Mixed Pennants Update – Semi Final

This year The Coast have entered 2 teams into the Metropolitan Mixed Pennant event for the first time. The Green team will be Managed by Warren Hogan and the Red team by Michael White & Kerri Blyth.

The format for the event has also changed with the competition being comprised of five rounds, four rounds all played at neutral courses and hosting only of one round at The Coast. Each round is contested by five groups of players from each Club, no reserves.

The Green Team is in Division 7, drawn to play against; Moore Park, Kogarah, Antill Park & Kareela.

The Red Team is in Division 3 and drawn to play against Asquith, Shelly Beach, Beverley Park & Woollahra.

SEMI- FINALS

Mixed Pennants semi finals – The Coast Red vs Oatlands

This week we were faced with a team who we’d not played before so it was going to take our usual dig deep attitude and trust our own performance to overcome the deficit.

Monash Country Club hosted us this week.  A stunning course, with an interesting layout, large challenging greens and a few signature holes.  Not to mention the practice facilities… Mook definitely taking full advantage of the practice range for his pre-game warm up and Barefoot Bonomy (BB) deciding best to keep the shoes on, in line with the more upmarket venue.

With the fear of the horrendous weather lifted, the day was warm but a brisk breeze kept it manageable. We fielded one change to the team line up with Andy Roberts back in to partner up with Leanne Williams, resulting in a shuffle of the number 2 and 3 pairings.

Results as they occurred were:

5’s…. Scott and Margaret kicked us off for the day and right from the start they knew they were in for a tough day with the Oatlands lad having an absolute blinder, sinking putts from all distances. The Coast pairing were never ahead and the match was wrapped up on the 12^th.  They were thankful to have had the opportunity to play the signature 13^th a few days earlier.  First blood to Oatlands.

Coast red 0 Oatlands 1

Next out Kerri and Mook at number 4 who controlled the match for the majority of the outing.  They went 1 down after 1 hole when the opposition drained a 20 footer on the first for a stunning par. This thankfully was one of the only 2 holes that were conceded on the day.  The second being when the Oatlands lad holed out from 140m for a stunning birdie on the 11^th.  With this being the spur needed for our pair, K&M took turns to win or half the remaining holes getting the job done by the 15^th, winning 5&3. One on the board for The Coast.

Coast red 1 Oatlands 1

Next result to be concluded was Nicole and Michael’s game playing position 2 for the first time this season. It was a slow round for this pairing so they were super keen to get off the course as quickly as possible.  Maintaining their winning streak they again sprinted to an early lead playing the steady and impressive golf they have demonstrated week in week out.  A few missed putts gave the Oatland pairing a bit of a reprieve for a hole or 2 but they turned the screws and also finished on the 15^th green 5&3…..

Match standings now Coast Red 2 Oatlands 1

2 games left to go and both of them are playing down the 16^th

First through were Leanne and Andy …. Going from 2 up to 2 down, back to even at the turn, this was a tight one.  Before the start of the match Mr El Capitarn gave strict instructions to Leanne that “no way was Andy to pull out that Driver” (no trouble for our feisty kiwi!).  When one can strike the ball further than your opponents drives with your 2 iron, it quickly became apparent that this was very good advice!  At 1 down playing the 16^th, Andy’s driver came out of the bag (with Leanne’s permission) and he hit it just short of the green (the Driver then safely back in the bag for the remainder of the day).  With Andy sure of a par things were getting tense. Their opponents were very slow but a mistake from both of them on this hole got The Coast back to all square with 2 to go.

Cracking tee shots from both Leanne and Andy onto the par 3 17^th green put the pressure on their opponents with both of them missing the green. The hole came down to the putting with the Oatland duo unable to secure a par, a simple 2 putt was enough to win the hole and turn the match on its head 1 up with one to go.

Following close behind was the last pairing of Shannen and Paul on the 16^th hole. This match was also a nail biter after they had scrambled back to be one down after 15. Neither player firing on all cylinders on the day, a glimmer of hope appeared when PB secured a solid half on the 16^th.  One down with 2 to play – things were getting tense. Wayward tee shots from both Coasties onto the par 3 17^th, adrenaline high and the urge to kick off his shoes, PB sailed the ball long.  The hole going to the Oatland pairing resulting in a 2&1 loss for The Coast.

Match result Coast Red 2 Oatlands 2

All attention turned back to Leanne and Andy heading down the 18^th.  Only requiring a halve to be victorious in their game and win the day for the Coast, they both hit good drives and then proceeded to hit the green in regulation with Leanne below the hole and Andy above the hole. The female from Oatlands had a shot but ended up long with her approach leaving a tricky down hill shot back onto the green.  After what felt like a good 15 minutes evaluating the shot to be played, the crowd were getting tense and slightly impatient.  Her 3^rd shot ended up a few feet from the hole where a par was possible to finish with a par net birdie.

Leanne steps up with the first of the duo’s birdie putt attempts.  The crowd goes silent as she calmly taps her 15 footer into the hole for a winning birdie.  The sea of pink and black going slightly wild greenside with our final match winning to secure our spot to the finals.  Hey ho, to the finals we go!

Final result Coast Red 3 Oatlands 2

Commiserations must go to the Green team who fought so well to get through to the semi finals.  We all know it’s never an easy battle but no doubt they’ll be back all guns blazing next season.

A huge thanks again to our supporters for taking the drive out to Monash to help spur us on – Joannie (safe travels home Joannie!!), Ragu and John McKinney.

A SPECIAL thanks always to our Amanda (Mrs el Capitarn) White for being our on course mentor and progress updater throughout the day.  Her words of wisdom are always very appreciated!

Our final will be this Sunday against Moore Park Orange at Ryde Parramatta GC, teeing off at 11.56.   Having our supporters there means a lot so if you fancy a bit of a road trip out west, come along and cheer us on.

QUARTER FINALS

Green Team vs Randwick @ Moore Park GC

Quarter Finals, once again we took the trip down Anzac Parade to Moore Park GC for our match against our Randwick GC neighbours. Only difference on this occasion was that we were joined by The Coast ‘Red’ Team who also contested their Quarter Final against Ryde-Parramatta GC.

After winning our Division and achieving overall competition ranking success, we had last week off during which time other teams had contested the final 16s and we were rewarded with direct entry into the Quarter Finals.

All matches are now played on a sudden death basis, and we knew that our Randwick GC opponents were full of confidence and ready to play after defeating Warringah GC in their final 16 match last weekend.

By the time the Red Team had teed off, the weather began to turn from a beautiful sunny day with a light southerly breeze to become cloudy and later overcast with increasing southerly winds as the day went on.

Due to player availability and individual performances which affected our team handicaps from round 5, team changes/seedings were once again required however, pairings were still maintained wherever possible.

5’s – Cathy Balafoutis & Ben O’Neill, were paired for the first time. Handicaps were not going to have a bearing on this match as both teams simply cancelled each other out. Therefore, it came down to pure golf ‘On The Day’.

The front 9 was bit of a seesaw, with Randwick holding a slender lead 1 up after nine holes. As the match went on Randwick began to get the upper hand going 2 up after 13 holes and we were unable to peg them back losing the match 3 & 2.

4’s – Janet Rose & Tony Dekievit ©, undefeated throughout the competition to date, expectations were high. From the get-go, Randwick were quick to pounce and jumped out to be 2 up after 9 holes. Although they fought hard, were just a bit out of sorts on the day which was quite uncharacteristic for this paring. This was quite noticeable when Tony switched from his White Uniform Hat to a Red Hat, thinking this may alter the momentum of the match and maybe Janet would think she had a new and improved partner. Unfortunately, this tactic had not worked and once discovered by The Team Manager he was asked to resume uniform.  Going down to lose the match 4 & 3, at least the defeat is out of the way and this pairing can now get back on track and resume their winning ways.

3’s – Margaret Hogan & Stephen McFadyen, were paired for the first time and combined very well. As the day went on, we needed some success, and this pair did not let us down. Always in front, never behind they were relentless in what was a very tough match, 1 up at the halfway mark. On the back nine they excelled going on to close out the match on the 16^th hole, with a strong 3 & 2 win.

2’s – Heidi Gregory & Darren Lester, I continue to repeat myself with this pairing as they do continue to get better each week.  You can never count this pairing out, 1 down after 9 holes and going 2 down soon after, they just love being in the fight. From the 13^th hole they began to take back control of their match getting back to square and going 1 up on the 17^th. This was our last pairing out on the course, with an absolute sea of pink coast shirts and coast supporters all over the course the pressure on this pair on the 18^th hole was immense. Both Darren & Heidi displayed nerves of steel to hold out the Randwick pairing who both floundered under the pressure, winning the hole and finishing with a great 2 Up win.

1’s – Una Jackman & Mark Lee, we finally managed to get our number 1 pairing back together and they were never going to disappoint. Right from the time they teed off, they had complete control over this match and were not prepared to give their opponents anything, being 6 Up at halfway. This was our strongest match win of the year, absolutely destroying the opposition with a very convincing 8 & 6 win.

This was a very gutsy team victory, at the midway mark we were behind on the scoreboard but rallied, showing great heart and determination to grind out a memorable comeback victory 3 matches to 2 matches.

Our thanks to Moore Park GC for their hosting, organising & hospitality on the day.

Congratulations to The Coast Mixed Pennant Red Team on winning their match, also progressing to the semi-final next week, we wish you well. Great to see that both The Coast Green & Red Teams will contest respective semi-finals next week.

Last Sunday at Moore Park GC, the strength of The Coast Golf Club was proudly on display. Both teams competing, supported by an absolute plethora of Coast Members and in particular The Coast Major Pennant Team who played earlier that day at Northbridge GC also took the time to provide support. This made for a very proud day, as a member of The Coast.

There are just too many people to name who provided support on the day, you know who you are and on behalf of the Green Team we are very grateful and thankful for you all taking the time out of your day, we really appreciate it.

This Sunday the Green Team will play our Semi-Final at Muirfield GC against Moore Park ‘Orange’ Team, tee off is 12:03, any support from Coast Members will be greatly appreciated, so if you can make it, we would love to see you out there.

Best wishes to the Red and our Major Pennants Teams this Sunday.

Red Team vs Ryde Parramatta @ Moore Park GC

Just a short trip down the road for our match this week. After a good warmup hit on the range and a chipping session (with Mr PB mixing things up by going barefoot), we hit the 1^st tee raring to go get the always competitive Ryde team.

We stuck with the same team as our last winning match and trusted the developing pairings to get the job done.

The course was in good condition with softer slower greens to what we’re used to. The weather started warm then the clouds and wind picked up making for perfect playing conditions.

We had a great supporting crowd from The Coast watching us which really lifted the team and helped us to take control with a few early leads.

With this format, once 3 games are won by one team all other games are deemed a draw.

First on the tee, 5’s Marg + Scott followed up on their winning formula from last week. They were all square after 9 but put their foot down getting to the 17^th dormie 2. The required half on that hole rounded out the match 2&1.

4’s Kerri and Mook were never down in the match but it was tough to make ground on the Ryde pairing who combined well. The Coast duo turned at the halfway mark 1 up. On the back nine a few solid holes turned the match in the Coasts favour and they finished the match at the 16^th green winning 3&2.

3’s Nicole and Michael put on a flawless display of dominance and control. Nicole was on fire with the Ryde lady unable to compete as they flew to a 4up lead at halfway.  They let their feet off the pedal for a few holes but completed the crucial win on the 15^th hole winning 4&3.

2’s Leanne and Gary – with the final match for this pairing in this years competition as Gary heads overseas this week for his annual Thailand lads golfing week, G&L started strongly taking an early 2up lead. Leading 1up after 9 holes, things turned in favour of the Ryde team at the start of the back nine.  This was anyone’s game but with the first 3 pairings taking their matches over the line, an early mark was given and the game deemed a square at the 15^th.

1’s Shannen and Barefoot Bonomy hit the green running combining well to dominate the match by sinking birdie after birdie putts. They were cruising at convincing pace when they were called off the course and the match also deemed a square.

The first 3 matches secured the win giving the final pairings an early finish.

Final Scores:

• 5 – Margaret Grant & Scott Haywood – Won 2&1
• 4 – Kerri Blyth & Mook Jadwat – Won 3&2
• 3 – Nicole Heinrich & Michael (el Capitarn) White– Won 4&3
• 2 – Leanne Williams & Gary (from the range) Kennedy – Square
• 1 – Shannen Brown & Paul (barefoot) Bonomy – Square

The Coast Red 4 – Ryde Parramatta 1

Thanks to Ryde Parramatta for their fun but competitive spirit and pushing us all to play great rounds of golf to seek the win we were after.

We had a big support crew out there which is amazing for The Coast team as we love playing to the crowd.  Not all competitors were quite so happy to see the crowds but a sign we had them rattled from the start.

A huge thanks to the following people

Craig Jarvis, Andrew Taucher, Joannie + Dave for walking the whole way round – solid effort!

Andy Roberts

Gavin Movick

John Mckinney

Luke Goodier

Kieran Semple

Mark Millican

Maurie Rivett

Bruce Jennings

Gums

Anthony Ragusa

Deb DeKevit

Mr & Mrs Quigg

The Major pennants lads – thanks to Paddy + team for coming out after your early start to play your own rounds.

Thanks to all of you for being there to cheer us on!!

And a HUGE thanks to Amanda White for being on course Mrs el Capitarn, mother, mentor, progress updater throughout the day.

We’re really getting to the business end of the comp with Semi final time – playing Oatlands @ Monash Country club at 12.12pm this Sunday.

A bit of a trek for this one but all spectators are more than welcome to come out and show your support!

Good luck also to the Green Team – also in the semi final this Sunday at Muirfield ……..

PRELIMINARY FINAL

Red Team vs Beverley Park @ Cabramatta

Down the M5 we went to Cabramatta GC, seeking revenge against the team that narrowly beat us in our first division match at the start of the competition.

Beverley Park (BP) had made some changes to their line up so there were a few new match ups in the pairings which made the day a little more interesting. The handicaps were close for all matches which made all the makings for a close contest.

The weather was hot and sticky with very little breeze to cool things down and the course was in great nick. It was a long slow day out there but the team were in good spirits and keen to keep the winning streak going.

This weeks team:

• 5 – Margaret Grant & Scott Haywood
• 4 – Kerri Blyth & Mook Jadwat
• 3 – Nicole Heinrich & Michael White (el Capitarn)
• 2 – Leanne Williams & Gary (from the range) Kennedy
• 1 – Shannen Brown & Paul Bonomy

The match results were as follows:

Out at 5’s Margaret and Scottie hit the ground running, keen to get some points on the board early. They continued to play steady throughout. A few errant balls lost in the trees by the opposition made for a slower round, resulting on a little hurry on at the halfway mark. This just spurred the Coast team to finish the match early and it was all over by the 14^th hole resulting in a 5&4 win.

In at 4’s again, Kerri and Mook had a very closely fought battle. Birdies were the way to go to win a hole with only 6 holes won or lost over the first 15 holes.  Neither team went more than 1 up during the match. Poor performance on the par 3’s on the back nine gave BP a narrow lead. An amazing birdie on the 17^th from Mook got us back to all square heading down the last. Before completion of the hole we knew the Red team had secured the win on the day the match should have been concluded and deemed a draw but with the BP pair keen to continue, they took the win with the final putt of the day, The Coast losing 1 down.

Our number 3’s, Nicole and Michael, continued their recent good form in this format to move to an early lead. Michael was happier with his contribution this week taking some of the pressure off Nicole’s shoulders allowing her to swing easy. Their dominance was evident building on this lead and finishing the match after 13 holes, winning 6&5.

Our 2’s, Leanne and Gary, had another tough day at the office with pars and birdies the only way to get over the line against the tough BP duo who were playing a very solid game.  Always needing to dig deep and play solid golf to keep in touch, L & G started a late comeback but then, as The Coast had already won, the match didn’t complete making the final result all square.

Our number 1 duo, Shannen and Paul, were dominant from start to finish.  They took turns to dominate the match and win holes with quality golf. They kept the pressure on throughout, winning at the 15^th to secure a 4&3 win and the overall win for The Coast.

The Coast Red 3.5 – Beverley Park 1.5

Thanks to Beverley Park for their great sportsmanship, competitive spirit and pushing us all to play amazing golf to seek the much needed win.

A huge thanks to the many supporters – your presence really does spur us on to perform well!

• Marg + Warren Hogan
• Stacy Garlick
• Una Jackman + John
• Andrew Taucher
• Craig Jarvis
• John McKinney
• Anthony Ragusa
• Bruce Jennings
• Joannie (Kerri’s mum)

Another huge thanks to Amanada White (Mrs el Capitarn) for being on course captain, providing words of encouragement and driving around to keep us updated on progress throughout the day.

We now make the charge into the quarter finals this Sunday at Moore Park against Ryde Parramatta.  Tee off time is 10.31am.

With The Coast Green also playing at Moore Park after us, spectators are encouraged to come out and show support for both Coast teams.

Go The Coast – Pink and Black all the way!!

Congrats to the Green Team, whose efforts in remaining undefeated throughout the season, meant that they go straight through to the Quarter Final Stage. 

ROUND 5

Green Team VS Kareela @ Kogarah

Round 5 (Div 7 final round), we travelled across the Bay to Kogarah-Oak Point, to play against Kareela GC. 

 Going into this final round, we were leading our Division Table with 3 wins from 3 matches and expectations remained high to maintain our teams’ momentum in order to clean sweep our Division and maintain our overall position as number one seed across all Divisions. 

 Although we had secured our progression into the Finals at the conclusion of round 4, aside from our match, Kareela GC and Moore Park – ‘Orange’ GC were doing their best to take a win and Kogarah GC as Host of the Day were simply sweating on Antill Park to win at least one match from Moore Park – ‘Orange’, to qualify for their next step into finals. 

 With Kogarah GC hosting, they got their desired result as Moore Park- ‘Orange’ and Antill Park GC halved their match. 

 Our day was a beautiful sunny 21 degrees with quite a strong breeze, which just seemed to swirl in different directions around the course. 

 Due to player availability and many individual performances which affected our team handicaps on the preceding Saturday, team changes/seedings were required however, pairings were maintained wherever possible. 

 5’s – Anne McGregor & Ben O’Neill, were first to tee off, giving away 19 shots on the day they opened up an early lead and the Kareela pairing simply struggled to keep up. When a door opened, Ben and Anne were quick to shut them down. Both Anne and the Kareela pairing were full of praise for Ben’s great golf on the day, finishing with a strong 5 & 3 victory. 

 4’s – Janet Rose & Tony Dekievit ©, also giving away 19 shots, early on it looked like they would be in for a very tough match. As the match went on they had muscled their way to be +5 after 10 holes and went on to close out their match on the 14th with a 5 & 4 victory. Captain Tony was congratulated by all for his play on the day. 

 3’s – Margaret Hogan & Andrew Taucher, had a tough match being down most of the day, clawing their way back to square then being -2 after 10 holes. At the 15th they went -3, then rallied to win 16th & 17th to be -1 going down 18th with a chance to halve the match. Unfortunately, was just not their day and lost the match 2 Down.  

 2’s – Heidi Gregory & Darren Lester, This pair just continue to get better each week, combining extremely well and carrying on their winning way with a very strong performance, 4 up after 10 holes and closing out their match on the 15th hole, winning 4 & 3. 

 1’s – Una Jackman & Stephen McFadyen, made up our fourth pairing for this competition as our number one seeds. It was a real see-sawing match which provided a great preparation leading into the final’s series, as both Una & Stephen were often under pressure throughout their match. This was a great match to watch as they complimented each other and fought hard to ensure they were not defeated. One down heading into 18, they took control to win the hole and halve their match. 

Overall, we had a good victory 3.5 Matches to 1.5 Matches over a strong Kareela GC team. 

Thanks to Cathy Balafoutis, Debra DeKievit & Anthony Ragusa for making the trip to Kogarah supporting our team. 

Our thanks to Kogarah GC for their organising, hospitality and most importantly their provision of spotters who assisted us throughout the day. 

Congratulations to The Coast Mixed Pennant Red Team on halving their match which has placed them first in their respective Division and a place in the Finals Series. 

A big congratulations to our Green Team, the only team in the Competition to remain undefeated therefore placing us as the overall number 1 seed for the Finals Series and earning the week off next Sunday 22 February. Given some of our players have no previous match-play experience and for many this is also their first Representative experience, an exceptional effort.  

If you have the opportunity, please support our Red team this Sunday 23 February as they take on Beverley Park at Cabramatta GC, tee time is 11:36. 

Red TEAM Vs Asquith @ Wollahra GC

Or final division game took us the short drive to Woollahra GC where our must win match had us facing Asquith Golf Club. The division was tight with 4 of the 5 teams having won 2 matches to date, making this match all to play for.

The pairings were kept the same as last week and the weather was perfect for golf with very little wind – not ideal for us Coasties!  The greens were slower than what we’re used to but the course was looking good and ready for our big day ahead.  There were a few nerves to be seen amongst the team (just quietly) but we put the nerves into our fighting determination to get the job done, knowing what was at stake.

The results:

• 5th pairing (Amanda White & Andrew Roberts): The Asquith pairing were dominant from the start and they took control of the match rounding it out at the 15^th.  This ended what was a tricky day for Amanda and Andy against a strong pairing losing 5&3.
• 4^th pairing (Kerri Blyth & Mook Jadwat): A close match all the way with the Coasties getting two up after 6 then back to square after 10.  Not the best day for the Coasties with momentum swinging in favour of the Asquith pair on the back 9 with a few long putts dropping giving Asquith a 2 up lead after 15 holes.  The Coasties showed their determination, digging deep to win both 16 and 17, taking the match down to the last hole.  An outside chance for Mook to steal the match with a tricky downhill across slope putt on the par 3 18^th green came agonisingly close but it wasn’t to be, all square.
• 3rd pairing (Nicole Heinrich & Michael White): The Coast were up and down over the course of this match.  They showed their grit, able to maintain their slender lead heading down the 17^th hole, winning 2&1.
• 2nd pairing (Leanne Williams & Gary Kennedy):  Another disappointing day out there for the Williams/Kennedy pair.  3 down at the turn, and 4 down after 15, they managed to start a comeback, but being up against a pairing on form and having to give a few too many shots made it a tough hill to climb, eventually going down 4&3.
• 1st pairing (Shannen Brown & Paul Bonomy):  This pair continued to show their consistency and determination over the course of the match.  Coming down the 17^th, with the crowd watching anxiously and somewhat fidgety, Mr B pulled solid putt out of the bag to win the hole.  The Coastie crowd able to breath again and getting somewhat excited on the prospect of getting through to the next round, the win secured 2&1.

Final score The Red Coast 2 ½ Asquith 2 ½

Manager Mike adamant the score was enough to secure our next round spot, he went on the phone getting confirmation on the countback score.  With this result confirmed to be enough to secure our progression into the preliminary quarter, a celebratory drink was in order, with one team maybe mentioning a potential trip or two to the range to ensure better form going into next week’s game.

The seeded draw has the Reds facing Beverley Park at Cabramatta this Sunday @ 11.36am.  A chance for revenge after the Round 2 narrow defeat earlier in the season. We love a crowd so come out and cheer us on!

Thanks has to be said to Woollahra GC for their hospitality on the day and to their team out on the course assisting with spotting and directing.  Asquith also were great sports giving us all friendly, competitive matches.

Another big shout out to our supporters on Sunday – Scott Haywood (sharing his wisdom on the bag for Paul), Margaret Grant, Craig Jarvis and Joannie (Kerri’s ma who came all the way from Scotland to cheer us on).  Thank you all – your support never goes unnoticed!

ROUND 4

Green Team vs ANTILL PARK @ KAREELA GC

Round 4, and we travelled down the Princes Highway into the Shire, playing at Kareela GC.

Our opponents were Antill Park GC, who are having their first season in mixed pennants for quite some time and hungry for a win.

After much rain on the eve of the match, it was determined that bunkers be out-of-play on what turned out to be great match day weather with a gentle breeze.

Leading up to this round, we were 2 wins from 2 matches and with only 2 rounds remaining we needed to make changes to the team which would then increase our eligible player pool as we approach the finals.

Janet Rose & Tony DeKievit © seeded 5 for this round and were never headed throughout their match, remaining in control and continuing their winning way, with a solid 3 & 2 win.

Anne McGregor partnered with Ben O’Neill and seeded 4 in their first appearance of this competition, with a few early nerves out of the way both settled in well and wasted no time, combining well to post a strong 3 & 2 win.

Seeded 3, Andrew Taucher played his first match partnered with Margaret Hogan. Firing out of the blocks they got to 2 up early, then Antill Park fought back to be square at the half-way mark. Consistency returned to their game on the back 9, and they closed out their match with a 3 & 2 win.

Heidi Gregory and Darren Lester seeded 2 this week, both played very strong, once again complimenting each other with a convincing 5 & 4 win.

Our number 1 seeds, Cathy Balafoutis & Brad Fifield were in a very tight tussle early, square after 3 holes, they then patiently strung a few wins together to go 3 up at halfway with Brad lipping out for a hole-in-one on the 9^th hole. From herein Cath & Brad took control of their match, closing it out with a 4 & 3 win.

Overall, we had a convincing 5 Matches to Nil victory over Antill Park GC.

Thanks to Debra DeKievit, Steve McFadyen & Bill McGregor who made the trek to The Shire in support of our Team.

Our thanks to Kareela GC for their organising, hospitality and most importantly their provision of spotters who assisted us throughout the day.

Congratulations to The Coast Mixed Pennant Red Team and Major Pennant Team who also recorded great wins on the day.

This Sunday we head to Kogarah-Oak Point GC teeing off at 11:10 playing our final round against Kareela GC. If you are available, it would be great to see you there and we would be grateful for your support.

Red Team vs Shelly Beach @ Beverley Park GC.

Our Red team were determined to continue the winning form from last week at Shelly Beach GC.

Every game is like a final from here on in and the more games won on the day will really help our chances of progressing to the next stage of the competition. The team was pumped and ready for action.

Shelly Beach were yet to post a win but they fielded a strong team with a few of us finally receiving some shots on the day.

The results were as follows:

• 5th pairing (Amanda White & Andrew Roberts):  This pairing combined well and turned for the back nine 1 up. They added another winning hole to the tally to be 2 up heading down the 16^th. There was almost a disaster on the 16^th hole when the opposition miscounted and almost claimed the hole when in fact Amanda had posted a cracking par with a shot to win the hole and the match, winning 3 and 2.
• 4^th pairing (Kerri Blyth & Mook Jadwat): Determined to keep the winning streak going, Kerri and Mook started strong combining well and playing solid golf to win 6 of the first 9 holes.  They never looked like losing a hole and secured an early finish by the 12^th, winning 8 and 6.
• 3rd pairing (Nicole Heinrich & Michael White): This was the match of the day with the Shelly beach pairing playing impressive golf to stretch to a 3 hole lead at the 12^th. The Coast’s fighting spirit clearly kicked in on the back 9 where they fought back to be all square after 15. Nicole then took out the 16^th hole with a stunning birdie after just missing her eagle putt.  At the 17^th, being 1 up, another birdie secured the comeback win of the season, the Coast winning 2 up.
• 2nd pairing (Leanne Williams & Gary Kennedy):  This was a match to test our resolve. The opponents were strong and played steady golf for the full round.  The Coasties managed to hang in there for the first 12 holes to only be 1 down. The next 4 holes didn’t go their way and dominant play from the opponents saw them move to a lead with the Coasties putting up a good battle but ending up with a 4 and 2 loss.
• 1st pairing (Shannen Brown & Paul Bonomy): Leading from the start and building on that lead this pair cruised towards a solid win. Comments on how far Shannen drove the ball each hole from their opponents clearly had them rattled. Combining well, this match also finished early with an impressive result, winning 6 and 5.

Final score The Coast Red 4 – Shelly Beach 1.

Thanks to Shelly beach for being such great sports for all matches at Beverley Park. Despite their losses they were gracious in defeat.

Thanks to Beverley Park GC for their hospitality on the day.  After a 35mm downpour overnight, the course had preferred lies on the fairway and GUR bunkers were in force and, despite the downpour, overall the course was in good condition.

A huge shout out to our supporters on the day Margaret Grant, Stacy Garlick and Craig Jarvis.  Your support and encouragement was greatly appreciated.

This Sunday, it will be all guns blazing for our final division match against Asquith at Woollahra GC @ 11 am.  Please feel free to come down and cheer us on – we thrive on our fellow Coasties support!

ROUND 3

Red Team vs Woollahra GC @ Shelley Beach

What a great weekend….The team went on a road trip with most of the team loaded in “the truck” we headed out of Sydney.

We managed a practice round on Saturday followed by some team bonding over dinner and drinks.

The beach house we stayed in was spectacular overlooking North Avoca beach (thanks Captain for organising )

Without a hangover in sight we headed to Shelley beach full of confidence to get the job done.

The course was in good condition and the weather was stunning so the perfect day for golf.

The results were as follows:

• 5th pairing (Amanda White & Scott Haywood): A hard-fought match that went all the way to the 18th green, ending in a draw (All Square).
• 4th pairing (Kerri Blyth & Mook Jadwat): After an early lead, the match stayed even until the Coast team won 3 consecutive holes during the middle stretch, closing it out on the 16th hole with a 4&2 victory.
• 3rd pairing (Nicole Heinrich & Michael White): Dominated their match and secured a win on the 15th green with a 4&3 victory.
• 2nd pairing (Leanne Williams & Gary Kennedy): Another tight match that went down to the final hole, with the Coast securing the win 1 up.
• 1st pairing (Shannen Brown & Paul Bonomy): Unfortunately struggled against a strong Woollahra pairing, losing 4&3.

The final score was Coast Red Team 3.5, Woollahra 1.5.

Thanks to Shelley Beach for their hospitality and Woollahra for the competitive match.

We are heading to Beverley Park GC next week to face Shelley Beach. Hit off @11.15am if anyone is available please come down and show your support…. We love playing for the crowd. Only a win will do if we wish to progress to the quarter final knockout stage.

GREEN TEAM – BYE

Mixed Pennant – Green Team – Div 7 – Round 3.

With the change of competition format, The Coast GC hosted our Division’s opposing teams.

The day could not have been any better, the course was in excellent condition, and we had beautiful weather, with a very gentle north-easterly breeze.

The first match was between Oak Point – Kogarah and Antill Park, with Oak Point – Kogarah proving too strong with an impressive 4 matches to 1 victory.

The second match was a very tight affair contested by Moore Park Black and Kareela, 3 of the 5 matches going to the 18^th. Moore Park Black managed to hold out Kareela with 3 matches to 2 victory, an exciting match which could have gone either way.

The comments and complimentary feedback in regard our golf shop, golf course, catering/bar from these visiting Clubs has been outstanding.

Big thank you to all those Members who assisted throughout the day, spotting, assisting with food and drinks and administration on the day to ensure that all ran smoothly.

Thanks to; Brad & Carmel Fifield, Margaret Hogan, Kevin Isch, Mark Lee, Deb McDermott, Steve & Gail McFadyen, Bill & Anne McGregor, Ben O’Neill, Anthony Ragusa, Andrew Taucher (if I have missed anyone, my apologies).

The Golf Shop, very professional in every way, big thank you to Mike, Ashleigh and Heidi, really appreciate all your efforts and the support you provided on the day.

To our Coast Ops Manager, Luke Goodier thank you for all your organising and coordinating of the Event and the Catering. Ibo’s Pizzas were a great hit and to our Bar Staff, thanks to all for your work on the day.

Overall, it was simply a fantastic day and a great advertisement for golf at The Coast.

Congratulations also to The Coast Red Mixed Team and our Major Pennant Team who each enjoyed exceptionally good wins.

A special mention must go to Deborah & Tony DeKievit who were at The Club for the Major Pennant from 06:00 and finished with the Mixed Pennants ending their day at 19:00. Thanks to you both for your assistance on what was an exceptionally long day, your work and commitment to our Club is appreciated.

Our next match, round 4 is scheduled Sunday 9 February at Kareela GC against Antill Park GC. If you can make it, we will certainly appreciate your support.

ROUND 2

GREEN TEAM vs KOGARAGH-OAK POINT @ MOORE PARK

Round 2 and we travelled to Moore Park GC.

Kogarah-Oak Point GC were our opponents and like The Coast both of us winners from round 1.

This competition format whereby opposing teams play all matches at neutral grounds is proving to be very challenging as indicated by the scoring.

Starting out it was a beautiful sunny day however midway through the round we encountered a shower which lasted for around 30 minutes to then remain cloudy for the balance of the day.

In the week leading up to our match, the weather was atrocious, and Moore Park GC was not spared with fallen trees/branches/debris scattered across some fairways.

As per the Table below all matches were tightly contested.

Once again, Una and Mark combined well however this time were placing pressure on each other with some errant shots, they clearly worked well together to finish with a solid 2&1 win. Marg & Brad managed to go 2 up early and at the turn were Square. As the match tightened up went 1 down on the back 9 but fought back to manage a Square. Janet & Tony were both quite solid throughout their match always Infront and finishing with a hard-fought win 2Up. Heidi & Darren, this pair just seem to click, never behind in their match, always keeping the pressure on their opponents finishing with a strong 3&2 win. From the get-go Gail & Steve were in a struggle to keep pace with their opponents who shot out of the blocks to take a 5 Up lead after 9 holes. Must be something special in those Moore Park sandwiches as Steve and Gail went on to win the 10^th, 11^th & 12^th holes to pull the match back to 2 down. Unfortunately, this was how the match finished losing 2&1 but never losing their spirit.

Overall, we came away with a great 3.5 to 1.5, hard fought win.

Once again, all matches were played in good spirit, thank you to Kogarah-Oak Point GC for what was a great match.

Thanks to Cathy Balafoutis, Anne McGregor, Ben O’Neill, Murray Lee and Anthony Ragusa for supporting the team on the day.

Thanks also to The Moore Park GC for hosting and catering on the day, it was greatly appreciated.

The Green Team have a couple of weeks off due to Australia Day 26 January (no play), we will then be hosting Round 3 (no play) of this competition on Sunday 2 February from 11:00 am. If you are available on Sunday 2 February, we require team members and/or volunteers to assist with spotting. Our next match is Round 4 against Antill Park GC to be played at Kareela GC on Sunday 9 February from 11:00 am.

Best of luck to our Red Team for Round 3 at Shelly Beach against Woollahra.

Warren Hogan

Team Manager.

Red team Vs Beverley Park @ Asquith GC

We finally got our 2025 campaign off to a start when we travelled to Asquith GC to take on Beverley Park (BP)

Fielding a new look line up this year with 3 new members joining the team we were excited to get amongst the action after the bye in Round 1 where we hosted our competitors at the Coast

We had a late scramble to replace an injured team member The team physio tried to get them match fit but unfortunately Shannen had to withdraw late on Saturday afternoon Luckily Nicole was available at short notice to step in as our super sub

Leading us out at number 5’s were Andy Roberts and Margaret Grant What a welcome to mixed pennants for Andy They came up against an in form pairing from BP who took control of the match from the start and as much as they tried to keep in touch, they were beaten 5 and 4

Next out at number 4’s were Michael and Amanda White They too came up against an opponent on top form on the day The scoreline fluctuated up and down with the coast team never getting a chance to go ahead in the match They fought hard throughout but the match finished at the 16th Beverley Park winning 3&1

Pairing 3 was Mook Jedwat and Kerri Blyth

This new pairing took a few holes to find their groove Going 2 down after 2 They fought back to be all square by the 9th Then BP stepped it up a gear Again going 2 up by the 12th The home stretch was where we found our form winning 4 holes back to back to secure the win 2&1

Number 2’s Gary Kennedy and Leanne Williams another new pairing in mixed pennants had a very well-matched game with their opponents After taking an early lead it was not maintained, and the lead went back and forth from there on in With no one giving much away Holes were won with monster putts from what I hear

The Coast had a chance for the win on the 18th green, but it was not to be, and the game ended all square

The final pairing of Paul Bonomy and Nicole Heinrich This was also an evenly matched game with neither team being able to go more than 1 up throughout match The game bounced back and forward like this until the 17th where BP took the lead going up the last  A cracking win on 18th for the Coast also returned a drawn game

Final score was The Coast red team 2 Beverley Park 3

Andy R and Marg G lost 5&4

Michael and Amanda W lost 3&1

Mook J and Kerri B won 2&1

Gary K and Leanne W all square

Paul B and Nicole H all square

Well fought Red Coasties We got close but not quite securing the win we wanted

It’s off to Shelley Beach next week to battle it out with Woollahra GC

Thanks to our supporters on the day Joannie ( Kerri’s mum) and Dave

Round 1

GREEN TEAM vs MOORE PARK @ ANTILL PARK

On Sunday we travelled to Antill Park Golf Course for Round 1 and played against an extremely competitive Moore Park – Black Team.

Right from the get-go, it was apparent that if we were any chance of coming away with a win this was going to be a long-drawn-out and hard-fought battle.

As per the Table below two of the five matches finished on the 17^th and the remaining three matches finished after 18^th.

It is always difficult to cover all the matches, however Una and Mark playing in their first comp together were outstanding as our number 1s, both thriving on the pressure with Una getting a special mention from the Moore Park opponents for her outstanding play. Cathy & Brad got off to a good start and combined well, Brad was even par after 9 holes, and they were still one down. Janet & Captain Tony complimented each other, with Janet closing out the match by securing the winning putt. Heidi & Darren just looked like they were having an enjoyable time, soaking up the pressure, with Heidi closing out the match with a very well-played 18^th. Gail and Steve did well to stay in the battle but were unable to get into positive territory during their match taking their opponents all the way to the 18th.

All matches were played in great spirit, thank you to Moore Park for what was a great match.

Thanks to Marg Hogan for supporting on the day and more importantly putting up with me.

This Sunday, round two we are off to Moore Park Golf Course to play against Kogarah Golf Club, tee time is 11:19. If you are available, please feel free to come along and provide support, we look forward to seeing you there.

Warren Hogan

Team Manager.

RED TEAM (BYE)