Spackler trip ‘09 – Day 1

Day 1 at the Vintage and the field were eager to impose themselves on the course, the format was to be single stableford, with a winner each day and the overall winner going to the highest combined total.

Things didn’t start well on the tight opening 5 holes, made even worse by the first group requesting the beer wench head back to the pro shop to fetch them an esky, leaving the groups following very hot and dry! The real reason was Deano and Brent were on a mission to drink a can a hole, which was possibly going to be more then the points they would score!

There were cries of despair to be heard all over the Vintage that day, with a common scream being “F*@k you Greg Norman”! The fairways ran and the greens were quick and proving difficult to read, it was obvious early that playing anywhere close to your handicap could win the day and leave you the overnight leader, playing better than near to his handicap was the irrepressible Ben Warhurst, who tore up the front 9 to turn with 21 points the highlight being a birdie 3 on the par 4 6^th hole which netted him 5 stableford points!! The lead was 6 points and counting.

The back nine however seemed to change Ben’s mojo, he wiped the 10^th and struggled to find a point anywhere coming in, it seemed that the Greg Norman course could give not only his view of course design, but also his inability to close out! We all putted out and fell into the lounges in air conditioned comfort and cold ale, the scoreboard was not pretty, but there’s always Sunday!

Herb 29
Ben 28
Merce 27
Glen 26
Deano 26
Phil 24
Bats 24
Bathwater 24
Brent 21
AD 19
Nathan 8

Much to Herb’s disbelief he didn’t get to wear The Jacket or any jacket. He will be known as a trip away specialist if he doesn’t break his Spackler duck soon! We moved on and had a great afternoon at Brokenwood Estate for a wine tasting,where we were given a private room and lots of attention. Off to dinner at Blaxlands and then to disco central Harrigans Pub, where we got to listen to the sweet tunes of DJ Jazzy Shareef and watch future Manpower dancers Deano ride the pony and Brent put on a show to end all shows!

Bring on Sunday golf and hangovers!