Gingin Golf Club’s Karen Pollard produced consistent golf in testing conditions to clinch the GolfWA Rural Bronze crown at Goomalling Golf Club.
Eighty women competed in the 36-hole Stableford championship, which was preceded by an 18-hole Canadian Foursomes competition around the sand greens course.
In changeable conditions that saw sunshine, rain, chilly winds and heavy mist to contend with at various times, competitors were required to negotiate the small and lightning-fast sand greens, which served up a stern examination of their chip-and-run and putting skills.
Despite some morning sunshine, scoring was tough during the first round of the Bronze with only four players matching or bettering their handicaps. Boyup Brook’s Lisa Cavanagh led the field overnight after posting a 39-point haul, which left her 2 points clear of Noelene Kaszanski (Bolgart GC), Sharon Williamson (Waroona GC) and Liz Sullivan (Chequers GC).
Conditions on day two were much less inviting, with persistent drizzle and poor visibility hampering play for much of the round. This was reflected in the scoring, with only one player – Gingin’s Pollard – matching their handicap.
Fun and friendship was much in evidence throughout the event
Pollard’s 36-point second-round score catapulted her to the top of the leaderboard with a 71-point total. It was enough to see her clinch the title by a two-point margin from Bolgart GC’s Noelene Kaszanski. Liz Sullivan from Chequers GC was third on 68 points.
This year’s event was the first time Pollard had ever teed up in the Rural Bronze, and she was delighted with her weekend’s work. “I played very consistently in some difficult conditions, so I’m very pleased to win the trophy on my first attempt,” she said.
The Rural Bronze experience was one Pollard would happily recommend to other golfers who haven’t yet had the pleasure of participating in the annual competition. “I enjoyed the company of all the ladies I played alongside and the whole event was a lot of fun, even in the rain and cold!”
There was plenty of fun to be found off the course as well, with Saturday night’s ‘Loudest and Brightest’ themed dinner and karaoke party enthusiastically (and noisily) supported.
The fun was not limited to the fairways – as these partygoers from Albany and Katanning ably demonstrate
The winners
Rural Bronze 36-hole Stableford
1st (71 points) = Karen Pollard (Gingin)
2nd (69 points) = Noelene Kaszanski (Bolgart)
3rd (68 points) = Liz Sullivan (Chequers)
R1 Stableford
1st (39 points) = Lisa Cavanagh (Boyup Brook)
2nd (37 points) = Sharon Williamson (Waroona)
R2 Stableford
1st (34 points) = Marg Palumbo (Harvey)
2nd (33 points) = Jenny Stewart (Geraldton)
Best Sand Greens Golfer
Winner (64 points) = Kate Oliver (Gnowangerup)
Best Grass Greens Golfer
Winner (58 points) = Petrina King (Busselton)
Super Vets (age 75+)
Winner (59 points) = Pam Meston (Bolgart)
Gladys Hawkes Nett Aggregate Shield
1st = Pippa Williams and Marian Tindale (Albany)
2nd = Taryn Harris and Desley Hannagan (Moora Lake View)
Canadian Foursomes
1st (30 points) = Toni Davey and Suzanne Troup (Jurien Bay)
2nd (28 points) = Sue Chester and Carlene Brookes (Goomalling)
3rd (27 points) = Linda Mcnaboe and Jenny Stewart (Dongara/Geraldton)
You can view the full results from the competition here.
You can view a gallery of images from the event here on the GolfWA Facebook page.
Jurien Bay’s Toni Davey and Suzanne Troup won the Canadian Foursomes title
Our sincere thanks to all competitors and to all at Goomalling Golf Club for being such excellent hosts and for presenting the course in such fine condition.
