Pink Ball launches Hawks Nest Ladies Golf season

THE Ladies Tuesday 18 hole competition resumed for 2026 last week, kicking off with the Opening Day Pink Ball event.

A great roll up of 53 competitors had to splash their way through an intense early downpour, which made the pink ball feel more like a brick, then sweltered in the afternoon humidity.

Players took it in turn to hit with the pink ball to generate a team score, but needed to complete the round without losing the ball to be in the running.

Of course, this led to a certain amount of pressure to keep the ball in play, resulting in quite a few duffed shots followed by frantic searching in the rough and the bushes for lost balls.

There were some especially desperate, Bear Grylls-style measures to reclaim the pink ball from the dam.

One team was seen to form a human chain to lower a player down the embankment clutching a long handled ball scoop.

Spare a thought for one of our A graders who teed off at the dam, watched by a large group of ground staff waiting to start work there.

And yes, her drive dribbled off the edge of the tee box and into the dam, never to be seen again.

Pink faces, but no pink ball. But she did win the raffle.

Congratulations to the team of Robyn Keegan, Kathy Griffiths, Sue Brownrigg and Sue Kovacs who won the day with 37 points. Well played to those who scored chip ins today: Karen Serhan on the 2^nd, Pauline Barham on the 7^th, and Denise Sainty, Kathy Griffiths and Liz Edmonds, all on the 17^th.

Individual Results: Tuesday 20/1/2026

Ladies 18 Hole Stableford

A Grade Winners: 1^st Kathy Griffiths on 39; 2^nd Liz Ross 37; 3^rd Marcia Smith 34

B Grade Winners: 1^st Rosarie Mullins 35; 2^nd Deb Gardner 34; 3^rd Robyn Keegan 33

C Grade Winners: 1^st Pauline Barham 33; 2^nd Elsa Jones 32 C/B; 3^rd Karen Serhan 32

Place Getters: Deb Matheson, Jo Scott, Sue Kovacs, Fran Henderson, Di Davies, Jeanette Patfield, Di Bott, Sharon Carter, Di Smith, Cheryl Foster, Sue Hair and Ann Syme

NTP Hole 10: Division 2 Angela Clipperton; Division 3 Pauline Barham

Thursday was a beautiful summer morning for the Lady Vets, with 49 players teeing off in the 9 hole competition.

It was great to see Pamela Kelly back today and in good form, after a long break from golf.

There were lots of chip-ins, from Jeanette Patfield on the 3^rd, Sharon Barwick 4^th, Liz Edmonds 8^th, Pat Marr 13^th, Jeanette Kemp 14^th and Tanya Sinclair 17^th.

Special mention to Dawn Nealon who sank a BLP, holing a 25 metre putt on the 2^nd hole!

Our nett winner on the front 9 was Di Rumble Dickson on 36, on a count back from Rhonda Dorman.

On the back 9 the nett winner was Karen Serhan with 35, on a count back from Pam Kelly and Donna Clemens.

Results: Thursday 22/1/2026

Lady Vets 9 Hole Competition

1^st Donna Clemens -6; 2^nd Sue Hair -5; 3^rd Marlene Stokes -2; 4^th Marg Bonney 0C/B; 5^th Viv Ballinger 0

NTP Hole 3: Division 2 Di Rumble Dickson

NTP Hole 16: Division 1 Tanya Sinclair; Division 2 Robyn Richardson; Division 3 June Martin

In other golfing news, congratulations to young Lucy Lavers/French who competed this month in the Jack Newton Junior Golf Championship for 2026.

With temperatures at the 3 courses reaching 43 degrees in western Sydney, Lucy played very well in the Under 12 division, finishing in 5^th place.

By Dianne BOWES