2023 RESULTS

Acting Captain’s Report - Ringwood Golf Club - Sunday 26 February 2023

.The arrival of 23 players at Ringwood on Sunday 26th Feb was again testimony that this course is considered as one of our favourites.

Although rated as easy, with 5 par 3’s and 5415 metre (par 70) length, Ringwood definitely tested the players who failed to stay on the fairway. From early arrival, most of our players did not hold back criticising the rating and consequent drastic reduction in their handicaps for this daily event. Furthermore, to add insult to injury the committee decided that the comp of the day was not only a stroke event (which we have not played for a long time), but also a match play qualifying round.

It was fortunate for us however, that the weather condition on the day could not have been better for golfing, and this no doubt contributed to some good and unexpected results.

Whilst some of our regular players such as Marijka and Slawko Kohut were unable to attend on the day, players like Steve Felniak not only made the long journey from Geelong, but also managed to go home with the chocolates by narrowly winning the division 1 prize.

Our hawkeyed handicapper Mick Masendycz was seen licking his lips at our presentation when I announced that our addicted golfer Mykhaylo Dyachkov took out the Division 2 prize with an astonishing score of Net 61. (I guess some players just don’t know how to protect their handicap).

8 Match play qualifiers were selected and announced for our match play challenge which will commence on the 30th of April at our Growling Frog venue.

Our well spent day concluded with the normal “Could’av - Should’av” discussions and socialising.

So, until we meet again on the 18 & 19 of March at our Bellarine Peninsula Club Championships

Good health & good golfing.

George Makohon

Acting Captain’s Report

Club Championship at Queenscliff and Portarlington - 18 & 19 March 2023

The Bellarine Peninsula was finally chosen for our Club Championship in 2023 after first attempting to secure both, Warrnambool, Port Fairy, and then Myrtleford and Bright.

As it so often happens, our last selection certainly turned out to be the right one, since our choice of Queenscliff at Swan Island and Portarlington golf clubs proved to be a huge success, as 30 members, wives and families made the pilgrimage to contest the Holy Grail. A temperature of around 38 deg was predicted for our first game at Queenscliff; however we were fortunate that it ended up as an overcast day in the low thirties, with cooling winds gusting in all directions. Perhaps these sea breezes are the reason why Queenscliff has a higher course rating than Portarlington. Whatever it may be, the general results of the day certainly proved the rating to be correct, since the average score of our 30 players was only 24 points, with the best individual score of 33 points by Jason Judd our Div 2 player.

Our Day 2 game on Sunday at Portarlington also commenced with overcast conditions and with a light intermittent, yet annoying drizzle. Nevertheless, all groups teed off with belief and determination to make amends for their Saturday results. All players (other than the two who arrived late for their tee- off time slot) played in order of their previous day’s result, whereas the two latecomers were sent to the back of the bus. (Some would say that they should have been disqualified), but we are a forgiving club, especially if the penalty is paid.

Portarlington is considered an easier course than Queenscliff, and this was again proven as there was considerable improvement in the average score, which was now 28.5 points, and best score of the day came from our Div 1 lady player Lydia Lesiw Crombie with 35 points.

On Sunday, Portarlington golf Club was also chosen for our presentation followed by meals and socialising. Whilst most of us were made aware that March 8th was celebrated as “International Women’s Day”, to me March 19th felt like IWDay had continued to a climax.

For the first time in our club history our major prize of both the Club Championship trophy, and Division 1 champion trophy was won by our two lady members. So……………..

Congratulations go to Marijka Kohut our new Club Champion with 65 pts off 28/26 hcp, Lydia Lesiw Crombie as Div 1 Champion and R/up Club Champion with 64 pts off 17/15 hcp. And Matt Gembarovski our male winner as Div 2 Champion with 62 pts off 26/24 hcp.

So until our next Championship in 2024.

Good health and good golfing.

George Makohon

Acting Captain’s Report

Melbourne Airport Golf Club.

Sunday 25 June 2023

The winter months always present us with difficult venue selection, as most Melbourne courses are usually heavily affected by winter rain. Melbourne Airport golf club however (perhaps with the help of overhead plane flights) seems to air out better than most, and so for this reason it was chosen. Although no rainfall was predicted nor fell on the day, we were unfortunate to face extremely cold conditions which no doubt affected our playing numbers. Nevertheless, 17 heavily clad diehard golfers arrived to compete against all the odds.

The day commenced with Josh Crombie and Mike Charenko teeing off for their Match play final, whilst the rest of the field played Stableford.

Once again, the testing Melbourne Airport course proved that it is not quite as easy as it appears. Although some good Stableford scores were recorded, for the first time ever, only 2 of our 6 feature holes were won.

Honours of the day went to Josh Crombie who won his first Match play Final, with a score of +1, by just nudging out Mike Charenko who fought a gallant battle against his 36 year old and 42 year younger opponent. (Hang in there Mike, there may still be hope for you yet)

Further honours go to Paul Lesiw our Stableford winner, who after being nobbled 3 strokes by our handicapper (from a HCP of 10 to a HCP of 7) for winning at Sunshine last month, again continued his winning ways with his new HCP by not only winning with 38 points but also winning the 2 feature hole prizes. (This obviously presents our handicapper with a further dilemma) (--Poor Paul--)

So until we meet again for our next winter game at Clifton Springs,

Good health & good golfing.

George Makohon

2023 - 30 July- Clifton Springs

Acting Captain’s Report

Clifton Springs Golf Club

Sunday 30th July 2023

The winter months have certainly tested our addiction to golf, or perhaps our desire to play in adverse weather conditions. To encourage our members, to play golf for the full 12 months of the year, our committee introduced a 2 day Winter Cup competition, which included a weekend away at Swan Hill last year and at Bendigo this year. However, since this competition did not receive the responses that we were hoping for, we had to cancel our Bendigo trip, and revert to plan B for a Sunday game at Clifton Springs.

And alas, winter won, as only 8 rugged up regulars fronted up for the challenge. Our committee is now forced to go back to the drawing board to review the future of golf for our winter months.

Notwithstanding the disappointment of our reduced playing numbers, those that came to Clifton Springs not only enjoyed the weather and golfing, but also the comradeship and socialising.

The day concluded with our normal presentation in which Marijka Kohut took the honours by winning our Stableford competition whilst the rest of the field reminisced about their missed putts.

So until we meet again at Werribee on Sunday 27th August.

Good Health & Good Golfing

George Makohon

Acting Captain's Report

Werribee Golf Club

Sunday 20 Aug 2023

To accommodate the celebration of Ukrainian Independence day on Sunday 27 August our golf game for this month at Werribee was brought forward one week to Sunday 20th.

Although this late change resulted in limited availability of carts, we were fortunate that we still had a reasonable turn up of players. Furthermore, those that did arrive were rewarded with perfect weather and course conditions.

The day commenced with all players rugged up expecting light showers which did not eventuate, and finished with sunny conditions resembling the end of winter.

As a consolation to all players, the local rule of the day was that all bunkers were out of play. This not only pleased most of our members, but obviously also the remote Buggy of Leon Charuckyj, which took advantage of this ruling by using one of the bunkers as a parking spot.

Adam Semciw, who played his first game with our club at Werribee in January 2021, excelled this year by finally winning there with our comp of the day.

Highlight of the day however must go to our now most senior player in Steve Podolczak, who at the age of 79.5 finally played his 300th game with our club, with a warning, that he ain’t finished yet.

Steve achieved this milestone by playing with Jerry Cymbalak and Steve Kohut Snr, who was a welcomed face to again see, after his long break from our games.

So until we meet again for our next game and AGM at Melbourne Airport Golf Club on Sunday 17th September.

Good Health & Good Golfing

George Makohon