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The 24th VVGA Country Championship was played at the picturesque Bright Golf Club with a field of 126 from all over Victoria. The course was in very good condition but posed a real challenge to the players. A highlight of the Tournament was the participation of the 6 Kenna Brothers who were joined by their Sister on this occasion. Brother Des was not in attendance but 7 out of 8 is not bad. Roy Sewell from Bandiana Golf Club had a Hole in One on the 11th a hole of 130 Metres with an 8 Iron.He is pictured left and the Kenna Family right.
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The VVGA conducted the 16th Four Ball Championship at the Phillip Island Golf Course on 31 March and April 1. There was a full field of 144 players which demanded strong supervision and attention from officials to keep play moving. This was accomplished well under the circumstances due to the dedication of the Phillip Island Members who acted as spotters and bunker rakers etc.
Bob Castles and John Payne from Yarrawonga were the defending Champions and were challenged by Richard Froebel partnering Peter Bywaters, Len Prior and Kelvin Peart and local pair David Mitchell and Doug Adams.
The conditions on Day 1 were wet and windy and on Day 2 perfect Richard Froebel and new partner Peter Bywaters with 74, 72 for a total of 146 won by 5 shots from the local pair of Adams and Mitchell on 151 with Prior and Peart third on 152.
The best nett score for the tournament was won by Rob Grant (12) and Gary Adkin (21)
from Devilbend Golf Club with a great second 18 of nett 60 to give them the wonderful total nett of 128.
Peter Bywaters VVGA President George Thorne Peter Mills from Greenleaf Phillip Island Retirement Village the major Sponsor and Richard Froebel with the perpetual plate.
A capacity field of veteran gofers competed for the coveted Cranbourne Cup, the 24th occasion of this prestigious tournament. As usual the course was presented in immaculate condition and the veterans once again enjoyed the hospitality of the Cranbourne Club led by Sean Constable (below left) and Richard Froebel.
Cranbourne has been the leading Metropolitan golf club in its support of veteran golf for the last 24 years and their contribution has been very much appreciated .
The winner of this year’s event was Peter Bywaters ( Cranbourne) with a fine 78 from Australian Veteran Champion Richard Froebel on 79.(Richard and Peter below right )
A grade nett was won by John Spicer 10 (Greenacres) from Vin McCarthy 12 (Springvalley) with 71 and B grade by Dale Burrows 19 (Southern) 72.
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The 25th Annual Veterans State Championship was played at the lovely Traralgon Golf Club on October 8th and 9th , The event was won by The Sands golfer Gavin Sheahan with scores of 79 and 81 160 from Peter Bywaters on 162.
Best nett score was by John Gallos 144. Stableford Div 1 was won by Col Ward with 42 points and Div 2 by John Richardson 35 points.
The golfers found the course quite difficult and scoring revealed that the course was the master on this occasion. Next year the event will be held at Barham on October 6 and 7.
Bottom Gavin Sheahan and the Par 3 15th at Traralgon
The 19th VVGA Teams event attracted Teams from Districts throughout Victoria to Nhill Golf Club which was in great condition for the event. The hospitality extended to the 114 players and partners was superb and all participants had a most enjoyable time.
Each District may have two teams of 3 players and two stableford rounds are played over two days and aggregated to provide a 36 hole total. Central District came from behind to win on a count back from the unfortunate East Gippsland Team both on 206 points.
The 20th Sandscrape Championship at Avenel Golf Club marked the 100th VVGA tournament since Veteran Golf was introduced in 1983.
Led by David and Lynette Fullager the Avenel Club provided one of the finest VVGA events in its history. Club members contributed to catering and course control in magnificent fashion and were rewarded in the favourable reaction from all participants and partners who experienced a most enjoyable three days. At the dinner on Monday evening VVGA President Norman Castle presented an engraved plaque to Avenel Golf Club to mark the occasion.
The golf course was in magnificent condition and the weather very kind but no one could master the long difficult lay out. Best score in the Championship was 80 by Daryl Dunsford (9) from Chalambar which was good enough to win by two strokes from Alan Axford (12) Traralgon, John Mortimer (6) Shepparton and Alan White (6) Avenel.
Alan Axford won A grade net with nett 70 B Grade net was won by Ian O’Shea (16) Neangar Park who also had his first hole in one on the 18th hole with nett 68 and C grade nett was won by Peter Boyle (19) Neangar Park with nett 70. Peter also won the Alfred Jones Memorial Trophy for golfers over 70.
Top left Alf Jones trophy winner Peter Boyle. Top right Ian O’Shea hole in one. Middle left Norman Castle presents VVGA Plaque to David Fullager. Middle right Daryl Dunsford Championship winner.
Bottom left David and Lynette Fullager
Des, Tony, John, Terry and Peter ready for play at Portland
The VVGA conducted the 22nd Country Championship at the beautiful Portland Golf Course. 140 Veteran golfers from all parts of Victoria gathered for the two day tournament. The 2007 Champion was Mick Ray (left) from Warrnambool Golf Club shooting 74 and 78 for 152 to win from Portland player Ross Kester on 155.
On Day 1 a four ball event was conducted for players not eligible to play in the Championship and this was won by Devil Bend pair Gary Atkins and John Addicoat with 46 points on a count back from Ian Winslow and Merv Zapelli from Yarram.
On Day 2 the Stableford Div 1 was won by Geoff White Portland with 38 from Malcolm Macpherson Commonwealth on 37. Div 2 was won by Edwin Saunders Devil Bend on 36 from John Kenna Terang 34.
The Division 1 Nett stroke was won by Bob Foran Portland and Division 2 by Graham Robertson both on nett 138. Marjorie Macpherson won the Ladies event at Heywood with 33 Stableford points. A feature of the event was the participation of the 5 Kenna brothers pictured left.
Pictured are Rich River Captain Peter Davidson and Geoff Everett.
The 12th Bill Mead Memorial Match Play event was held at Rich River Golf Club in March. 112 men and 38 Ladies played the four day event and it was voted as one of the premier Veteran events in the Country.
It is played in 7 sections of 16 with the number 1 section played from scratch with the winner acknowledged as the Australian Veteran Match Play Champion. Geoff Everett from NSW was successful for his 4th title and won this year from last years champion Richard Froebel. Everett in his winning speech paid tribute to the event and to retiring professional Alan Eacott who has been pro at Rich River for 28 years and has played a significant role in the development of this event.
The 15th VVGA Four Ball was held at Benalla Golf Club. On the second day of the 36 hole event the players had to contend with steady rain throughout their round but despite this difficulty they managed to complete their rounds which showed great determination. Leader after 18 holes on Day 1 were Bob Castles and John Payne from Yarrawonga and Bob Cooper and Norm Grant from Kooringal locked together on 70 which was 2 under the card. They managed to withstand a charge by Richard Froebel and Len Prior (who added a par round to their first round 74) by each shooting a 2 over 74 for a total of 144.and headed off for a sudden death play off in the rain. A par on the first play off hole was enough to win for Castles and Payne . They also won in 2004. Above a wet but happy John Payne and Bob Castles
A consolation for Cooper and Grant was their winning Division 1 and the tournament best nett score of 129. Other results were Division 2 Jim Ryan and Peter Boyle 129.. The tournament was well run by the Benalla Veterans led by Tournament Director Barry Jarman assisted by many dedicated helpers. Pictured below are Barry Jarman Neville Chester and Paul Hazell.
The Cranbourne Cup for 2007 was played in lovely weather on a great course and local Member Neville Wright won the event for the 5th time, (1992,93,95,96) with a score of 74 to win from Jim Cordery from Southern on 75 with Peter Symons and Richard Froebel on 77. Ken Boddington Greenacres won A grade with nett 69 and the evergreen John Scheele Riversdale won B grade with nett 70.
Pictured left is Ken Boddington Neville Wright and John Scheele
Finishing on the 16th hole are
Peter Symons, Richard Froebel Ken McNamara and Bill Simpson