The Inaugural Sandgroper Champs Re-cap. Scores and photos inside.

[adlo]

Well, what a fantastic weekend of golf.

6 of the most easy going blokes you could find, plus TourFit.

The courses were all superb. For $65 in green fees for the entire weekend, quite unbelievable really.

For the most important details, here is the break down:

Total stableford points:

1st:
Johnny Canuck, the "real JC" and poker champ (can this man lose anything?), and your winner in a playoff, 77 points
2nd:
i-tree-golfguy, proved he can throw a few pygmy punches, 77 points

Tied after 45 holes, we were lucky to have enough space behind us to return the 2 top golfers back to the 18th tee for a playoff. JC hit his approach to a foot (nearly holing it for eagle) on the 336m par 4. Idgolfguy, after hitting a perfect drive, hit his approach to about 18 feet, and missed the birdie chance.

However, the real winner this weekend was the Callaway Tour-i. Great ball. All 3 leaders in the final group were playing them today and thoroughly enjoyed it. On a side note, JC won a dozen pills (Tour i's) for an eagle on the 488m 7th at Bunbury! Driver, 3 wood to 15 feet and one putt. Well deserved.

3rd:
ad-joaquin-lo, did more of a river phoenix on day 2, 76 points
4th:
Yossari-tartan, shorts so bad he can make 3 men spew, 75 points
T5th:
Zuesgolfer, a much better snorer than he is a putter, 71 points

Old man Simmsy, proving that day old toast can taste good with the best 18 hole score for the weekend at Bunbury, 71 points

LAST PLACE:
Mr 3 Stripe, TourVan-man, TourFit, lost his cool with the unplanned 3 stripe renovation on the SS ute, 70 points. TourFit, as well as the Maxibon NAGA shirt, I think you should pick up one of these:

A 3 stripe tank. That is what you did today.

For the MegaWatty Trophy for total putts:

1st: JC, 75.5 putts
2nd: i-tree, 78.5 putts
3rd: 3 stripe tank, 79 putts
4th: simmsy, 80.5 putts (well done today breaking 30 putts mate)
5th: Yossarian, 84.5 putts
6th: adlo, 86 putts
7th: Broom-golfer, 92 putts

Overall, most putting stats were pretty impressive. Well done JC, you putted very solid, as always. If I was a gambling man, I would have won some coin backing you.

I'll post some pics, and I am sure some banter will follow.

In regards to my tanking on day 2 with the home course advantage. Lets just say that someone spiked my drink, or built a wall in front of me at the poker table. The word "rotten" quite aptly describes how I felt from about 2am Saturday night until now. Still hurting. Was struggling to even get up to get to the golf course. Thankfully, a last minute chuck did wonders, and I made it to the course. Played with a cart so I had a chance of making it. Started bogey-par-bogey for 6 points through 3, was leading by 4 points. Hit the wall again on 8, wiped 3 straight holes, but fought back with par on 11, birdie on 12 and a great sand save par on 13. Put me back in the lead. Struggled from there. 3 jacked 16 with a stupid downhill 4 footer left short, and then wiped 17 getting stuck in between 3 tree trunks and battling to get out. Had a 12-15 foot breaking par putt on 18 to force a 3 way playoff, but I hit it low. Way too low. Just too low. Oh well. Was pretty happy to stay in contention given the circumstances.

The photo gallery:

It begins........


Mandurah Country Club was a delightful track. Fascinating even.......
This is the 1st tee, our tenth, great tee box/shot.


The brute, 201m par 3 6th. Golfers on in regulation: zero.


The Canuck chuck, not happy with the fringe putt. Didn't matter, I made my birdie putt to take the skins.


Where did the rain come from? Bloody Mandurah. Yossarian and Zuesgolfer get to know each other a little better.


18 holes down, 9 more to go for Saturdays hit.

Time for a quick visit to the "Tour Van". Great call Zues.


Teeing off #1 at Binningup. Tired and sore, almost all the drives get crushed down the middle.


Looking back down #2 at the first golfer to don the Naga shirt, Mrs Simmsy. A random bloke joined us to make a 4 ball. All I can say about him is Woh! Woh! Wee-ah! Great success!


Yossarian lining up for a power fade off #3, the best way to tackle a 520m par 5 with an uphill fairway into a headwind. Found the gravel track. High 5!


One of the best views in golf, looking down #3, ocean vistas, and Mrs Simms 3rd shot dead in the scrub left Weather looking ominous.


My favourite walk between tees in all of golf, from #3 to #4 at Binningup. The tee box is so well placed, you can hardly see it.


Tee shot on #5, 445m par 5, dog leg 90 degrees right. Mr Canuck was sure he was going to eagle the hole. Not even close, missed by 2 inches! We were, however, about to get wet again.


Pretty as a picture over #6. Rumour has it that TourFit's Scottish blood forced him to wipe the hole and disappear to search for the pot o'gold at the end of the rainbow.


Continued post #2.....

[Yossarian]

This was the moment it actually sunk in that TF had to wear this shirt next year (and it did not have 3 stripes somewhere on it):



Not happy!

...

[simmsy]

haha! he had the same face on him for a good part of the weekend too.

[Yossarian]

That Finnish of Norwegian bloke still makes me cry with laughter.

[Johnny Canuck]

Great photos and memories.

[idgolfguy]

I wish I had my pants back!

[Johnny Canuck]

I remember that putt like yesterday. It was on 15. I was pissed at the ghey effort.

Yoss and Zeus was on the right side of the 16th.

The shot of the Simms brothers is amazing how similar their mannerisms are. I think it is safe to say there is a lot of Gav living on through Mrs Simms.

ID, I thought those were the legendary size 52 shorts.

[MegaWatty]

I note that Adlo also believes that the view from the crest of 3 at Binny does not get much better! Just awesome.

[Golfnut]

Tee on 4 would have to be its nearest rival.

[adlo]

That was such a good weekend.
Sounds like The Gavin Simms Memorial was another great weekend. Nice work Hocko.

[Johnny Canuck]

It was missing the Yeti.

[Yossarian]

Thanks....

[adlo]

It is a shame the GSM overlapped with my trip to Melbs, I would have enjoyed the weekend even though I would have been a shoe in for the NAGA.

No doubt the first edition of the 2012 WA Champs should take place in March/April and I will be there.

[Yossarian]

That explains the AM posts! Are you over there now for the Presidents Cu?

[adlo]

Got back last night, was over for Harvest music festival. Back to work tomo.

[Yossarian]

Nice, was it good?

[adlo]

It was incredible. Chilled out festival, amazing venue. Restored my faith in what a festival can be.
Some teething issues for next year (facilities were a little light on), but I'd make the trip again.

The National, TV on The Radio, Portishead...... how can you go wrong?

[Yossarian]

Yeah the line up was pretty sweet! I can't do southbound anymore too many people who are there to get shitfaced and walk around with their shirts off.

[adlo]

Southbound and Harvest are like chalk and cheese. The fact that I am not going this year with Fleet Foxes and Beirut on the bill proves to me that I will never go to Southbound again.

[MegaWatty]

Tee on 4 would have to be its nearest rival.

Yeah, but it's all behind you. You don't know what's ahead of you when you're walking up 3, then all of a sudden, there is the most amazing vista in front of you! It is a golfing memory that I will never forget.

I think it's biggest rival is standing on the 12th tee at The Cut. Flame away.

[Yossarian]

The difference being you have just played two awesome holes, and IMO one of the best par 3's in the state.

12 at the Cut you have just battled your way through a fair bit of averageness to get there, kind of takes the edge off if you ask me.

[MegaWatty]

The difference being you have just played two awesome holes, and IMO one of the best par 3's in the state.

12 at the Cut you have just battled your way through a fair bit of averageness to get there, kind of takes the edge off if you ask me.

Take every hole on it's merits you wanker!

[TourFit]

I will make the vow that I will NEVER play The Cut again!!!

[rubin]

2012 wa champs - round 1 at the cut! :P

[MegaWatty]

In!

[TourFit]

I'm oot.

BTW, we just had the 2012 Champs!!!