The inaugural Royal Melbourne Classic has been run and won by NSW golfer Rick Oliver (81, 73, 82) in a playoff over fellow NSW senior Denis Dale (80, 82, 74). They both finished 236 for the 54 hole event with Denis finishing with the low round of the day, 74 on the composite course. The playoff was won by Rick with a par down the first playoff hole, the 18^th.

The Nett event was won by Devil Bend’s Robert Burford with nett scores of 81, 75, 75 total 231 by one shot from Spring Valley’s Gary Easte and a further shot back to Rick Oliver and Commonwealth’s David Taylor.

The event was played in good conditions with a capacity field, many more entries than places. It was probably the most elite field of seniors to play a Seniors event in Australia with many interstate and overseas players.

The organization was terrific and the value for money and effort by the club fantastic. There were lunches, a great presentation lunch, drinks on course and gifts thrown in – just a great event. The greens were hard and fast (stimpmeter 12 on day one) and there were some challenging pin positions for day one and two in particular. After 2 days there were a number of “I ain’t coming back” but after day 3 and some reflection most players are looking forward to the opportunity to try again next year. The course was played as we mere amateurs rarely experience it and it has opened the eyes of many to what great and tough courses Royal Melboune’s are.

The Surfcoast Senior Amateur Championship was contested by 55 players. Rossdale’s Ken O’brien won on countback with rounds of 80 & 75 from Hill Top’s John Keller, with first round leader Guy Krall a further shot back. Local Mike McAllum streeted the field by 7 shots in the Nett event with rounds of 66 & 73 from Freddy Barton.

There was also a small field of women playing the inaugural Surfcoast Senior Women’s event with victory to local Wendy Muller by six stableford points.

The event was well organized, the weather and condition of the course was great and the event was enjoyed by all. It is hoped that we can get a better field next year.

Gary Easte from Spring Valley won the 2013 Rosanna Senior Amateur on a countback from Michael Jackson with a 75. It was a close contest with a further 3 players 1 shot back on 76. The event was played in perfect weather by 60 competitors. This was Gary’s second Bachli Trophy event and no doubt the first of many wins. Regular Graham Bone from Commonwealth won the Nett with a Nett 70 from club mate David Ellett with a 71.

A big field of 112 contested the Cranbourne Senior Amateur. Yarra Yarra’s Michael Jackson won with a birdie on the first playoff hole after rounds of 73 & 74 from Spring Valley’s Gary Easte. Royal Melbourne’s Alan Evans was a further shot back in third place. Goonawarra’s Pat Giles won the Nett on a count back from first round gross lead Steven Wallace from The National with Nett rounds of 71 & 68.

The course and its condition was first class and highly commended by all. It is a hidden gem of a course and was in immaculate condition for this event. This event will continue to pull big fields based on the club’s commitment to the event and the quality of the golf course. Special mention was made of Richard & Kathy Froebel’s efforts to build up this event to one of the most successful on the Victorian Seniors calendar.

There was a good field of 74 players competing in this years Keysborough Senior Amateur which was played in ideal conditions. Yarra Yarra’s Michael Jackson with a 73 won on a countback from Eastern’s Andrew Hansen and Wayne Aigner (Narooma).

The Nett was taken out by Ian Henry from Brighton with a great 65 nett,3 shots ahead of Green Acres’ Ernest Mensforth.

The Lonsdale Senior Amateur was contested by a small field of 38 in good conditions. Chirnside Park’s Ray Walker won by 3 shots with a 76 and a great final round of 70 from Colac’s Greg Welsh who was also equal second in last year’s event. Ex local member and now at 13^th Beach, Alan Hunter played great golf with nett rounds of 69 & 64 off his 10 handicap to win the Nett event by 7 shots from Graham Bone and Ignatius Duivenvoorden.

Roy Vandersluis from The Lakes won the 2013 National Seniors Masters and the Green Jacket by one shot after a nervous 2 putt on the 18^th. The event was played in great weather on the first two days and difficult conditions - windy and a little rain on the last day. Roy’s 78 on the long Ocean course on the final day was the low score of the day following his rounds of 76 on the Moonah and 72 on the Old. He was particularly happy as, although Roy is a highly ranked senior player and Australian representative player, this was his first national seniors event win.

Roy beat the National’s Edward Pawlick (78,70,79) by one shot with a further 2 shots back to New Zealand’s Michael Barltrop (78, 69, 82). The leader after 2 rounds Greg Mckay from Cabramatta (74,72) had to withdraw due to injury during the final round.

Edward Pawlick won the Nett event with 215 by 4 shots over Metropolitan’s John Noy on a countback over The Lakes John Thornley.

The event was another great success with a capacity field of 188 players, probably the largest turnout for a Victorian Seniors event if not largest Australia wide. Credit goes to Adrian Barr, the National Golf Club and Golf Victoria for another first-class event. The excellent dinner on Wednesday evening also had a large turnout of players and it featured an informative talk by The National’s Golf Courses Manager, Leigh Yanner.

The 2013 Cobram Barooga event has been well supported by Seniors golfers and was a great success. The main event had a field of 117 players, and the club also ran an equally well supported stableford competition for longer handicap seniors and a well supported Senior Women event. The whole event went like clockwork, a great credit to the club, Justin Speirani in the Pro Shop and all the volunteer helpers. There were 3 divisions and daily prizes so many players had a collect. The weather was a little threatening on Tuesday but Monday & Thursday were perfect.

Chirnside Park’s Ray Walker won his third Bachli event this year with a total of 230 beating Howlong’s Henk Van De Ven and defending titleholder Young’s Rick Oliver by one shot.

The handicap event was clearly won by Yarram’s Ignatius Duivenvoorden by 8 shots over Eastwood’s Freddie Barton.

The courses were in good condition and most of the damage from the tornado in late March had been cleared up. It was amazing to see the size of the trees that had been knocked over and the way the tops of substantial trees had just been ripped off. It must have been a big clean up job.

Michael Jackson continued his very strong start in this year’s Bachli events with a win at Commonwealth with 32 scratch stableford points, on a countback from playing partner John Wheeler.

There were 71 competitors for the Commonwealth Seniors including 7 first time seniors players.

There was some doubt about play due to inclement weather and the start was delayed 15 minutes. The players endured steady rain for the first few holes but conditions were reasonable for the rest of the round. The course was much more to the liking of the seniors players this year after enduring the ‘pennant final’ setup last year.

The Nett event was won by one of the first timers Neil Barry from Eastern with 46 points off a handicap of 19. Runner up was Trafalgar’s John Hoare with 39 points on a count-back from Creeksides’s Eddie Kloprogge.

The Heathcote Seniors has been won by Rossdale’s Lynton Spencer with a 76 for his first Seniors victory. One shot further back 13^th Beach’s Barry Tippett beat Chirnside Park’s Ray Walker and Hilltop’s John Keller on a countback.

Eddie Kloprogge from Creekside in his third seniors event had another great event streeting the field by 6 shots in the Nett with a nett 64, from runner up Ritchie Burkitt from Croydon GC.

This year there was a women’s stableford event with a field of 10. Alexandra’s Margaret Bland won with 35 points.

The course was in great condition and a credit to the greens staff of one, the greens were cut before the event and were fast and true. The club ran another successful event including a terrific lunch prepared by volunteers.

Freddy Barton won his first seniors event with rounds of 78, 73. He was overjoyed with his good fortune, kissing presenters and demonstrating obvious elation during his speech. He didn’t believe he would be able to win an event off his 6 handicap. He beat both last years Bachli winner, Commonwealth’s Alan Bullas and last years Shepparton winner, Hill Top’s John Keller by 1 shot.

Sandhurst’s Robert Lee won the Nett competition with nett 73,65 of his 12 handicap by 3 shots from Creekside’s Eddie Kloprogge. Robert was very happy with his 2^nd round 77 which was only bettered by 2 players and he indicated it was probably his best round of golf. He was also very complimentary of the club and the course.

There was a Stableford event for those who preferred and that was won by local Robert Dixon with 74 points.

The Shepparton course was in perfect condition and we were blessed with great weather.

The inaugural Tocumwal Senior Amateur was a great success and the numbers will no doubt improve next year. The weather was great, a bit frosty at the start of day 2, the courses were in great condition, and the dinner, prizes, handouts and the general enthusiasm of the club and its committee were first class.

Guy Krall from Yarra Yarra won the event with 74, 78 on the President’s and then the Captain’s course. He beat Goonawarra’s Pat Giles (76, 77) by one shot and a further 2 shots back to Warrnambool’s Dale Ballinger.

After a long putting practice session following round 1 Lonsdale’s Adam Charleston won the Nett competition with Nett 70, 67 off his 12 handicap, six shots ahead of Creekside’s Eddie Kloprogge and Commonwealth’s Graham Bone.

There was also a Women’s event that was won by Bunninyong’s 3 handicapper Helen Pascoe.

A big field of 98 players contested this year’s Ray Barned Yarra Yarra Senior Amateur in very windy, wet and difficult conditions. The good turnout included many interstate and first time players, many intending to play the other ‘Sand Belt week’ events.

First timer Ian Frost from Bendigo had a great score of 74 in the very trying conditions to beat Yarra Yarra’s Colin Goon by 2 shots – these were the only sub 80 scores for the day.

Eastern’s Neil Barry won the Nett with a Nett 71 by 1 shot from Kew’s George Kotaridis and Colin Goon.

Another big field of 97 contested the 2013 Kingston Heath Senior Amateur. The conditions were again windy and difficult but not quite as bad as the previous day at Yarra Yarra. The course was in great condition and the club put on a great event.

Local Alex Cairncross with a great one-over par 72 won by 3 shots from Michael Doutch from Woodlands. The Nett event was taken out by Nathalia’s Ray Falla with a Nett 70 on countback from Woodland’s Frank Palinkas, and Alex Cairncross.

A capacity field of 75 contested this year’s Victoria Senior amateur. Again the conditions were windy and difficult with Commonwealth’s Alan Buckley with a 77 winning by 2 shots from local Victorian member Kevin Skehan. These were the only 2 sub 80 rounds and Bachli points (top 30) were awarded down to a score of 90.

This was regular player Alan Buckley’s first win in a Bachli event after 8 years.

Commonwealth’s Bob Harper with a Nett 74 won the Nett on countback from Kew’s Tony Tonkin and Kyneton’s Barry Murphy – the gross winner Alan Buckley had a Nett 71.

The ‘Sandbelt’ week continued at Royal Melbourne (West course) with another capacity field of 100 players and another day of windy and difficult conditions. Scores confirmed the difficult conditions.

Sandhurst’s David McDonald with an 81 won the event on countback from Spring Valley’s Gary Easte. David is an old time regular who has not been seen quite as regularly in recent years.

Sanctuary Lake’s Gary House with a Nett 76 won the Nett by 2 shots from Kooringal’s Gary Scott and Gary Easte. A gross 91 was required for the top 30 gross scores and Nett 84 for the to 30 Nett – difficult conditions!

The last round of the ‘sandbelt week’ was played at Metropolitan in similarly difficult conditions. The course was in great condition and the club showed off its newly opened Club House. Numbers were relatively disappointing due to the absence of some of the visiting interstate and country players who did not stay over the weekend to play this event.

The current Bachli leader Michael Jackson found form again with a great 73 to win the Metropolitan Plate by 4 shots from Eastern’s Andrew Hansen. Regular interstate visitor Barry Miles from Sanctuary Cove (and also a Metropolitan member) had a day out with a great 79, Nett 66 to win the Nett by 3 shots from Yarram’s Ignatius Duivenvoorden.

Another successful, popular and well run event at Coomealla this year.  Very strong winds day 1 that moderated over the next two days made scoring difficult early, but no rain and the course was in good condition for a field of 63 men.

Michael Jackson had another good win to take a strong hold over this year’s Doug Bachli Trophy. Leading by one shot over Hill Top’s John Keller with one hole to play he holed his bunker shot for birdie to win by two shots.

The Nett event was won by Yarram’s Ignatius Duivenvoorden by 2 shots over Hidden Valley’s Paul Fink.

There was also women’s competition over 36 holes for a field of 15, the event taken out by Jeanette Webb with 37 & 39 stableford points.

The 2013 Northern Senior Amateur was played in very windy conditions both days. An improved field of 69 players enjoyed great hospitality and a course in very good condition.

Robert Burford from Devil Bend won the event by 3 shots with two good rounds of 75 for 150 beating Kingston Heath’s Gordon Claney who beat Rossdale’s Tony Hyde on a countback. Equal best round of 75 on day 2 was from first time ‘youngster’ David Fletcher from Sunshine.

Kingswood’s Peter Bence won the Nett with 141 (71,70) by one shot from Glen Waverley’s Ken Bruton who beat Eastwood’s Chris Blythman on a countback.

The Melbourne Classic played over 36 holes at Spring Valley and Woodlands was won by Kingston Heath’s Gordon Claney (80,72) by 3 shots over Bachli leader Michael Jackson (81, 74).

The Nett event was won by Metropolitan’s John Noy by 1 shot over Wayne Aigner on countback from first timer - Yering Meadow’s Ian Donaldson and Colac’s Greg Welsh.

The event was played in windy conditions at Spring Valley and the course was set up long. The wind died down but there was some rain for the round at Woodlands. Woodlands was in excellent condition and the greens a little fast as there was a Pro-Am the day before. Although the tees were well forward of the Pro-Am tees from the day before Gordon Claney’s 72 matched the Pro-Am winner’s score.

Michael Jackson’s 74 in the second round secured runner up in this event and sealed his victory in the 2013 Bachli Trophy.