Big Nose Trashes The Trenches!

25th April 2009 – Anzac Day - ‘Lest We Forget: And how could one forget because it was truly an event to remember, or not remember depending on your point of view and experiences on the day! So where to begin? Well it all started early on Anzac day as competitors started to arrive at the Growling Frog, (that’s frog, not flog), 40 kilometres north east of Melbourne. It quickly became obvious in the car park that the 2009 Anzac Day Medal had attracted a top class field of competitors. Mind you, it wasn’t that surprising considering they were competing for the prestigious Anzac Day Medal pin, which the winner of the event keeps for eternity, and the perpetual Anzac Day Medal trophy, on which the winners name is engraved for eternity. “After years of training you finally earn that Anzac Day pin. It’s like gaining eternal life” explained last year’s winner Mark F, who fancied his chances at winning back to back ADMs. However, Mark’s mistake was that on the day he couldn’t find his Anzac day pin to wear to this year’s event. That was a bad move incurring a mandatory 2 stroke penalty. “Gone to his head. He doesn’t understand the responsibility that comes with winning” nodded Jack to Tom, both previous winners and both wearing their Anzac Day Medal pins proudly.

There was another reason so many quality players wanted to contest the 2009 Anzac Day Medal and that is because it was the third nnomads Golf Club sanctioned event for 2009 and thus contributed to the nnomads Golf Club championship for 2009 (which will be that player with the lowest average net score over the best three score cards from any nnomads Gold Club sanctioned events run in 2009). Hence there was a strong sense of competition between the players as they eyed each other off at the player briefing prior to the game.

A Quiet Moment To Remember The Lost: Then silence came over the group and heads were bowed as they remembered those who were not able to play that day. Tim for example cancelled an hour before the game saying he needed to fix some plumbing urgently. “Who’s plumbing was he talking about? Is he having trouble taking a wee?” asked nurse Min who didn’t think it was much of an excuse. “He was on the way to the doctor or was it a hardware store, I’m not sure” murmured Harry who took Tim’s call. “Well it was a better excuse than Emile’s” scoffed Brendan who rang Emile from the first tee to hear ‘Oh dear, did I say I would play today?’ from a surprised Emile sitting at home reading the paper. “And as for Steph, Frankston station, that’s all I can say, Frankston station” stated Brendan who was clearly disgusted with all three. “And then there are the interstaters and others. We should remember them all” suggested Jack sounding quite sombre. “Pete says - a good game begins and end in the car park” announced Fritz as he read out Pete’s text message. “Well at least the Cardinal and Pete had more legitimate excuses” observed Tom raising his head for a second, only to see he was standing on his own as the rest of the players had since walked off to warm up for the tee off.

The Veterans came out of the Trenches: And rightly so because it was clear from the player groupings that the competition was going to be tough. In the first group onto the tee was immediate past winner of the Anzac Day Medal - Mark F, no longer bridesmaid and recent winner of the ‘Blessed are the Big Nose’ Cup 2009 - Mark Vas and only Victorian to ever win the Patricia Isable Slape Green jacket - Harry. They were followed smartly in the second group by always email box full and professional five iron coach - Fritz, part time baker and 2006 winner of the Anzac Day Medal - Tom, and 2005 winner of the Anzac Day medal and current holder of the Monarch of the Tulum - Jack. The final group of veterans onto the tee included event sponsor and winner of the Australian Masters Open Kup 2009 - Brendan, the Callaway King and current holder of the Shanksy Invitational Tournament - Steve, and part time Killer Whale trainer and full time nurse - Min. With a line up like that anything could happen (See player groups 2009).

Tough Conditions on a Great Course: Now it should be said that the conditions were tough that day on this Graham Marsh designed 18 hole, ACR 73, 6185 metre, links type course. Essentially, Melbourne turned on its four seasons in one day type of day. For much of the game, there was a cool brisk wind blowing that came into play on a number of holes. Clearly, the conditions had the potential to separate the men from the boys. But from out of the trenches the quality of the field shone through because everyone rose to the occasion and as was expected some quality golf was played. (See on course in 2009).

Spirit of the Anzacs Rewarded: As it turned out it was difficult to see an obvious winner as the wounded struggled off the battlefield at the end of the round. The battle scared immediately headed for the safety of the warm bar before being coaxed into the car park, the traditional place for Anzac Day Medal presentations. Event organiser Brendan slowly read out a list of the casualties… in 9th place…. in 8th place and so on but I won’t make you endure the pain (unless you really have to in which case see video of minor place getters 1296 KB). Eventually he got to the quality end of the field announcing that Harry (104, 21, 83) and Tom (102, 19, 83) had achieved equal 4th and each had won a ball for their efforts. He went onto present Jack with a ball for the longest drive, Steve with a ball for the only NTP of the day, Min with a ball for equal 2nd along with Jack with another ball, again for equal 2nd.

Winner 2a.jpgMark Kept His Nose Clean: Then everyone slowly turned to look at Mark Vas, the only player that had not been mentioned in the results so far. And the crowd erupted and the media scrambled as Brendan announced that Mark’s 104 off the stick combined with his ridiculously generous bandit handicap of 26 had given him net score of 78, a full two strokes in front of the field. Now I have to stop at this point because the media wasn’t ready at the time. So we waited around for a couple of minutes and when they were eventually ready Brendan announced that Mark’s 104 off the stick combined with his ridiculously generous bandit handicap of 26 had given him net score of 78, a full two strokes in front of the field, giving him 1st place in the Anzac Day Medal for 2009. This time it went live over the networks with half the world focused in on Mark’s acceptable speech, or at least Tom was there with a hand held video camera. “Look I’m not one for speeches, but” and then he went on in the way that speeches do (See Mark’s acceptance speech). Then came the traditional ‘passing on’ ceremony where Mark F, last year’s winner, pined the 2009 Anzac Day Medal pin onto the chest of this year’s winner, Mark Vas. “I hereby hand over the mantle from the Growling Flog says Mark as the crowd erupted into laughter. Truly, it was a spectacle you wouldn’t want to miss (see 2009 presentations and the ‘passing on’ ceremony).

Veteran Pokes Big Nose at Championship: All that aside, that leaves Mark Vas in the box seat at this stage of the year for nnomads Golf Club championship, assuming he can put in a similar performance in any of the club’s remaining sanctioned events in 2009. While Harry leads the championship with an average net score of 78.7 over three Club sanctioned events, it is Mark Vas on a net score of 74 strokes over two events that is really looking the part. “What a lot of cobblers. I’ll be there for the next few competitions so we will see about that” typed out Shanksy over MSN from his fire clearance sale in Malibu California.

Lest We Forget: Oh, before I forget, the nnomads Golf Club committee said they would like to congratulate Mark on his fabulous win in the Anzac Day Medal and indeed all other winners on the day. The committee also wants to remind all members and associates of the nnomads Golf Club that they need to rise to the challenge and give Mark Vas some stiff competition by contesting as many nnomads Golf Club championship events as possible in 2009. Events looming large on the nnomads Golf Club calendar include the MOTT (May / June - TBA), The PIS (29th & 30th August) the SHIT (TBA), the VOMIT (October 9th) the BIT and TSCC (October 10th), and the MCC (3rd November). In addition, at least one other championship event is likely to be announced soon. What is the take home message you ask? - Do yourself a favour and get your priorities right - book in for these club championship events now!

 

Results: The Anzac Day Medal 2009

 

Course

Player

Gross

HCP

Net

Prizes

Growling Frog

Mark V 1.jpg

Mark Vas

104

26

78

1st prize (3 balls)

Growling Frog

Min

113

33

80

Equal 2nd prize (1 ball)

Growling Frog

Jack

100

20

80

Equal 2nd prize (1 ball) LD (1 ball)

Growling Frog

Harry

104

21

83

Equal 4th prize (1 ball)

Growling Frog

Tom

102

19

83

Equal 4th prize (1 ball)

Growling Frog

Brendan

97

12

85

 

Growling Frog

Fritz

114

29

85

 

Growling Frog

Steve

110

20

90

NTP (1 ball)

Growling Frog

Mark F

130

30

100

 

 

Club Championship YTD 25th April, 2009

 

Player

Totals Gross Score

Total Handicap

Total Net Score

Number of cards submitted

Average Net Score

Harry

302

66

236

3

78.7

Min

337

99

238

3

79.3

Brendan

276

37

239

3

79.7

Steve

308

58

250

3

83.3

Fritz

342

87

255

3

85.0

Mark F

362

90

272

3

90.7

Mark Vas

201

53

148

2

74.0

Pete S

201

42

159

2

79.5

Tom

206

37

169

2

84.5

Steph

95

18

77

1

77.0

Emile

113

32

81

1

81.0

Fang

116

22

94

1

94.0

Jack

100

20

80

 

80.0

 

Player groups 2009

On course in 2009

The presentations

Mark’s acceptance speech (video 1277 KB)

 ‘Passing on ceremony’ (video 2163 KB)

Video of minor place getters (video 1296 KB)

 

 

Nnomads_Logo_ball 1

This month’s competition: What is the significance of Frankston station?