NOTHING like a stroke round at the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Course to sort the wheat from the chaff and the magic from the mayhem.

The tees were so far back for the Nambucca Liquor Men’s Monthly Medal that even Joe Street would have approved, while some of the pins were devilish.

Only three of the 85-strong field on Saturday, 1 March, broke 80 off the stick.

Harrowing tales were the default in the clubhouse.

Among them were Rodney Ford who was playing brightly until running up a nine on the short par three last.

Club President Geoff Harris found his woe state much earlier, moving gradually from one bunker to the next and then after a short missed putt turned into a pinball wizard as he hit the still moving ball back and forth past the cup on repeat.

Day done.

A few managed to keep their heads.

Phillip Woodgate (19 handicap) had the best round of the day with a nett 64 to win C Grade nett by a shot from Warren Fuller (23).

The enthusiastic Dylan Mann (19) won the gross with 86.

In A Grade and like a good bottle of Grange which just gets better, Greg McCoy (4) took the gross with 76, while Daniel Wren (10) won the nett with 67, a shot ahead of Twin Creeks visitor Gregory Murray (11).

Peter Miller (15) had a smart 66 to win the B grade nett from the in-form Graham Weary (13) on 67, while Daniel Wassens claimed the gross with 85.

Norman Devereaux would have long forgotten starting the day with a triple bogey on the 1st and a 12 on the 2nd, as he banged it to 40cm on the last for a birdie and the $80 Pro Pin.

Other flags went to Lyall Gregory on 5, Weary on 7, Jacob Newbury on 8 and Dennis Ashton on 15.

Peter Bush won the Ecomist long putt on the 1st and Ken Klem dined out on 13 with the Pizza This Pizza That prize.

The Island Sunday at the weekend was a medley fourball best ball sponsored by Bryony and Chris Brownlie.

Philip Woodgate and Louise Ainsworth won with an excellent 46 to edge Liz Hobday and Chris Knight on 45. Knight (11) was flying at two-under off the stick through 13, and even par after 15, before a Normanesque-like collapse over the final three.

Pins went to Golf Director Henny Oldenhove on 5 and Glenys Thompson on 18 while the Geoffs saluted on 5 (Harris), 13 (Goesch) and 18 (Brooks).

Texan tyro Houston Baker (28) slow-cooked with 41 points to win the Nambucca RSL Dolphin Day shirt on Thursday, 27 February.

Garry Johnstone (13) nailed Div 1 with 36 points for the ‘W’ on a countback from Peter Scott (9).

Martin Turner (22) scorched with 40 points to claim Div 2 from Daniel Wassens (15) on 39.

Heather Gray (25) came home the stronger with 38 points to salute on a countback in Div 3 from Don Lavery (25).

Club Captain Ray Guiana sank the putt from afar on 1, while Lavery took the pin on 5, Geoff Brooks on 7, Turner on 8, Scott on 15 and Gregory Smith the $100 Pro Pin on 18. Alvin Rapley zeroed in on 13 for the pizza.

The women played a fourball on Wednesday, 26 February, with Lisa Guest and Robyn Dyer combining for an excellent 45 points and the dance of triumph.

Gillian Anderson and Jennifer Johnston were just a point back and runners-up, with Jenny Thorne and Sue Seymour third on 43 in a super tight leaderboard.

Kerrie Eichorn, Jennifer Ainsworth and Dianne Pedlow grabbed the graded pins on 8, while Deidre Fletcher pounced on 13 and Henny Oldenhove won the $43 Pro Pin on the last.

Setting the tone for honest hard yakka in the final week of summer was the Toyota Genuine Service Island Challenge medley stroke on Tuesday, 25 February.

Kempsey’s Colin Habgood (11) birdied 13, 16 and 18 for a slick 77, nett 66, to win the $70 first prize.

Ray Guiana – warning, “I’m retired, now” – capped a mighty seven days to be runner-up on 68 nett, ahead of Heather Gray in third on 70.

Master-blaster Kai Burkinshaw (1) zipped the gross with a tidy four over par 73.

Bonville’s Tony O’Rourke claimed the pin on 5, Tiffany Paul on 7, Scott Burley on 8, Habgood on 13, Adam Heslop on 15 and Stephen McNeil on the last. Each receives a sleeve of pills.

Catchya on The Island if the river doesn’t grab you first.

By Chris KNIGHT