Nambucca’s top men’s pennant team got a handy win against Safety Beach in the opening round of the Mid North Coast Div 2 competition. Pictured from left are Graham Watson, Karl Hobday, Ashton Herbert, Chris Knight, Dan Wren and Bryce McCarroll.
ROB Coneybeare is nicer and more optimistic than Ned Flanders from The Simpsons, but his saintly halo must have been tested after a calamitous start at the Nambucca Heads Island Golf Course on Saturday.
A fluffed first shot left his pill near the red markers on the tee box and the subsequent rattled the chook wire, raced across the practice putting green and nestled near the clubhouse entrance steps. Out of bounds, “I think I’ll pick up,” said Coneybeare, enjoying a stableford format courtesy of Soulitude Health on the final day of January 2026.
Visitor John Uwe from Shelly Beach Golf Club on the Cenny Coast hammered a holiday with 42 points to win Div 2 with 80 off the stick and birds on 12 and 13.
The 17-marker headed home runner-up James McIlveen (20 handicap) who posted an excellent 39 points including six pars after big trouble on the par 5 second.
Club champion Graham Watson (7) carded 38 points for the win in Div 1, one clear of Greg McCoy (4).
Jennifer Johnston (30) birdied the 8th and parred the last for a brilliant 96 off the stick and 40 points to secure Div 3 from runner-up Kim McIlveen (44) on 37.
Don Wills jagged the Ecomist longest putt on 1 and the pins went to Stuart Johnston on 5, McCoy on 7, Johnston on 8 and Glen Crow on 15. Uwe sliced the Pizza This Pizza That on 13 and Geoff McCann walked away with $90 in his kit or kilt after taking the $90 Pro Pin on 18.
Greg McCoy’s celebratory week was banging as he posted 39 points for the Div 1 win in the medley stableford on Thursday, 29 January. 71 off the stick, including birds on 1, 8, 12 and 18.
Gordon Golf Club’s Jake Stuart (11) was next best with 38 points.
Paddy Byrne (21) – perhaps abandoning his YouTube swing instruction subscription – walloped with 42 points including birds on 9 and 10 with the highest score of the day to claim Div 2, four ahead of runner-up Bryan Ussher (29).
Andrew Bagust bagged the putt from afar on 1 and pins went to John Crosby on 5, Jeff McGrath on 7, Deidre Fletcher on 8 and Jake Stuart on 15. Brad Fortescue has a pizza pleaser after going close on 13, Stuart Johnston collected $75 for the Pro Pin on 18 and Dan Wren has a box of balls after an eagle on 11.
Kerry Shearer (41) squeaked home in the women’s stableford on Wednesday, 28 January, for the win with 36 points with a round including pars on 3 and 14.
Rhonda Rowe claimed the pin on 5 and Liz Hobday on 13.
The Toyota Genuine Service Island Challenge on Tuesday, 27 January, saw the in-form Bagust salute with 66 nett, three ahead of Peter Bush (18). Heather Gray had 74 to win the best female prize, while Daryl Wall swept the gross with 80.
A sleeve of balls went to Bagust on 5, Graham Watson on 7, Stephen Kimber on 13, Stuart Johnston on 15 and Robert Coneybeare took the Pro Pin on the last.
The Mid North Coast men’s rep pennant season kicked off on Sunday. Nambuccas’s Div 2 defeated Safety Beach 3-2 with wins to Bryce McCarroll, Karl Hobday and Chris Knight. Div 4 saw Nambucca best Coffs Harbour 4-1 with Kye Garzoli, Dom Lambie, Elijah Cooper and Jai Wassens getting Ws.
The Island’s two Div 3 sides found the going tougher at Kempsey. Nambucca 2 pushed the hosts hard in a 3.5 to 1.5 defeat, while Coffs gave Nambucca 1 a bit of an unpleasant touch up.
Catchya on The Island where the bent grass greens are swifter than Taylor and the food and river views are arguably the best in Australia.
By Chris KNIGHT