Ablaru 2005

Research Update: ABLARU CONCEPT SHOWS SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL

YET ANOTHER MARKET RESEARCH CONCEPT TEST WAS RECENTLY CONDUCTED AT DRUMMOND BASE TO FURTHER REFINE THE ABLARU INVITATIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT CONCEPT WITH A VIEW TO FULLY IMPLEMENTING THE EVENT IN 2020. IT WAS WAVE THREE OF THIS RESEARCH, A SINGLE EVENT INVOLVING BOTH THE ABLARU TEQUILA CHALLENGE CUP AND THE ABLARU OPEN INVITATIONAL AND I AM DELIGHTED TO REPORT IT WAS ‘A RAGING SUCCESS’.

12th November 2005: It was an intimate group of players and supporters that eventually gathered around the organising committee just after lunch on the Saturday afternoon. The player groups were allocated and the rules of engagement were explained (not that anyone could actually remember the rules by the time the first player eventually teed off see Group Photos).

Modified Layout: Just to be different the ABLARU For Sure Committee decided to trial a new course layout. ‘Top Paddock’ straight out the front of the club house was now the 1^st hole and the old 1^st hole “Pinball’ was now the 5th hole. This made for a very convenient and entertaining tee-off process whereby everyone at the club house could see the players tee off. “Starting with Top Paddock, West Rocks, Pathetic and Land Mine is a great idea. I haven’t laughed so much in ages. Golf can be a very funny game to watch” smiled Geoff later when recalling the afternoon.

Solid Preparation By All Players: And the reason it was so funny to watch was probably something to with what the players were doing just prior to the tee-off. Because this was of course a combined event. The ABLARU TEQUILA CHALLENGE CUP was a Callaway event (whereby a handicap is calculated on the day using a Callaway handicapping system) and the ABLARU OPEN INVITATIONAL was a normal handicap event open to all comers (where the nnomads Golf Club ‘9’ hole handicap was used).

So as usual the almost obligatory tequila or two was consumed by players and supporters alike (see Tequila Faces). In fact this process and the hilarious activities that surrounded it took almost two hours. At one stage there was a parade of honour with the players and supporters creating an archway with golf clubs. Therese, Jenni, Gordon and Geoff paraded through the honour guard before Gordon for some reason was set upon by the crowd (see Parade of Honour). “I really like a good bashing before the event, it is a long time since we had one. A bit of nobbling, it's for the good of the game; and remember, this is research!” observed Tom as he sunk the boot into Gordon just prior to the game.

A Late Tee Off and A Long Hard Fought Game: So it was around three o’clock when the first player eventually teed off in the ALBARU 2005. Jenni, Therese, Fritz and Tom, led the field away while Karl, Gordon, Harry and Min followed up in the second group. After such solid pre game preparation (and umpteen tequilas) it took some time for the players to successfully negotiate the first hole. In fact it took a long time for the players to negotiate every hole, eventually finishing in the dark around 8.00pm that night. Do you believe it! It took 5 hours for the players to complete the 9 hole course, which incidentally was in absolutely perfect condition on the day (and night). This was after the two groups of players merged into one large group at around the fifth hole and a very competitive but elongated game developed (see The 2005 Course and Players). The ‘on course service’ was just superb with Geoff, Ross and the Haflinger providing refreshments to players and supporters alike. “It’s better than Eagle Ridge. The cart didn’t even turn up the last time I was there and with the Haflinger here I get a choice of drinks” chirped in Fritz who was a strong supporter and user of the service.

Close in the Callaway: And so it proved to be when the final results were announced. Tom, Harry and Karl all ended up on a net 38 strokes in the Callaway but Tom prevailed with the lowest Callaway handicap of ‘9’ strokes to take out the ABLARU Tequila Challenge Cup for 2005. The rest of the field were all within four strokes illustrating how close the Callaway competition really was. “More balls! And until recently I hadn’t won a ball for the year. How fast things can change in golf” smiled Tom as he was presented with the perpetual trophy and a box of balls for his efforts.

.. and a Runaway in the Handicap: But the talk of the night was Jenni who played herself to a net score of 31 strokes (56 gross / 25 hcp), a full 4 strokes in front of the next players Tom (47 gross / 12 hcp) and Min (50 gross / 15 hcp) both on a net 35 strokes. It was a convincing win albeit somewhat unexpected after taking half a dozen shots to get 100 metres on the first hole. “Well I had a lot of advice and the tequila really helped a lot. Everyone else was so nobbled you all played like me” she laughed as she accepted the balls and trophy in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Therese won the Longest Drive and the NTP in the ladies competition while Min won the NTP and Gordon the Longest Drive in the men’s competition. Each was presented their well earned prizes during the very entertaining presentations (see The ABLARU 2005 Presentations). The finale of the night was the presentation of the ‘Gold Nugget’ to the "ABLARU For Sure Committee" whose acceptance speech was drowned out by the applause. Note: More people had arrived by this stage including Yoges from the South, Crash from the East, and finally Frog from the North (the Winds came from the West). “I finished my commitments in Queensland at lunchtime and someone had to fill out the crowd so why not?” explained Frog when he was commended on his belated arrival in the early evening.

Further Concept Testing Required: So the night went on until the small hours and a great time was had by all. The darts competition concept was tested and fine-tuned once again and many a catch-up conversation was had by all. The ABLARU Wave 3 concept test was deemed an absolute success by both the ‘nnomads Golf Club Committee’ and the ‘ABLARU For Sure Committee’ making it a unanimous decision. “Although you have to test, test and test again. You really have to test these things to the fullest if you want to be sure” reinforced Geoff as he contemplated the date for next year’s event.

Members and readers, the ABLARU is the extreme golf event on the Victorian golfing calendar. It was just brilliant fun and a hard fought competition. It is not for the faint hearted but is a must for golfers (and non golfers) looking for a real golfing challenge. You would be a fool not to it put it in the diary for next year right now – The ABLARU 2006. ... The Challenge Awaits!

Results: ABLARU Tequila Challenge Cup 2005

(A Callaway Event)

Course	Player	Score	Net Score	Cal HCP	Prizes
Drummond Base	Tom	47	38	9	First
Drummond Base	Harry	55	38	17
Drummond Base	Karl	62	38	24
Drummond Base	Min	50	39	11	NTP
Drummond Base	Gordon	52	39	13	LD
Drummond Base	Jenni	56	39	17
Drummond Base	Therese	62	40	22	LD & NTP
Drummond Base	Fritz	56	41	15

Results: ABLARU Invitational Open 2005

(A Handicap Event)

Course	Player	Score	Hcp	Net Score	Prizes
Drummond Base	Jenni	56	25.1	30.9	First
Drummond Base	Tom	47	12.4	34.6
Drummond Base	Min	50	15.4	34.6	NTP
Drummond Base	Karl	62	25.2	36.8
Drummond Base	Gordon	52	12.9	39.1	LD
Drummond Base	Harry	55	14.5	40.5
Drummond Base	Fritz	56	14.5	41.5
Drummond Base	Therese	62	20	42	LD & NTP