THE Mount Gambier Golf Club held its women’s club championships last Wednesday in ideal playing conditions.
In A Grade Faye Mainwaring and Bernie Jennings, both past champions, provided a great spectacle with their match over 36 holes.
The first nine holes were a tussle with Jennings one up but Mainwaring kept the pressure up on the next nine with both players finishing all square after 18 holes.
After a short lunch break, players headed off for the second 18 holes where Mainwaring shot to four up after nine holes.
However, the determined Jennings gradually reduced the gap to two before Mainwaring claimed her third Championship title as she parred the 35th hole to finish 3/1.
Penne Saffin and Kate McCormick battled it out for the B Grade title over 36 holes.
Both players found the dewy conditions slightly tricky but once they settled into their game, a cat and mouse game ensued with McCormick scoring wins on holes seven, eight and nine to finish one up at the turn. Adding another two wins had McCormick three up after twelve holes but Saffin fought back and the scores seesawed up and down to the 18th hole with McCormick three up.
On the second 18 holes, McCormick increased her lead to four up but Saffin rallied to win the next two holes before facing the last nine holes.
A strong rebound by Saffin reduced the score to square with three holes left to play but McCormick kept calm and scored two further wins to claim her title on the 35th hole finishing 2/1.
C Grade saw Trudy Johnson, a very keen golfer play off in her first championship against left hander Lizzie Clements, whose handicap has also reduced rapidly.
The first five holes on the homeward nine were halved but holes won by both players resulted in Johnson leading by two after 18 holes.
After a short lunch break, Clements encountered trouble on the first two holes to give Johnson a lead of four before she added two more wins to claim the title 6/4.
In D Grade, Linda Boylan was presented with her trophy by Gloria Lennon on behalf of sponsor, Hoppa Gabriel who has supported this event for 16 years.
Unfortunately Julie Hanel had to withdraw at the last minute due to injury.
A stableford round was played by the remaining women and Val Grubb, who has recently returned to golf fired a great score of 40 points to win convincingly from Carol Smith and Rose Hunt.
Di Norman was the most accurate on the eighth hole to win the pro shot and also claimed the second shot on the 10th hole in A Grade while Heather Chapman claimed the second shot in C Grade.
There were 17 women who played a stableford competition on Saturday.
Karen Forster claimed the win with 37 points.
Jan Shanahan was the runner-up with 34 points.
Janina Morrison won the pro shot on the eighth hole while Trudy Johnson was nearest the pin on the 16th hole.