First time winner at popular Blackwood SA senior event

The South Australia Senior Order of Merit season continued with a newbie winner at the popular Blackwood Golf Club event. JOHN ANDERSON reports:

Monday, 2 December saw the SASOOM 2025 season continue with the popular Blackwood Golf Club event.

78 players for an 8:30am shot-gun start with good weather and a superbly presented course which saw two “regular” and a “newbie” have success. Blackwood’s greens are always an interesting “read” especially for visitors and this was demonstrated in the Gross scores however the Nett scores were far better.

Men’s Senior

Playing only his second SOOM event, Kooyonga’s Frank Templeton came to the last one shot behind and level respectively with the experienced pair Paul Gregory (The Vines) and Mark Bolton (Murray Bridge). An excellent up-and-down for par and some faltering from his playing partners saw Frank home.

Frank had his initial taste playing senior golf last year representing Kooyonga in Senior Pennants and, like so many of us, is seizing the opportunities senior golf provides to test his game against his peers but also enjoy the camaraderie of his fellow competitors. Frank is a strong “young” player and is already keen to compete in National events and we can expect to hear more of him this season. Bolton, Gregory and Tony Nobbs (the Vines) all shot 77’s to finish one shot behind Templeton.

In the Nett, it was Templeton (70) from Bolton (73) and Gregory, Stephen Osborne (Grange) and Phil Donaldson (Blackwood) all with 76’s.

Men’s Super Seniors

Lindsay Elliott (81) made it a double for Kooyonga. Blackwood is Lindsay’s “other” club so he was right at home. Recent past Blackwood captain Peter Schapel now free of responsibilities, shot 84 for equal second matched by the Tea Tree Gully pair of Ian Alexander and Michael Richards.

Schapel won the Nett with an outstanding 68 followed by six players with 70’s – Peter Cetinich (Blackwood) ,Chris Lemm (Blackwood), Andrew Long (Mt Osmond), Lindsay Elliott, Trevor Kelly (West Lakes) and Malcolm Downie (Blackwood).

Women’s Seniors/Super Seniors

Another win for Christine Trimmer (Glenelg) (81) despite battling a cold, followed by locals Gale MacPherson (83) and Angela Masters (84).

Best score of the day in the Nett with Sarah Watson’s 66 followed by Margaret Schultz (70) and Jan van Wyk (72) – all Blackwood.

For full scores and details go to: https://www.golf.org.au/orderofmeritinfo/