As is fitting Saturday January 1 was not just New Year's Day but it began the golfing calendar year for Gloucester golfers with the Arkwood family sponsored Monthly Medal, an Individual Stroke event. The medal is a net event across the field and there are net and gross winners in each of three grades.

The January Monthly Medal was won by Jim Bird with a fabulous net score of 63 nine under par for his handicap. The net winner in A grade was Dave Parish, 72, and the gross win went to Paul Blanch 75 on a count back. In B Grade Derek Bardwell's 75 was good enough for a net win with the best gross score in the grade going to Doug Blanch on 92. In C Grade the net win went to Jim Bird with his 63 while Peter Markey got the nod for the best gross score with his 96. The top net score for our women golfers was achieved by Dale Rabbet with her 73. Balls were won by Jim Bird 63, Dave Parish 72, Dale Rabbett 73; Brian McInnes and Peter Markey 74; and by Paul Blanch, Steve Burns, David Orr, Derek Bardwell and Mark Stone 75. Nearest-to-the-Pins were won by Brian McInnes and Jim Bird at the 4th and 13th holes and by Dale Rabbett, Roy Crichton, Doug Blanch and Mark Stone at the 6th and 15th holes. Dale Rabbett won the long drive at the 3rd and 12th holes while Roy Crichton, Brian Osborne and A Battam did the job at the at the 8th and 17th holes.

On Saturday January 8, golfers played an Individual Stableford in three grades with an associated women's Stableford. The winner in A grade was Steve Burns with a score of 36 Stableford points; Doug Blanch had the best round of the day for a win in B grade scoring 42 points and Mark Strone had an unlikely win with 34 points in C grade. Karen Howarth showed some good with 38 points and the third best across the field; she was the women's winner on the day. Balls in the associated ball competition went to Doug Blanch 42; Peter Wildblood 40; Karen Howarth 38; Paul Garland and Bill Murray 37; Steve Burns 36; Ben Veitch 35; and Elaine Murray 34. Brian McInnes won the nearest-to-the-pin at the 4th and 13th holes; Steve Macdonald, Dave Mann and Mark Stone were best on the green at the 6th and 15th holes. The long drive trophies were won by Dale Rabbett at the 3rd and 12th holes and by Chris Murray, Paul Garland and Jim Bird at the 8th and 17th holes.

There was an individual Stableford played on Saturday January 15 and a big field turned out sedate the warning of thunderstorms in the afternoon. In the event play was stopped for twenty minutes or so to allow the storms and their threat of lightning to pass by.

None of this prevented some top scores being recorded particularly in the top grade. There were four players in A grade with 39 points or better Jamie Andrews, Mike Howard, Steve Burns and Steve Macdonald. Jamie Andrew's round was three under par after making a double bogie at the first hole for his 39 points but it was Steve Macdonald's even par round off a handicap of four was gave him 40 Stableford points and a in A grade. In B Grade the winner was Brian Osborne who scored 37 points while Mitch Andrews returned to Saturday golf with 36 points and a win in C grade. Karen Howarth was the best women golfer on the paddock with 38 points. Balls were won by Steve Macdonald 40; Jamie Andrews, Mike Howard and Steve Burns 39; Karen Howarth 38; Brian Osborne 37; Mitch Andrews 36; and Murray Bowden and John Herd 35.

Nearest-to-the-Pins were won by Mike Howard and Brian Osborne at the 4th and 13th holes and by Dale Rabbett, Mike Howard, Brian Osborne and Ken Wiggins at the 6th and 15th holes. The NTP-in-Two was won by Mike Howard at the 9th and 18th holes. Long Drives were won by Dale Rabbett at the 3rd and 12th holes and by Chris Murray, Rob Moore and Peter Markey at the 8th and 17th holes.

Club captain Roy Crichton won the 'lost ball' competition at the 10th hole. His ball was discovered nestling gently in a cluster of gum nuts high in a tree bordering the 10th fairway by a following group women golfers. Readers are invited to 'spot the ball' in the picture attached; all responses to be returned to Roy at the Gloucester Golf Club.

In the Super Sevens for the week ending Friday December 24, the winner was Dave Melton with 15 points on a count back from the field led by Doug Blanch, Greg West and Craig McLeod all on 15, followed by Peter Markey, Rob Moore, Bill Murray and J McLeod 14. The Super Sevens for the following g week was won by Wayne Maddalena 17 with balls won by Tom Markey 16 and David Boehme,

Jim Dunn, Rob Moore and Jim Bird 15. The winner for the week ending Friday January 7 was Graeme Marsh 17 with balls won by Chris Pritchard 16; and Ken Kelly and Rob Moore 15. For the week ending Friday 14 January the winner was Phil Hawkins with 20 points; ball winners were Peter McIntyre 18, Paul Blanch 17, Peter Buettel, Peter Markey 16 and Graham Hjorth 15.

On Saturday January 22, there will be an Individual Stableford sponsored by Lorraine and Kevin Adams and the following Saturday a Four Ball better Ball Stableford sponsored by Graeme Marsh and David Boehme.