A YEAR and a half ago, Adam A’Vard didn’t even play golf, but he was thinking about taking up the game.
He did just that and last month the 27-year-old electrician from Devilbend Golf Club in Victoria was crowned the Handiskins
national champion after winning the final showdown at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.
Since taking up golf 18 months ago, Adam has reduced his handicap to 14.8 and qualified for the Handiskins national final after carding rounds of 31 and 35 stableford points for a total of 66.
The other finalists were Proserpine GC’s 10 marker Lewis Tuck (36-42 – 78), Thurgoona GC’s Jason Cawthray off five (34-35 – 69) and Headland 18 handicapper Bruce Heseltine (39-29 – 65).
There was $40 on offer for each of the first six holes, $60 for each of the next six holes and $80 per hole from 13 to 18 as well as two nearest the pins each worth $60 in the handicapped skins final.
After halving the first hole, worth $40, Bruce picked up the next two skins to bank $80.
“I love the Handiskins concept. It’s massive and it has so much potential. We had about six members come play and they have all said they can’t wait to go home and tell everyone how good it is.”
Hole four was halved and by then Adam A’Vard had warmed up and put on a clinical display of shot-making.
He won holes five and six ($40 each). The next hole was halved and Adam won the eighth ($120), the 12th ($60), the 13th ($80), the 16th ($240) and the 17th ($80).
The 18th hole was halved so he collected another $20 as well as a nearest the pin ($60) and ended up banking $780 for the day.
Lewis picked up $200 including a NTP, Bruce won $140 (two skins) and Bruce $80 (two skins).
“I putted really well in the final, which is unlike me,” said Adam who joined Devilbend GC a year ago.
“I think the Handiskins event is awesome and I definitely would like to come back again.”
More than 140 club golfers (men and women) played two stableford rounds for four spots in the Handiskins final.
Footnote: There was $20,000 hole-in-one prize on offer courtesy of sponsor Lendlease Retirement Living, but the cheque was unclaimed. One player came close to collecting the cash, but his ball shaved the hole and came to rest just 60cm behind the cup.
THE PROFESSIONALS: Defending champion Jamie Hook (Pacific Dunes), Matt McLean (Burleigh GC), Steve Myers (Longyard GC) and Zac Kelly (Coolangatta Tweed Heads GC) reached the Pro Handiskins final and they put on a master-class performance befitting of any pro tournament.
And despite being a tense final showdown, the camaraderie among the group was evident as they joked, told stories and supported and encouraged each other throughout the final.
Up for grabs was a $10,000 prize purse with $400 on each of the first six holes, $500 for each of the next six holes and $600 on the final six holes as well as two nearest the pins each worth $500.
And the Jarrod Lyle Memorial Trophy too was there for the taking. After the first three holes were halved, Steve picked up $1600 on the fourth and backed it up by winning the fifth ($400).
Zac won the sixth hole ($400), Jamie the seventh ($500). The eighth was halved and Jamie picked up $1000 after winning the ninth hole. Steve won the 10th ($500) to take his tally to $2500.
Then the pressure built as holes 11 to 17 were halved with $4600 up for grabs on the final
hole.
All four players had a chance to take the title after all had reached the tough 18th hole in regulation and were putting for birdie.
Zac was first to putt from four metres. His ball scared the hole, but refused to drop. Hookie was next from a similar distance and he too narrowly missed. Then Steve stepped up from 10 feet and watched as his downhill, left-to-right putt slid past the hole. That left Matt with a similar putt, but his ball turned left close to the cup resulting in a halved hole and the $4600 was shared equally – $1150 each.
After the add ups and take aways Steve Myers, who had never played in the Handiskins or at Royal Pines previously, was declared the champion. He banked $3650, followed by Jamie ($3150 including a NTP worth $500), Matt ($1650 including a NTP) and Zac $1550.
“My putting over the three days was exceptional whereas its normally the worst part of my game,” said Myers, who reached the final after returning 73 stableford points.
“I shot even-par on day one and one-under on day two and today I had five or six birdies so that was good.
“I love the Handiskins concept. It’s massive and it has so much potential. I am blown away by it. We had about six members come play and they have all said they can’t wait to go home and tell everyone how good it is.”
MEANWHILE, David Roberts (Bribie Island), Rhys Chadwick (Keysborough), David Green (Coral Cove) and Jeff Fairbairn (Hurstville) reached the Peter Lehmann Wines Skins Final.
Rhys was on fire winning five skins and both nearest the pins to take home 13 bottles of wine followed by David Green (four bottles), David Roberts (two bottles) and Jeff picked up a nice bottle of shiraz.
“The Peter Lehmann Wines Golf Challenge is here as a secondary competition,” Handiskins director Paul Edwards explained. “It’s about bringing people here to experience Handiskins.
“It allows golfers who don’t qualify for the national final to play in the second competition (Peter Lehmann Wine Skins). Those who played in it had a great time and won some great prizes.
“It’s a great event and very much a social part of Handiskins finals week.”
More than 130 golfers and their partners attended the Peter Lehmann Wines Golf Challenge dinner hosted by the entertaining Peter Lehmann Wines brand ambassador and educator Malcolm Stopp.
SPIKENOTE: Handiskins has raised more than $130,000 for Luek the Duck cancer research.
At the recent presentation dinner at Royal Pines Resort the 180 golfers and their partners in attendance dug deep raising another $7000+ for Challenge (supporting kids with cancer).
Chief writer David Newbery has been living, breathing and writing and editing golf for more than 30 years. His extensive knowledge of the game comes from covering golf around the world. Hired by Inside Golf in 2009, David previously worked as the editor of The Golfer for 25 years and before that worked for numerous daily newspapers in Australia and overseas. The Brisbane-based journalist describes his golf game as “a work in progress”, but has had the privilege of playing golf with some of the game’s best players including nine-time major winner Gary Player. David enjoys travelling, reading, music, photography and spending time with family and friends – on and off the golf course. 
