DEIDRE Fletcher has enjoyed sustained success across winter at the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Course and very few work harder on their game.
The 10-marker pretty much channels the late legend Ben Hogan who is in the conversation with Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods as the all-time goats of the game.
Hogan, a nine-time major winner, once observed: “Golf is a game of luck, the more I practice, the luckier I get.”
Fletcher is also a thoughtful student of the sport, and on Saturday, 23 August, she posted 38 points to win Div 1 of the Good Time Charlie’s medley stableford.
Her round of 78 off the stick included birds on 5, 15 and 10 (the latter albeit of par-three length but on the card as a four).
Early starter Daniel Wren (6 handicap) was runner-up on 36 points and had a day out, penning his name on so many nearest the pin cards he must have had RSI.
Wren couldn’t convert any of the flag-botherers to a birdie, but held on to take the pins on 7 and 8.
In Div 2, Noisy Miner Dave Rosser (14) was breathing fire with 38 points for the W, and 81 off the bat.
That was enough to edge Dennis Ashton (18) by a point.
The ball run went down to 31 points with the well-named Peter Thompson (14) the last to collect.
The comp doubled as the second round of the Handiskins, with Fletcher gathering the Leuk the Duck prize pack and Graham Watson qualifying for the national Yamaha chipping shootout on the Goldie.
Steve Doherty won the pin on 5, Brad Garrett took 15 and the Pizza This Pizza That voucher on 13 and Philip Woodgate walked off the last with the $60 Pro Pin.
Watson (3) capped a mighty week by winning the Toyota Genuine Service Island Challenge medley stroke on Tuesday, 19 August.
His impeccable round of 73 off the stick included birds on 7, 12 and 17 for a nett 70.
Troy Herbert (+1) won the gross with 75.
Di O’Leary, Maclean’s Mark Williams and Scott Burley won balls in the nett rundown, with Ashton Herbert, Michael Jolly and Maclean’s Paul Bamback scoring pills in the gross.
O’Leary won the pins on 7 and 8, Watson on 15 and Burley the Pro Pin on 18.
Williams will face a bit of a hike back down the M1 to claim the pizza voucher on 13, but anyone who’s tasted Steve Ward’s fare will vouch that it’s well worth it.
With clear skies forecast, a bumper field is in place for the 36-hole Island Classic tournament this coming weekend.
By Chris KNIGHT
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