on Tuesday 10 February and Kempsey’s Colin Habgood (9) carded 38 points for the victory jig, one clear of Reg Clough (37). Habgood’s round included 11 pars and nothing worse than a bogey.
Stuart Garvey scored the pins on 5 and 13 (the latter for the Kiwi-Italian frisbee), Andrew Donovan took the 8th, Nathan Ison the 15th and Macksville’s Brock Klar the Pro Pin on the last.
The first qualifying round of the Nambucca Skins is on Saturday 28 February. Open to Nambucca female and male players, just pay your $5 entry fee (which covers you for the entire season) at the Pro Shop before you tee off to be in to win.
The format is par and you need only one decent round in any of the qualifying events to make the top 16 for the finals (now in its 5th year, this event has been dominated by high-B, low C-graders with no A graders yet to claim the trophies and the cash).
In the Mid North Coast pennants competition, the club’s Div 2 team, which won games but no matches last season, pulled off an ambush for the ages in besting the previously undefeated South West Rocks side at The Rocks, 3.5 to 1.5. Get a dolphin up ya, as the The Island boys finished equal first but in a sensationally controversial fashion (verify, carefully) miss out on the finals on a countback. Graham Watson, Karl Hobday and Chris Knight secured wins for Nambucca and team captain Ashton Herbert squared his match against plus-1 marker Glen Baker.
In Div 3, Nambucca 1 got off the mark in a big way with a 4-1 win at home over Coffs Harbour Blue. Drew Glasson, Steve Doherty, Andrew Mackinnon and Dave Rosser proved too much for the lads up north.
In Div 4, the match away at Dorrigo was a washout, but Stuart Hughes’ side are well-placed for a push to the finals to defend their crown.
Catchya on The Island where in a mortal sense it’s as heavenly as you can get – best little golf course on the North Coast, yummo restaurant food, panoramic views from the river deck beer garden and a gaming lounge for those who like a responsible slap.
By Chris KNIGHT
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