Women’s Interclub Report
Published on 12th July 2023 in GSC/Pro, Guests News, Latest NewsHere we were at Victoria GC for our final Interclub match of the season – nerves flying and lots of friendly banter and encouraging vibes from the team. Interclub is a collection of amazing women, proud and passionate to represent Spring Valley.
Marilyn was up against an equally handicapped player, and the play was tight all around. Unfriendly bunkers played their part for both players during the match. Marilyn was the first to succumb and lost the first hole, only to square up after the second hole when her opponent fell victim to a bunker. Both players were also enjoying great tee shots and nice approaches. Every time Marilyn took the upper hand, her opponent would win the next hole. The score was square after the first nine. The 10th and 11th holes were again squared before Marilyn had some unlucky shots that led to trouble. Her opponent capitalized and won the next three holes. Never one to give up, Marilyn rallied and won the 15th. The 16th and 17th saw Marilyn putt to win the holes, only to have the ball refuse to fall in the hole, narrowly missing on the 16th and just falling short on the 17th. So, with both these holes being squared, the match ended with Anne winning the match 2/1. Well played, Marilyn, navigating undulating fairways and those lightning-fast greens!
A game of two halves. Fairlie got off to a great start, with accurate drives and fairway shots. Her opponent seemed a little nervous and, along with finding a few bunkers, found herself three down after four holes. The nerves soon abated, and it was hole for hole. Fairlie maintained the pressure and turned three up. A warm cup of pumpkin soup, and the game suddenly turned. Fairlie’s opponent won the next two holes with a great shot out of the bunker and a chip onto the green, and two wonderful putts. The next four holes were evenly shared, with both players producing great shots. We are now at hole 16, and Fairlie is two up. It is shot for shot on both holes, and her opponent produces two wonderful putts to win both holes, and the match is squared. Congratulations to both players on a wonderful game. Well done, Fairlie!
Well, Wendy’s day started off with a great shot that unfortunately went straight into the trees and would end up costing her the hole. The rest of the front nine would see her being two down at worst. She clawed back to be even by the turn with some consistent shot-making and clutch putts. The start of the back nine would see Wendy lose the 10th but then bounce back on 11 and 12 to put her one up. Halving the 13th gave her a one-hole lead going into the 14th par 3. Ann (her competitor) duffed three shots in the rough, and Wendy went into the green-side bunker for 1, which ultimately gave her the hole. At hole 16, Wendy would play too well and smart, which would help her win the hole and match. Again, well played, and a great match.
Julie’s first nine holes weren’t easy, with the driver not listening to instructions, but she managed to keep pace and turned one hole down. The second nine was where the match was decided, and Julie got her game going, with the turning point being a great win on the 16th par 3, on for a birdie putt. The 17th was squared, and going to the 18th one up, Julie was solid and with a nice putt, sealed a two-up win.
Our final group/player was Janet, who settled her nerves by winning the first two holes over her Riversdale opponent, Ann, who after a nervous start, started to relax and won a couple of holes. Janet had the advantage of Jenny on her bag, who was familiar with the course, helping Janet navigate the bunkers, versus Ann, who repeatedly got into difficulties. After a tight match, Janet eventually got on top, winning on the 17th hole – three up. It was a great game played in fine spirit.
So, with all the players in, Spring Valley has won the match and finished the season in an unbeatable first place!
What a wonderful season. Fun, funny, hard-fought, and intense at times. Great play, Team SVGC!
Regards Feirn
Round 5 was played at Royal Melbourne, West Course. The weather was perfect, and apparently, the mushroom soup was even better. SVGC was up against Kingston Heath.
At No.1, Marilyn Anderson led the Spring Valley Ladies off against her Kingston Heath GC opponent, Anne. Marilyn got away on the first hole and quickly realized that Anne’s game was built on long driving. Our girls worked out early that ball in play would be key around the tough RM West layout. She lost the first hole but squared the match after the second. The Par 4 third was halved in pars. Anne picked up a couple of holes to take the early lead; however, Marilyn steadied with excellent positioning of her approach shots and long putts. The match was all square at the turn. After a lovely cup of pumpkin soup, the players headed to the 10th. The soup kicked in, and Marilyn won the 10th and 11th and by this stage had picked up the pace of the greens and the undulations. Twelve was squared before Anne found “bunker trouble” on 13. Marilyn was now 3 up. The heavily bunkered Par 4 14th (9 bunkers surrounding the green!!) was squared. On the 15th, Marilyn kept the ball in play to the pre-planned strategy, found the green, and then holed a nice putt to win the match 4&3. She played very sensible golf, stuck to the game plan all day, stayed out of trouble, and reaped the rewards. Congratulations to Marilyn and her caddie, Fairlie.
Coming into the team this round is Wendy Van Bakel. The day started off with 2 straight losses, not at fault of Wendy’s but just due to some good shots and a little luck from Robbie (her opponent). Then came the third hole; Wendy found her feet, and the nerves settled. Robbie began to make some ordinary shots, and Wendy made some better shots. With that, she won the next 6, with her putting proving to be consistently better than Robbie’s. Halving the 9th gave Wendy a 4-hole lead. The 10th saw Robbie win a hole, and that’s all she would get as Wendy proved to be better on the day with good shot making and winning 6/4. Great work and a good round.
Cathy and her opponent from Kingston Heath were very evenly matched and provided a wonderful contest today. Both started strongly, and it was shot for shot for the first 2 holes. Cathy won the third, and her opponent won the fifth, bringing it back to square. This was the trend for the remainder of the game. Both players pounced on the slightest errors. Cathy found double trouble in the bunker on the 8th and a poor drive on the 9th, which saw her opponent turn 1 up. Not to be denied, she fought back and took the next 2 holes with accurate shots on the fairways. Cathy’s drive on the 12th went into the rough, which allowed her opponent to take that hole, and on the 13th, her opponent found the rough, and Cathy won the hole. Kingston Heath won the next 2 holes, bringing it back to 1 up, and Cathy won the 16th with steady hitting and her opponent needing 3 shots to get out of the bunker. Onto the 18th and all square. Both players were on the green for 4. Cathy’s downhill putt was superb; however, her opponent’s putt went into the hole to win the match. A great match. Well done, Cathy!
Lynne Bui, now known as “Bomber Bui,” playing at number four, began the game strongly with an impressive drive and won the hole. Great start, Bomber! However, on the second hole, Lynne’s drive landed in the bushes, resulting in a lost shot and losing that hole. Melinda from Kingston Heath continued her success by winning holes number 3 and 4. Our Lynne fought back and managed to win hole number 5. By the end of the first nine holes, Lynne was down by one hole. During the second nine, both players had good drives and found the fairways. However, Melinda’s approach shots were consistently accurate, and she ultimately won the game. Well done, Lynne, for putting up a strong fight.
Perfect conditions for a quality match – Jennifer (SV) v Wendy (KH). It was a seesaw game with both players winning 7 holes each and halving the other 4. Wendy, a veteran of the game, and Jennifer, a newbie. Jennifer showed great strength and distance which would unsettle most opponents. It was not a match for the faint-hearted. Bunkers were a challenge for both players, but Jennifer showed great skill to get out. Putting on the quick RM greens was also challenging and made each hole exciting. Jennifer was 1 down with the 18th to play. Jennifer played smart, consistent golf, while Wendy got into two bunkers. Jennifer won the hole and squared the match – well done.
So SVGC finishes with a square match. Still on top of the ladder, our team needs either a square or a win to take the trophy. It’s do or die, though, as SVGC has a bye on the last round, so next week at Victoria is our final chance to seal the deal!
Regards,
Feirn
Round 4 was played at Riversdale, SVGC vs Royal Melbourne.
Fairlie, leading the team out again, had a slow start, unhappy with her putting, and lost the 1st hole. However, she then won the 2nd hole by dropping a long putt. From then on, it was neck and neck until the 9th hole, which Fairlie won. Unfortunately, they could not move on to the 10th hole because a certain caddie had lost the buggy and bag! Yes, it was motorized, and after searching nearby bunkers and creeks, it was found behind a tree on the 10th hole (good one, Cathy!). For the next few holes, the Royal Melbourne player had a few bunker parties, while Fairlie stayed steady, staying on the fairways. The 13th hole, a par 5 over a creek, was Fairlie’s most memorable hole. She found herself in GUR (Ground Under Repair), punched it out, bouncing her ball off a rock in the creek, and onto the green, winning the hole. After the 15th hole, Fairlie was 3 up and promptly won the 16th hole by playing up the middle and chipping up to the green, while the other player conceded, not being able to get out of the bunker. Well done, Fairlie, 4&2 up!
Cheryl started her round well with a great tee shot to win the first hole, after her opponent put herself behind a tree and needed to take a drop. Although her opponent drove very well most of the time, Cheryl continued to hit good shots, only dropping two holes on the front 9 to be 3 up at the turn. At the start of the back 9, Cheryl’s opponent picked up her game and clawed back a few holes. However, Cheryl was able to hold her nerve and hit a lovely shot up towards the 17th green, winning the hole and the match 3/1. Well played, Cheryl. It was a very solid game.
Marilyn was our third player to tee off, and after a long wait on the tee, her first shot was not her best. However, she then pitched it up onto the green. Her opponent had found the bunker, and after a smart putt, Marilyn won the hole. On our second hole, both players hit up onto the ridge. Marilyn chose to hit way left, while her opponent’s shot had rolled down towards Huntingdale Rd. Marilyn was in a nice lie and gave her 7 iron a good crack. Her opponent called out that she didn’t see where the ball landed. Marilyn called out, “on the green,” trying to keep a straight face. Her caddy, Elly Kim, gave her a big smile. Marilyn had done her homework on where to land the ball at this course, but her opponent from Royal Melbourne admitted she was unfamiliar with the course. Marilyn subsequently won the first 4 holes on the modified course. After a squared par 3, Marilyn won the next 2 holes to be 6 up after 7 holes played. Caddy Elly was not going to give away any holes and politely reminded the opponent of her extra shot. On the par 3 tenth hole, after lovely pumpkin soup, Marilyn hit a stunning drive that surprised both her and a grinning Elly when it rolled down towards the green on the massive slope. However, Marilyn lost her nerve on her pitch towards the water and lost the hole. It was to be her only lost hole for the day. After squaring the next hole, Marilyn was full of confidence and won the next 2 holes to win the match 7 and 6. It was her best Interclub win ever. Her opponent, Sally, kept her good manners throughout. Caddy Elly missed out on seeing the last 6 holes but was a very happy winner.
Spring Valley’s 4th player was Janet Hardiman, challenged not only by her opponent, Deb from Royal Melbourne, but also having her husband, Greg, on her bag for the first time! Janet started strongly, playing some smart and consistent golf, winning the first two holes. Go Janet! Deb then got her game going, winning 4 holes to Janet’s 1. Deb was 1 up at the turn. Deb’s momentum continued, moving to 3 up, but Janet, the fighter, lifted her game to win the next 2 holes, including a par 3 on the tough uphill 14th hole. By the 17th hole, Deb was 1 up with 1 to play. It came down to the 18th hole. Unfortunately, Janet had some uncharacteristic water problems, with Deb winning the hole and the match – 2 up to Royal Melbourne. The match was played in great spirit, and the ladies were very evenly matched. Full credit to Janet for a very competitive performance. Your caddy was very proud of you (and we survived!).
We had a new rookie making her debut at 5, Rita Yodrak. After the first 9 holes, the Royal Melbourne player took a commanding 4 up lead. Even though Rita’s tee-to-green play was a match for her opponent, the difference was down to putting. On the 10th hole, Rita played a lovely chip shot from the rough, putting it in the middle of the green, whereas the opponent had bunker trouble and conceded the hole. The 11th hole went to Rita, and gaining confidence, Rita then won the 12th hole, putting her chip shot next to the hole. Rita kept the roll going, winning the 13th hole, a par 5, to win 4 holes on the trot and even up the match. Halving the 14th, 15th, and 16th holes, the pressure was building, and Royal Melbourne then won the 17th hole to go 1 up with 1 to play. Down the 18th hole, they played, both ending up in greenside bunkers. The Royal Melbourne player, though, could not get it out, leaving Rita needing only to get out of the bunker, which she did in one go, winning the hole! All square and a great fight back!
So the day went to SVGC, beating our poorer cousins, Royal Melbourne! Even though the SVGC girls stretched their lead, Riversdale in second place has 3 matches left to SVGC’s 2 matches, so it’s still going to be close.
The next round is played at Royal Melbourne against Kingston Heath.
Regards
Feirn
Interclub round 3 was ideal for golf: rainy, windy, and cold. It was played at Peninsula-Kingswood, where the SVGC team was facing up against Woodlands.
The day began with Cathy winning the first hole and getting her name on the scoreboard. The remainder of the match was a battle of the bunkers, with both players finding the sand more than they would have liked. Cathy remained calm and scored more freely over the next 8 holes, finishing the first 9 with 3 points up. The back 9 proved difficult, and both players alternated taking honors on the holes. It was getting tight towards the end, and a non-compliant Par 3 on the 16th and a bunker party on the 17th saw Cathy head into the last hole sitting at 1 up. Cathy turned to her experience and putted to victory on the 18th, winning the match 2 up!
Our No.2 player was Marilyn Anderson. It was a great match right from the first tee shot to the last nail-biting putt. Marilyn knew her opponent Sandy, and with friendships aside, they settled into a terrific battle after squaring the 1st hole. The 2nd hole was a brutal par 3, which Marilyn conceded after finding the deep rough, with the rough winning out. She bounced back to win the next hole, a long par 5, with an excellent drive and a brilliant approach pitch. The see-sawing exchange continued, with Marilyn one down at the turn. After 16 holes, Marilyn was two down. She knuckled down and backed herself, starting with a super drive and long putt on the 17th to put her in a terrific position to take the hole – which she did! Now needing to win the last hole for a half, the pressure was truly on. The final hole saw both players finding the fairway bunker. Marilyn played a great shot just short of the green. After pitching on, she then sunk a long downhill putt on the tricky green to win the hole and square the match. What a great fightback, Marilyn! It was a wonderful game to watch, an excellent result, and a pleasure to caddie for Marilyn.
The SVGC Rookie, Lynne “Basher” Bui, took to the field as No.3 hot after a 1st round victory. Basher started well, 1 up after the 1st hole, and on the 2nd, it looked like she was going down, but her opponent’s 4 putt gave this hole to Lynne. The 3rd hole was looking lost as well after Lynne had to return to the tee following a lost ball and followed up with an air shot, but her next swing got it down the fairway. The opponent also lost her ball after her tee-off, and then her second tee shot went into a bush, and after 7 vigorous attempts to get it out, she conceded the hole to Lynne! By the time play had gotten to the 10th hole, Lynne was 6 up and cruising. However, the Woodlands player fought back, taking the next 4 holes from Basher Bui. Player and caddie held a meeting and agreed to go to plan B: take it easy. The next 2 holes went to Lynne, who had steadied and applied the pressure, forcing her opponent to take risks. The match ended 4 & 2, keeping the unbeaten record going!
Playing at No.4 was Julie Turpin. Both Julie and her caddy had never played at PK, so it was going to be a challenge for both Julie and her caddy. She got off to a great start, winning the first hole, but then her favorite club, the driver, decided not to turn up. But her bunker play and putting didn’t let her down, and she turned 1 up after nine holes. On the back nine, her driving was exceptional, which allowed her to start hitting the greens in regulation, and her confidence returned with the driver. She was 3 up with 3 holes to play, but on the 16th hole, her opponent hit a great shot into the par 3, and Julie’s tee shot found the bunker, giving her opponent the advantage and winning the hole. This now made Julie determined to win the next hole, and that is just what she did, paring the 17th hole, a par 5, with a great chip shot to give her distance, winning 3/1. Well done, Julie, on another great win!
Jenny had her first interclub match playing at No.5. It was a very tough course at PK. Jenny was driving the ball well, but with lots of bunkers and bushes, it was a challenge when not on the fairway. Her opponent found it similarly tough, so it was neck and neck for the whole round, with neither player stretching their lead more than 1 up. The match was decided on the 18th hole, with the Woodlands player coming out on top. Well fought, Jenny!
This cements SVGC’s top-of-the-ladder position going into round 4 against Royal Melbourne at Riversdale.
Regards
Feirn
Round 2 was played at Kingston Heath against Peninsula-Kingswood. As expected, the course was in great condition, and the weather was perfect for a big day of matchplay!
And what a big day it was, with the Spring Valley players pulling off a memorable win! Read on to enjoy the great result!
Once again, Fairlie Halligan began the day for our SV team. Fairlie started well but couldn’t quite nail the shots to win the first holes. Her opponent from Peninsula-Kingswood’s excellent course craft and confident putting, including a par on the second hole, saw her go 3 up by the fifth. However, we knew that the tide would turn, and it did. Her opponent inexplicably shanked her drive back onto the parallel par 3. No fuss, Fairlie had hit a lovely drive and waited for her opponent to catch up. Steady play by Fairlie and a few bunkers for her opponent resulted in Fairlie being one up at the turn. What a transformation! Fairlie did not lose another hole and won the match 6 and 4. This “strategy” has worked in her first two matches. Give your opponent a false sense of security by winning a few holes, then grind them down on the back nine. Fantastic effort, Fairlie, and your caddy Marilyn enjoyed not having to play the last 4 holes!
Cheryl emerged victorious against Shelly from Peninsula-Kingswood Golf Club with a score of 3/2. Cheryl began as the second player on her team. She showcased exceptional skills in both her tee shots and fairway shots, although she faced some challenges on a few par-three holes. Nonetheless, Cheryl’s unwavering focus on her game paid off, ultimately leading her to triumph. Congratulations to Cheryl for her well-deserved win!
Playing at No. 3 was Janet. This was a great match to be a part of, with both girls dealing with nerves on the first few holes. It was Janet who maintained hers better, and after 5 holes, she was 2 up. Her opponent on the 6th hole pitched on to a gimme, which gave her confidence and started playing more consistently, but this didn’t faze Janet, who managed to turn 1 up. On the back nine, Janet started finding some trouble in the bunkers, which let her opponent in, and after 14, she was now 3 down. Janet realized she had to make a move and played the next three holes with beautiful ball striking and putting. She managed to square and win the next two holes. Now she was one down going down the 18th hole. Janet needed to win the hole to halve the match. Both girls hit good drives and approach shots just short of the green, and the nerves were starting to come back. Her opponent chipped her third shot long over the back of the green, while Janet left hers short. Both girls managed to two-putt and halved the hole, leaving Janet 1 down. Great fight back, Janet! This match was played in great spirit, with both girls encouraging each other’s good shots, and both caddies were very grateful to the girls for getting to the 18th hole so they could experience the full course.
Our No. 4 player was Lynne Bui, making her debut. Lynne started off a little nervous as it was her first time representing Spring Valley and playing matchplay. The first hole was a par 5, and after a tee shot off to the left, Lynne managed to get on for a birdie putt while her opponent was on for 3 shots, giving Lynne a putt to win the hole. After winning the first hole, Lynne gained confidence and went 2 up after 2 holes. From then on, Lynne was very steady from tee to green, and excellent putting meant her opponent was up against it and kept finding the bunkers. Lynne was 5 up through 12 holes, and now it had come down to hole 13, and both girls had good drives onto the fairway and second shots onto the green. Lynne had a downhill putt, and her opponent also had the birdie putt but missed, and then missed her par putt. Lynne two-putted for a par and won the match with a 6/5 victory! Well done!
Playing at No. 5 was Kylie. This was an incredibly exciting match. She started off a little nervous, losing the first two holes. But she quickly adjusted her game and began to make a comeback. Her long putts were particularly impressive, leaving spectators in awe. In the end, she managed to take a two-hole lead and secure a victory of 2/1. Well done, Kylie!
Well done to the team for securing a win in Round 2 and going to the top of the ladder!
Regards
Feirn
The Spring Valley Interclub team played their first round of the 2023 season at Woodlands on Monday 29th.
On a cool but sunny Autumn day at Woodlands, Fairlie Halligan, playing number 1, began our SV season of Interclub in fine style. Her more experienced opponent from Victoria understood the difficulties of the greens to win the first two holes. However, Fairlie settled and brought the match back to square by the 5th. Despite Fairlie’s fantastic driving the holes were starting to slip away. To the extent that we were 3 down after the 10th. The turning point came on the par 3 11th after her opponent could not get her ball out of the trees. Fairlie’s safe shot to the front of the green was all she needed to win the hole. She won the next hole convincingly where she got a shot. Fairlie has a relaxed manner suited to match play tensions. Her opponent seemed to lose all confidence and could not get out of several bunkers. The match was square after the 14th a par 5 where Fairlie was on for 3. By the par 3 17th Fairlie was 2 up and when the hole was squared that was enough to win the match 2 and 1. Fairlie told her caddy Marilyn that it was the first Interclub match she had won. I am sure there will be many more.
Very competitive day out against Victoria with the lead changing between Cathy (SV) and Liz (Vic) 3 times and at the 18th hole was looking good to square the score but unfortunately missed out by 1 shot to score -2 for the day. Cathy played very smart golf and on the 11th hole a par 3; sending a drive into the scrub declared her provisional in play, hitting the green and close to the pin. Smart move; found the first shot was locked into a massive clump of grass, unplayable. Overall a great day.
Playing at number 3 was Cheryl. This was a great match to watch. Both players were hitting the ball well on the fairway and the chipping and putting was a delight to watch. The match see sawed throughout the morning, with both players on top at different stages. Of 18 holes, only one hole was squared. It was hole for hole on the Back nine, until Cheryl found trouble in the trees on the 15th and a poor drive on the 16th. On the 17th, her opponent chipped her ball onto the green to land 30 cm from the hole and suddenly it was all square. Her opponent won the 18th hole and the match.
Playing at number four, Julie started well with a great drive followed by an equally impressive fairway shot. Her opponent did the same and they squared the first hole. The ladies continued to drive well and maintained consistent putting and so by the time they played the sixth hole they remained square. Despite her opponent parring the the next hole, Julie was on fire and birdied the eighth , then when on to win the ninth so was two up at the turn. Despite Julie getting a three up lead by the 13th hole, her opponent fought back to reduce the gap and suddenly they were square after the 17th hole. Both Julie & Sally came down the 18th well and squared the hole and the game. Great effort Julie to stay calm and fight it out.
Kylie playing at number 5 displayed remarkable consistency throughout the match, exhibiting excellent driving skills, consistently hitting accurate and controlled shots on the fairways. Moreover, her approach shots were truly impressive. Although her opponent was known for their powerful hits, they frequently failed to hit the fairway and encountered difficulties with bunkers and Kylie continue making her mark on the greens. Kylie wins 3/2 against her opponent from Victoria golf club.
The overall team result for the round was a great outcome for the Spring Valle team who finished square against Victoria. Next week we are off to Kingston Heath to play against Peninsula Kingswood.
Regards
Feirn
