ONE of the highlights of the Handiskins national final is a chipping contest that results in a club golfer driving away in a brand-new Yamaha golf cart valued at $15,000.
This year 20 club golfers qualified for the chip-off at Royal Pines Resort where each player was allowed two 50-metre chip shots with the player closest to the pin winning the Yamaha golf cart.
On the tee were The Cut’s Adrian Oliver, Butch House (Toowoomba, Middle Ridge), Jason Cawthray (Thurgoona), Kenton Day (Links Lady Bay), Peter Kirwan (Cowra), Angela Masters, Kathleen Saint and Herbie Smith (Blackwood), Ranny Julian (Northern), Nadine Hall (Wolston Park), Gary Anderson (Young), Brett Beaumont (Headland), Jeff Fairbairn (Hurstville), Gavin Armstrong, Sandra Lynch and Wayne Turner (Longyard), Trevor Gould (Glenelg), Peter Davis (Gosford), Brendon Spann and Lewis Tuck (Proserpine).
To get the ball rolling, the contestants were encouraged by entertaining emcee Jimmy White, who also revved-up the large gallery much to everyone’s delight.
The pressure was on as players hit their first attempt long, wide and some even left it short. As they say – never up, never in.
A deft chip would win the golf cart and it was Peter Kirwan from Cowra Golf Club who produced the goods.
Using his trusty lob wedge, Peter, who plays off +1, watched as his final chip finished just 50cm from the cup. For those who followed, it proved hard to beat and moments later he took possession of the Yamaha golf cart.
He also breathed a sigh of relief after one player tried his luck with a putter, which would almost have been an injustice had he won using a flat-stick in a chipping challenge. All within the rules, of course.
Still, Peter was rather nervous about his chances despite the experience of winning 19 club championships at Cowra Golf Club.
“I was really nervous,” he admitted. “I put the stick down behind my ball and it kept moving because I was struggling to hold it in position.
“Before I had my first chip, I checked my heart rate and it was 120 beats per minute.
“But I’m just rapt. Yamaha is such a great sponsor. They put up cart because Handiskins is such a good event and that’s a credit to Paul Edwards (Handiskins boss) and the organisers.
“I just can’t thank Yamaha and Wayne Trefoni enough for their magnificent sponsorship.”
After taking possession of the cart, Peter gleefully took it, and a few mates, for a joy-ride around the complex.
FOOTNOTE: Players who had a NTP in a Handiskins event at their club were invited to the shootout.
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. 
