Sport
30 April, 2026
Anzac Day marks new junior competition
Australia is blessed with great sporting events that are brilliantly employed to commemorate the sacrifices made by our armed services since that fateful day on the shores of Gallipoli in 1915.
On Saturday, April 25, a new event was added to that list of premier sporting events held around our great country.
For the first time in what might have been forever, the 'Royal' Rainbow Golf Club hosted an Under 18s competition alongside its regular Saturday competition.
The young golfers flocked from far and wide to our humble club to throw their hat into the ring for this inaugural event.
With perfect conditions for golf, 32 players (18 seniors and 14 juniors) entered the competition, the biggest turnout on a Saturday outside of our tournament.
The tension in the clubroom was palpable. All were keen to perform well amongst such a collection of Rainbow’s golfing elite.
With four club champions and a couple of fancied ‘up-and-comers’ in the field, all knew the day would produce quality golf.
The day did not disappoint.
The seniors hit off first, with Az ‘Bryson’ Glen, Andrew ‘Noo’ Coyne and Wayne ‘Groundskeeper’ Nitschke showing plenty of early promise and taking advantage of the fantastic conditions.
Although they scored well, there were two men in a league of their own on ANZAC Day.
Justin Oakley again played brilliant golf to finish strongly on a nett score of 67.
But even that great score was not enough to beat the irrepressible Mark Cocks.
Fresh from his golfing tour on the pro-circuits of Vietnam and armed with a gleaming set of new irons, Cocks hit his best score to date with an 82 off the stick, leaving him with an incredible nett 66.
The new irons were working well, and he reaped the rewards of his new investment when he birdied the 16th.
However, not all his clubs were working as they should and, in true Rory McIlroy fashion, his driver put him in some interesting locations all day.
His ability to recover was stupendous thanks to those new wonder irons. Do we have an early favourite for the 2026 club championship?
Also having an interesting day off the tee was our very own Ben Jochinke, none more so than his tee shot on the par 3 16th, which hit a tree that has clearly been poorly positioned on this hole.
His ball smacked the tree hard, ricocheting back over his head and over the other side of the 15th scrape.
Technology can be a great thing, but it can be misleading and unhelpful, especially if you don’t get your settings right.
On Saturday, our groundskeeper and honoured life member Wayne Nitschke was impressed by how far he was able to hit the ball.
It was like the clock had been wound back ten years. Not so. It wasn’t the clock that had been wound back; it was the fact that his GPS was measuring in yards instead of metres.
As mentioned earlier, we also had 14 juniors compete for the chance to win some choccies.
There were some great scores on our new ‘Orange Course’. We had nine under 18s and six under 14s.
First group out was Oscar Clarke, Ryder Gould and Baxter Stasinowsky. They were followed by Parker Gould, Kane Bastin and Tim McIntosh.
The last group of youngsters off the first tee was Zach Doxey, Clancy Weir and Will Glen.
With the older kids, there was not much separating our contestants, and if first place was awarded to the best dressed, then Gould would have won in a canter.
But golf, sadly, is not always about looking good.
And the best score of the day was attained by Gould with a very impressive 88 on the orange course. A mere one shot behind was his very well-attired sibling, Parker.
For those without a handicap already, Bastin came in with a very respectable 93 with McIntosh in second place with an even 100.
Off the tenth, we had a spirited group of our youngest golfers, including Kolby Bigham, Louis Glen, Tanner Bigham, Murphy Jochinke, Koby Weir and Xavier Hollamby.
I tell you what, readers, I can see some future champions in this group. There was some impressive ball hitting with many of these youngsters scoring well on many a hole.
In the under 14s, younger Jochinke hit an incredible 97 over the 18 holes. This young lad has a bright future in golf, as does Weir, with an also impressive 101.
For the real young ones who were scored over the nine holes, Glen had a 65 and Sixpence Bigham had a 67. Well done to all your young lads. I hope to see you again on our course.
Next week is the first round of the Singles’ Knockout. If you want to be in the draw, get your name into Captain Leach, even if you can’t play on the day.
Till next week – happy hitting!
Ben Jochinke – 107 – 19 – 88
Koby Weir – 101 (2nd)
16th – Mark Cocks
