2023 Men’s Sanctuary Cove Shootout – A summary by Greg Herring

Winner – Bill Perske

Coordinator – Greg Herring

2023 was very unlike 2022 weatherwise. The forecast was for 33 degrees C and the day duly delivered. It was probably the hottest Shootout yet. There was no doubt it affected the golfers and the golf as the day went on.

Some of the stalwarts did not make the final – Alan Lock, Ken Morrisby and even the defending champion, Michael Valentine – but Marshall Leigh made it 14 starts when he lined up again. Alas, No.15 might signal a win because today didn’t! A special finalist at No.19 was Les Atkin who was runner up in 2006 in the first Shootout. He was off 5 then, 21 today.

Fletcher Sewell was No.1 but started badly and never recovered. There were five in a 1^st hole putt off but Fletcher failed to read the long putt and became No.1 out as well.

Les Atkin survived the 1^st hole putt off and was again in trouble. However, he survived again when Don McBryde finished close to the pin and Paul Fink made a mess of his chip to end his day.

The 3^rd was played reasonably by all although there were some outstanding shots, not the least of which was by Rod Lane. His second shot ended up in a rock filled drain to the right of the green. He quite correctly asked for relief but was required to drop on a downslope above the drain. He carefully picked a small grass tuft to drop his ball onto expecting that he would be allowed to place it there after two drops. The first drop rolled down into the drain according to his intent however his second drop deflected and came to rest against a piece of wood. The ball was then in play on a downslope against a loose branch and he had to hit both ball and branch together. It could have gone anywhere but he stuck it within 3m of the pin with massive spin and was able to relax and make his way to the 4^th.

For the first time ever, every player had to putt to stay in the race and 7 players then went to a putt off. Ron Calvert could not get close enough and bowed out.

The 4^th, the nightmare hole for Marshall Leigh, almost struck again. His tee shot finished well left of the green and he could only make 4. Bill Perske after surviving the 3^rd survived another chip off as did Marshall. Paul Shewen duffed his chip/putt and was eliminated.

The 5^th saw drives cover all parts of the hole. Les Atkin found the water and although he made a putt off could not get close enough and his return to the Shootout was over.

The 6^th proved eventful. Gary Simmons played a great 7 wood out of the fairway bunker onto the green but others didn’t fair as well. A chip off included Bill Perske, Marshall Leigh, Paul Smerdon, Peter Hay and Rob Lane. Marshall looked safe and declared his win by half a metre when Rob’s putt pulled up short but a tape measurement proved otherwise by 20cm and Marshall’s 14^th attempt to win came to an end.

The 7^th saw the demise of Pom. A tee shot in the water resulted in a wash for the hole but he was joined by Nigel Windsor who lost an argument with the front bunker and Jeff Ervin who putted off the green. Pom’s putt was good but not good enough.

A watery grave resulted after errant drives by Mark Pieper and Shannon Moore on the 8^th and both wiped the hole. Nigel Windsor also made hard work of the hole and after a poor chip in the chip off left Mark and Shannon relatively easy shots to avoid elimination which they achieved. Exit Nigel.

Mark was in trouble off the tee again on the 9^th and together with Terry Day washed the hole. This time he could not overcome Terry in the putt off and his rookie day was over.

So, half way at 2.30pm and the temperature still around 33 but a little wind was getting up and by 3.30pm the temperature and humidity had dropped considerably.

The 10^th proved disastrous for the Club President, Jeff Ervin. His drive finished beside a tree L and after another 2 to get to the fairway he could not manage a point. For the first, and last, time for the day everyone else managed a point or more and Jeff was gone.

The heat was starting to take its toll and the standard of golf started to suffer especially on next few holes. On the 11^th, Shannon Moore made it only about 100 metres off the tee and couldn’t recover missing a short putt for a point. Terry Day was hardly seen the whole hole but visited the water on a least two occasions. Razor and Rob joined the unholy mess and it was left to a putt off to decide. Terry went first and hit probably his worst putt of the day leaving the others a reasonably easy task to get inside – which they duly did ending Terry’s fine debut attempt to win.

The 12^th was not much better. Shannon carved his tee shot right and, only for a large tree, would have been out of bounds. He could not make a point. Rob hit a good drive but hooked his 2^nd off the rocks into the lake. Rob’s chip was better than Shannon’s putt and he lived to fight another day.

The gathered crowd witnessed a very unusual event when Paul Smerdon almost shanked his tee shot into the water on the 13^th. Rob was in the back bunker but then inexplicably left his ball in it twice. Both he and Paul washed the hole. Paul’s putt was to about 4ft but Rob got inside it and the dual champion and favourite bowed out for another year.

The 14^th also saw a strange event with Razor pulling his 2^nd into the L greenside bunker and then took three to get out – a wash – and all others managed at least a point.

Rob and Gary Simmons made 4 on the 15^th whilst the remaining could only manage a point. Don McBride, who had been pretty quiet until then, could not manage to beat Bill Perske and Peter Hay to end his day.

So, 4 left with 3 to play – Rob Lane, Peter Hay, Gary Simmons and Bill Perske. Could Billy,  the 2008 winner, who a year ago looked doubtful to play golf again, outlast the youngsters?

The 16^th was played to plan. The three without a shot made 3 with Gary knocking in a fine 6 footer and Bill, with a shot, making 4 from the bunker. There was little in the chip off but Peter lost and was out.

The 17^th produced two really good shots. Rob pulled his drive into the trees, left, but hit one and finished up in the fairway about 100 metres from the tee. He proceeded to hit his second past the water, right, to set up a relatively easy 3^rd. Gary put his drive into the right rough. He could chip out or risk a wood through the trees. His 7 wood was hit perfectly and he left himself with a wedge to the green. Meanwhile Bill played cautiously to be on for 4 with a shot. Rob and Gary made par after Gary made another crucial 6 footer and Bill matched their 2 points.

Bill’s putt was about two metres long but Rob overcorrected and left his attempt short to finally end an eventful day.

Bill got two shots on the 18^th and played the hole carefully. He was on for 4 and comfortably made 6. Gary hit a good drive, mishit his 2^nd but was in a good position for a short shot into a back left pin. Unfortunately, he slightly pulled his pitch and it ran down the bank L of the green into the hazard. His subsequent chip to the pin was good but his 6 was one too many and Bill had won his second Shootout.

Another great day – hot weather, some not so hot golf but a lot of fun, a lot of pressure and a big crowd. With at least ½ or ¾ hour’s sunshine left a later start on these hot days allows at least 9 holes to be played in much lower humidity.

The 2023 Field (in finishing order, by hole)

1^st        Fletcher Sewell           10^th      Jeff Ervin

2^nd       Paul Fink                     11^th      Terry Day

3^rd        Ron Calvert                 12^th      Shannon Moore

4^th        Paul Shewen               13^th      Paul Smerdon

5^th        Les Atkins                   14^th      Ray Smith

6^th        Marshall Leigh            15^th      Don McBride

7^th        Peter Spencer             16^th      Peter Hay

8^th        Nigel Windsor            17^th      Rob Lane

9^th        Mark Pieper                18^th      Gary Simmons.