TWO locals beat some of the best golfers in the region in Tenterfield last week.
The town managed to turn on another magnificent event in the Veterans' Week of Golf at the Tenterfield Golf Club.
Competition was fierce with 180 players representing 49 clubs registered.
Around 150 golfers took to the fairways on each of the four days of the competition.
On Monday and Tuesday they played a singles stableford.
The big 36-hole aggregate 4BBB (Four Ball Best Ball) stroke mixed event on the Thursday and Friday also served as the NSW Vets 4BBB Mixed Stroke Championships.
Uralla golfer Trevor Carson and Armidale’s Amanda Carr prevailed in the 4BBB with a score of 144 gross.
Tenterfield player Nola Edmonds teamed up with Brian Sheridan of Bonville to be the nett winners.
A small field of around 20 played a two-person medley ambrose on Wednesday – the designated rest day –while the rest of the field went sightseeing or shopping.
Tournament director Bill Eastgate calculated that with accommodation, travel, food and registration fees each player would have left around $1000 in Tenterfield behind them, making it a good event for the town.
Mr Eastgate said that while overall numbers were fairly consistent with previous events, he was happy to welcome 40 new players to the tournament.
Surprisingly this is around the same number of new players joining the May version of the Vets’ Week of Golf.
The organising committee received good feedback on last week’s tournament, with participants praising both the management of the event and the Tenterfield course.
“A few said the greens are difficult, but that’s golf,” Mr Eastgate said.
He was impressed with the attendance at the nightly dinners, particularly the presentation dinner on Friday night that attracted close to 100.
Tenterfield’s new deputy mayor (and vet golfer) Greg Sauer was on hand to present trophies to the winners, after going around the course on Monday and Tuesday in the singles stableford.
Many of last week’s participants have indicated they’ll be back again in May for the autumn week.
It will run next year from May 15 to 19.
The picturesque course remains a drawcard for many vet golfers (and golfers in general), with some preferring the stunning autumn leaf colours lining the fairways for the May event, with others preferring the slightly warmer spring outing while some are happy to come any time.
“We have players that have been coming for years,” Mr Eastgate said.
