Ian Rudd the start of the show with drought breaking achievement at Kempsey Golf Club

Firstly a field of a half-century 50 did appear prior to the 9am tee-off and secondly a hole-in-one for the Alan Macdonald Memorial Third Hole-in-One $100 booty was achieved.

'Twas the reigning Club Champion, Ian Rudd, who did end the 19-month drought of the feat and he did it in style, he did. "I jabbed a 9-iron [*niblick] that saw the ball fly high and bounce just the once straight into the hole, flagstick and all," he said with a smile that remained on face for quite some overtime.

[*Niblick: A 9-iron in golf with a face slanted at a greater angle than any other iron].

Yes, it was a wonderful stroke and Ian was sort of shot to pieces when he was presented with the normal six-pack of Srixons plus the $100 prizemoney.

And the event to have us all striving to match up Ian's ace does carry on for another day and word has it that just five days beforehand the president of the Kempsey Golf Club, Paul Brose, had done the trick, too.

Cannot believe it that Paul's ace was worthy of just one new golf ball and that information did come from man himself. Far too busy of any Tuesday to join us for 14 holes of play, one supposes.

Can remember when a bottle of Johnny Walker came one's way for a hole-in-one!

Also whilst weighing mentally further through the matter of the actual results of the 14-hole Stableford event there was another such wondrous happening.

When any a veteran player, albeit an A-grader with a double-figure handicap, can amass 35 points on any a Tuesday is something right out of the box (so to speak). We're talking about Robert Johnston.

"Johnno," as he has answered to for any and many a day now, found the going really good and the man himself - he's a Club official and our financial controller - has cemented a place in the top echelon.

Just as well he did finish strongly for the countback with Trevor Bailey went his way to sort matters out victory wise.

Scores on the day were really much better than normal and with almost perfect conditions for golf it could well have been the reason for the turnaround. The handicapper has plenty of work to do; oh yes Peter!

Now, Ray Moodie continued his form lift of late to compile 33 points to top the B-grade field, whilst the Club's most dedicated and colourful golfer, Craig James, shone out in C-grade with his 32-point tally.

Joining Bailey in the ball competition rider were : 33 Michael Brady and Chris Hudson; 32 Charlie Barnett (SWR) and Ian Rudd; 31 Hilary Dew and Graeme Dyet; 30 David Griffin, Barry Pearson and Wayne Cooper.

Nearest the pin at the third hole were Rudd (A), Steve Cameron (B) and Dennis O'Brien (C), whilst Ced Rudd (A) went solo at the eighth hole. O'Brien's shot was just an inch or two or three outside the mythical metre circle.

Chip-ins were performed by Dew (2), Barnett, James, Rudd, O'Brien (Dennis) and Mr Milton Riggs, our oldest elder who did enjoy - one way or any other - his 95th birthday yesterday [July 19]; "Happy Birthday Mate, " from us all!

Unfortunately Milton won't be with us today as he is undergoing an eye operation that he hopes will improve his putting. He's a stickler for watching the ball and not the hole and that, my friends, is true to the mark.

Meanwhile, when compiling this column, 'twas well prior to the staging of the fourth round of the Mid North Coast Veterans Golf Association's Bill Medley Memorial Shield here on our course Friday last. Results next week one hopes.

Today's event is a 14-hole 2BBB & Individual Stableford with the back nine dominating and any visitors to Nature's Wonderland are invited to take part. Give 65626291 a call to book a start and/or cart and tee-off is 9am.

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