01/06/2026
Lucindale Elders Club Championships 2026
On Sunday we held the 2026 Elders club championships at a very well presented Lucindale golf course. Don had the greens running slick and the fairways were in great condition after recent rain. After Saturday’s wet weather it was a little concerning, but lucky despite an early shower the weather stayed clear for the rest of the day. It was great to see so many people around the course and great to see so many support the club afterwards for presentations and tea.
MEN’S A GRADE MEN’S FINAL (36 holes)
This year’s A grade final was played between top qualifier Shane Rivett and first time finalist Matt ‘Punter’ Willis. Shane started the first a little nervous and hacked out a double bogey on the first hole, while Punter made bogey for the win. After shaking off the first hole nerves the boys then clicked and gear and started playing some A grade golf. Shane landed his approach on the 2nd within 4 foot and made birdie to square the game. Shane was hitting greens in regulation, while Punter was running hot with his chipping game and not missing any putts. Shane rolled in a massive 50 foot putt on the par 5 6th to make another birdie to square things up. Shanes putter then let him down a little after hitting greens in regulation, then Punter made par on 9 for a win and went up 1 shot after nine. Both players were 4 over the card for the front 9.
On the 10th Punter made an excellent birdie for a win. Then on 11 Shane managed a very costly double bogey from the middle of the fairway and Punter also won 12 with par to go 4 up in a hurry. Shane then steadied the ship as Punter was playing bogey golf and Shane won 3 of the next 4 holes to be one down going up 18. Punter then managed to par the 18th for a win and went into lunch 2 up.
After a delicious warm soup and toastie combination the boys came out a little sluggish after lunch. Both drives slapped well left on 1 and Shane managed a rusty win with bogey, while Punter had his second 3 putt for the day. The next two holes were halved, which was a rarity for the day. Shane then made par on 4 after Punter found a bit of tree trouble and the score was all squared up. Punter then soon bounced back with an excellent approach on 5 to make birdie and go 1 up again. Then on 6 the birdie train came through town yet again and Punter drained an excellent 30 foot putt. Shanes 20 foot birdie putt just lipped out and Punter went 2 up. Shane then hit back and won with par on 7, but a costly 3 putt on 8 put Punter back up 2. On 9 Punter pushed his ball right near the boundary fence, but unfortunately couldn’t find the ball and had to re load. Crows were seen circling the area, but none of us saw the ball disappear. Shane then made par and Punter was up 1 with 9 to play. We were looking at a grand stand finish.
Punter was on the back of the 10th green for 3 and managed to land a ripping putt from 40 feet to make yet another long birdie and go 2 up. Punter left the door wide open for Shane on 11 after some tree trouble, but Shane uncharacteristically duffed a chip and could only manage bogey for a half. Both players then left their approaches on 12 well short and then again Shane felt the nerves of the occasion and duffed another chip and made an ugly double bogey. Punter was now 3 up with 6 to play. Shane then lost a few wheels nuts on 13 and drove straight out of bounds and Punter made bogey to be 4 up and sitting in a commanding position. On 14 Shane should of taken out the win, but Punter’s short game came back in play and made an excellent punch chip 30 metres out and placed ball within a foot of the pin. They halved the hole with a scratchy bogey and Punter went into the 15th 4 up with 4 to go. Punter then decided to listen to his caddy and putted off the green and managed to make his par to half the hole and become the 2026 A grade men’s champion. Punter was so focused on golf he didn’t realise that the game was won and was preparing for the next hole. It was a great game of golf early, with plenty of par and birdie golf. Punters up and down game was where the game was won, he was running hot with his chipper and the putter followed that direction. Shane also played some outstanding golf, with some great driving and approaching. The wheels just got a little shaky at the end and Punter took full advantage. Congratulations to Punter on his first Lucindale A grade championship win, he sure had enough drinks with his caddy afterwards to celebrate.
B GRADE MEN’S FINAL (36 holes)
The B grade final was fought out between the inform Layton Copping and Geoff Smith. Layton qualified well on top and breezed through to the final, while Geoff came from the clouds and beat two heavily backed opponents to make it there. Geoff knew he would have his work cut out but he was up for the challenge.
Layton started the day on song and parred the first for a win, but Geoff hit straight back for a win on 2. Geoff was then struggling to find the middle or get the ball in the air or middle of the club and Layton was staying consistent and nailing some great long drives. On 17 Layton chipped in for birdie, and just to rub Geoff’s nose in it Layton made another great chip on 18 within 2 inches of the hole to be 6 up at the half way point. Sweet tooth Geoff was now praying the ladies had some sort of dessert on the lunch menu, as he needed every ounce of energy he could get to come back from this position. Unfortunately there was no sweets and Layton continued pounding Geoff into the ground with consistent regulation golf. Layton blew the score out to 10 up, while Geoff managed to claw one back on the 24th to put some pressure back on. But Layton proved too strong and finished off with a couple more wins to take out the B grade championship 11/10. Layton has been in red hot form lately and was always going to be a tough opponent and more than deserved his win. Well done to Geoff for making the final from his tough qualifying draw, unfortunately it just wasn’t his day this time around.
C GRADE MEN’S FINAL (36 holes)
The C grade final was played between two up and coming players Grant Higgins and last year’s runner up Jamie Hartman. Both players play a very similar brand of golf and can hit the ball a long way. The boys had a shaky start and Jamie won with double bogey on 1 to get proceedings underway. Luckily the golf improved after that and Jamie made par on 3 to go 2 up. The next 2 holes were halved with par and bogey on 6, but then the Higgo train cranked up the boilers. Higgo won the next 4 holes and made an excellent birdie on 8. But Jamie wasn’t lying on the tracks just yet and made par on 10 to be one down. Jamie then conceded on 11 and both players parred 12 to have Higgo up 2. Higgo then proceeded to lie Jamie on the tracks while he cranked the boilers back up. Higgo birdied 13, parred 14 and birdied 16 before Jamie knew it he was 7 down at the turn. Jamie turned to the bar for inspiration, but the beers could only do so much and the Higgo train kept on rolling into the next 9. Higgo was playing out of his skin, making par after par and throw in a birdie on 4 and Jamie had no answers. Unfortunately Jamie wasn’t able to win another hole and Higgo took out the win 13/11. A well deserved win from Higgo, he played some amazing golf and probably would have taken it up to the A graders with that form. Commiserations to Jamie on the loss, but it was a great effort to make two finals in a row.
D GRADE MEN’S FINAL (27 holes)
This year’s D grade final was played against another two up and coming new members, Travis Ware and Michael Mcgurk. It shaped up to be a blockbuster match, with both players able to hit a long ball off the drive. Unfortunately they haven’t developed much control over the direction in which those long balls go, so it was going to be a tough day out for referee Chas Gilkes to keep an eye on both players. Sometimes their drives would end up 150 apart from each other, so the rangefinders game in quite handy. The ref made sure both golf carts were fully charged before embarking.
Travis got out of the blocks early and won the first two holes with par and a bogey on 2. Then Trav thought he would give Michael back a shot with an errant airy on 3. Michael then won the next two holes with great pars to be one up after 5. Michael then belted his ball well into the grazing country over the boundary fence and Trav took full advantage to square things up on the 6th. Then a bit of D grade golf kicked in and the boys were knocking up a few double and triple bogeys. An out of bounds to Travis on 9 then squared the ledger at 1 out of bounds each. Michael was yet to have an airy, so Trav was still leading that tally by 1. So after 9 Michael was 2 up and sitting in a pretty good position. Michael then made par on 10 and bogey on the tough 11th to go 4 up. Trav wasn’t done with yet and hit back with a birdie on 12 to bring it back to 3 shots. With the out of bounds 13th fence calling their name, Michael then opened the shoulders up and belted his drive 280 metres down the fairway and made birdie. By the end of the night I think he said the drive had cleared the green. Trav’s wheels were starting to get a little shaky from here and Michael took full advantage to win the next 3 holes with bogey golf. Michael was now 7 up with 11 to play. Trav had to find something and find it fast as he was running out of holes for a comeback. He sure found something and nailed his drive 280 metres on 17 and made a 3 foot birdie for a win. Michael then steadied the ship and parred 18 to be 7 up with 9 to play.
After lunch Trav was all fired up after his soup was 1 degree colder than he ordered and won the next 2 holes to be 5 down with 7 to play. Trav then found a bit of trouble on the par 3 and Michael swooped in to win with a bogey. Now it was dormie and it was all or nothing for Trav. Michael ended up squaring the 4th with a double bogey and took out his maiden championship win. It was a good quality game for a D grade final and I’m sure a lot of blokes are looking forward to them going up a grade next year.
Next Saturday 6th of June we have our June monthly medal, tee off at 11:30am. Everyone is welcome to come join the fun, see you all on the course.
