Championship season 2020
The following championships were contested by the team players of our club in the 2020 playing season:
- – 05 July – Styrian Club Team Championships (GCC Schloss Pichlarn)
- – July 19 – Austr. MidAm Team Championships (GCC Weitra)
- – August 16 – Austr. Senior Team Championships (Golfpark Klopeinersee)
- – August 23 – Styrian Senior Team Championships (GC Murtal)
Styr. Club Team Championship 2020 – 3rd place in Division 2
On the 1st day of play, in wet but still good conditions, our team lived up to its role as favorites and won 3.5 to 1.5 against GC Graz Puntigam. An outright victory of our strong foursome Max and Niki Flicker laid the foundation for our success. Nico Mösinger and Kevin Sölkner scored the remaining two points out of a total of 3 needed. Christoph Perhab split his match and Matthias Luidold finally had to accept a narrow defeat against a very strong putting opponent.
The GC Almenland turned out to be a number too big for our team on the second match day. Niki and Max Flicker lost against a strong playing and very experienced opponent. The same fate met Christoph Perhab as well as captain Johannes Baltl, who had to admit defeat to the up-and-coming national team player Jakob Hafenthaler. Nico Mösinger again showed his great potential and won his match 4 on 3, while Matthias Luidold split his game. The final result was finally 3.5 to 1.5 in favor of GC Almenland, which was the overall winner of the 2nd Division will be promoted to the 1st Division next year.
The 3rd match day with the match against GC Thalersee was truly not for the faint of heart. Kevin Sölkner and Matthias Luidold in the foursome and Max Flicker in the singles scored 2 points for Pichlarn. Nico Mösinger and Markus Mayer, on the other hand, lost their games despite a good performance and so it came to the showdown between Johannes Baltl and Stefan Bittermann for the all-decisive 3rd point. Johannes Baltl used all his routine and experience and could force a play-off with a sensationally holed 7 meter putt on hole 18. Strong par saves by both players in front of numerous enthusiastic spectators brought even after the 4th extra hole on the 18th hole no decision. The play-off was finally continued on hole 1 and here Captain Johannes Baltl took the hard-fought victory with a commanding par. 3rd point for the overall victory of 3 to 2 and the deserved 3rd final place in the 2nd division.
In the end, GC Murstätten was crowned Styrian champion in an extremely exciting match against GC Maria Lankowitz.
Our golf club is not only pleased about the very good team performance, but also about the frequently expressed praise of the participating teams regarding course condition and organization. Our special thanks go to all the volunteers as well as our greenkeepers, without whose tireless efforts the staging of this great and all-round successful championship would not have been possible!
Austrian Senior Team Championships 2020 – 2nd final place in Division 6
In the GC Klopeinersee the 6th division was played in the round robin system against the GC Traunsee, the GC Wilder Kaiser and against the GC Breitenfurt. The team with Ewald Luidold and Hannes Schuster in the foursome as well as Robert Meier, Gerhard Rainer, Edi Weitgasser and Richard Pickl first achieved a well-deserved 3.5:1.5 victory against the Traunsee team and then swept the GC Breitenfurt 5:0 in the second match. Thus, against the GC Wilder Kaiser on the 3rd match day, the promotion to the 5th Division was within reach and in the end only a missed putt on the 18th hole decided the match 3:2 in favor of the Tyroleans. Despite all this – great effort of all players, well fought and represented our club colors with a 2nd final rank more than worthy! Many thanks and congratulations to all players, especially to Amandus Köberl, who took the journey from the Planneralm to Carinthia especially for the last match day and special thanks to Gerhard Rainer, who took over the function of captain and advisor for these championships in a sovereign manner. In any case, the fact that we have secured our place in the league saves us from having to qualify again and we can concentrate fully on our goal of promotion in 2021.
Styrian Senior Team Championships 2020 – Relegation to Division 2
The Styrian Team Championships for seniors took place this time at GC Murtal and gave our team with Ewald Luidold and Heli Lemmerer in the foursome and Gerhard Rainer, Robert Meier, Hannes Schuster and Richard Pickl in the singles a very strong opening opponent with GC Murhof. Despite a pleasing victory of our superior foursome, the final score was a 1:4 defeat, although the individual games could be kept open for a long time. On the second day of play – Edi Weitgasser replaced Gerhard Rainer who had stepped in despite a family celebration (many thanks Gerhard again!) – we met our neighbors of the GC Ennstal who also gained the upper hand after exciting matches with 4:1 (all square for the foursome and for Hannes Schuster) and thus managed to take revenge for the defeat in Mariahof. With this it went on 3rd matchday against GC Murstätten to stay in the 1st division and unfortunately this opponent also proved to be a bit too strong. Our parade foursome and also Robert Meier had to admit defeat on the 18th hole and thus the 1.5: 3.5 defeat (victory for Hannes Schuster and all square for Erich M. Pötsch) now means (hopefully only for a short time) the relegation to the 2nd division.
In any case, it was again a wonderful time together with the best atmosphere in the entire team – team spirit and cohesion are optimal and remain undiminished, even if the sporting success was not exactly what we would have liked and deserved. We would like to thank all those who took part in the two competitions as players and/or caddies for their great sporting and personal commitment – it is truly not a matter of course to sacrifice up to 8 days of free time, including practice rounds, and to bear the full cost of travel and accommodation!