Tuesday 7 th January 2025
Rain forecast early morning but with a chance of clearing before tee off saw 38 hopeful entrants drawn in
two 3-balls and eight 4-balls to contest an Alliance Stableford 2-scores-to-count with an additional bonus
point available for a “sandy”, a par from a bunker.
The rain persisted for slightly longer than anticipated, making the first hour of play more challenging than
most aspirant golfers wished for, to see Dave Curran, Mike Stadler, Matt Chadwick and Paul Fryer
struggle home with John Abbot, Hein Barnard and Michael Collins (78 +5), as well as Andries Pienaar,
Brink Rautenbach, visitor Micky Phillips and John Abbott all share first place on 83 points.
The fight in the trenches left no prisoners able to point fingers as Mark Warren, Quentin Hogge, Nick
Oosthuizen and Don Thomson collectively imploded to claim the Hamer & Sukkel with 68 points.
Brian Hayward birdied the par three 6 th as Brink Rautenbach birdied the par three 13 th to take the 2-club pool for his covey. Brian Shirley with an individual 70 nett proved to be the only player on the day able to master the testing conditions.
Friday 10 th January 2025
Warm early morning and a hint of a westerly wind saw 52 players drawn in thirteen 4-balls to contest an
Alliance Stableford 2-scores-to-count format with bonus points available for a “Portuguese”, three players
scoring three points or better on a hole, as well as a “sandy”, a par from a bunker. The draw master was
circumspect deciding not to complicate matters due to the size of the field.
The westerly wind picked up intensity as the morning progressed, just to add a modicum of challenge, as
Mike Krige, Steve Kennedy, Jimmy van Rensburg and Bob Shaw tore the course apart to post an almost
unbelievable winning score of 101 points. In second, with what on most days would have been a winning
score, were Len Bohnen, Bruce Carlyon, Michael Collins and Russell Warren on a solid 93 points.
Possibly in a different hemisphere, Jan Immelman, Lawrence Schultz, Micky Phillips and John Dell found
conditions more testing as they posted 75 points to sweep all possible contenders aside as they claimed
the Hamer & Sukkel. James Lobban with the only birdie on a par three for the day, the 6 th , took the fairly substantial 2-club pool for his covey.
Steve Kennedy, Hein Barnard and Mike Stadler all shot satisfying individual 70 netts; John Ralph
continuing his good form of late returned with an individual 68 nett; John Abbott upped the ante with a
superb individual 67 nett; clearing the stage for the man of the day Jimmy van Rensburg as he posted a
stunning individual 66 nett.