GOOD clubman Stuart Johnston is always colourfully clad – more dapper than US legend John Daly – and he’s had a bumper week on the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Course.

The 11-marker reeled off 10 pars and birdied the newish 12th on his way to 38 stableford points to salute in Div 1 in the Marcel Towers medley stableford on Saturday.

That was enough to pip Woolgoolga’s Mitchell Weston (13 handicap) who carded 37 points.

In Div 2, John Morgan (14) was all smiles with 40 points, ahead of runner-up Robert Coneybeare 38 points, also enjoying a rich vein of form.

Quinn Wilson (41) from Cabramatta had the best round of the day with an OMG 43 points to take Div 3 from Kylie Blay (38) with 40 points.

The ball rundown went to 33 with Mark Stuckey the last to collect.

Coneybeare claimed the nearest the pins on 8 and 18 (the latter a $110 strike for the Pro Pin). Emeritus Golf Director Geoffrey McCann won the 5th, Tyson Burke the 7th, Denise Paluch the Pizza This Pizza That on 13 and John Crosby the 15th. Keith Elphick binned the longest putt on the first for the Ecomist voucher.

The usual standalone women’s Wednesday competition was scuppered by Christian festivities, but it was on like Donkey Kong for all on Boxing Day in a medley stableford presented by Nambucca Heads RSL.

The Valley’s own version of a coveted Masters green jacket – the Dolphin Day shirt – was seized by Lisa Chivers (42) with 43 points.

In Div 1, Daryl Wall (11) with 39 points bested Ken Klem (9) by a solitary point.

Paul Dyer (38) returned 40 points to take out Div 2 from Jamie Lucas (22) on 38.

Low-marker Bryce McCarroll took the pins on 5 and 15, Wall the 7th, Jennifer Johnston on 8, Colin Dunne on 13 and Stuckey grinned on the last for the Pro Pin at $70.

On Christmas Eve that man Johnston was again to the fore, winning the sole-division Marcel Towers single stableford with 38 points, on a countback from the chirpy David Rosser (17) who was in the same group.

Their gang of four enjoyed a spirited contest, with Allan O’Brien pondering out loud if he’d taken the correct penalty after sailing his ball past the trap on the last before it exited stage left.

“I got up there and there’s a white stake and a red stake together,” O’Brien said, “so I took a drop as it had gone into the water marked as a hazard.”

The southern part of this waterway is in fact a hazard, denoted so for players normally on the 5th hole.

Johnston noted O’Brien’s confusion was neither here nor there in respect to their group match: “The mercy rule had already been invoked”.

Meanwhile, Caleb Foran went back-to-back to score the pins on 7 and 8, Heath Blain snagged the pizza, Scott Burley took the 15th and Stephen Doherty the $43 Pro Pin on 18. Stephen Kimber ensured he was in the news, winning the 5th.

Despite the extended dry and sapping wind, the course is in decent shape, and a popular destination for visitors seeking an 18-hole championship challenge and the best 19th hole on the coast – by the river to watch the world spin by.

Members paired with visitors are encouraged to give them a warm welcome so they will speak positively of their Nambucca experience.

See you on The Island.

By Chris KNIGHT