ALL AMATEUR SCORES:
1    147    Mike LEEDHAM    75  -  72  -  TAS
2    150    Ross BOCKMAN    74  -  76  -  NSW
3    153    Greg STANFORD    80  -  73  -  NSW, Robert ANGUS    76  -  77  -  NSW,
               Denis DALE    75  -  78  -  NSW
6    159    Donald BOX    82  -  77  -  QLD
7    161    Les BROWNE    81  -  80  -  NSW
8    162    Alan EVANS    77  -  85  -  VIC
9    167    Tony BAILEY    86  -  81  -  TAS
10    172    Peter DALEY    85  -  87  -  QLD
11    176    John BEVERLEY    86  -  90  -  QLD (U/F    Steven Pryor)

Leedham played alongside the winning professional Mike Hardwood (75-69) and showed his class in playing the final nine holes in three under par. Bockman's second round 76 included a tree climbing adventure to find a ball that eventually led to a triple bogey.

Stanford's 73 was the result of straight driving and fine iron play and continued his recent good form. Bob Angus was happy with his two rounds and his third place finish. Denis Dale had early double bogies and struggled thereafter, Les Browne "drove poorly" while Victorian Alan Evans never recovered from an early wrong ball penalty.

Round One:
After the opening round NSW golfer Ross Bockman holds a one stroke lead in the amateur section of the Tasmanian Senior Open at Kingston Beach Golf Club.

Bockman fired a 3 over par 74 and leads fellow NSW golfer Denis Dale and Tasmanian star Mike Leedham who had 75s with another stroke to Bob Angus on 76. There are twelve senior amateurs competing in the event.

ALL AMATEUR SCORES:
1    74    Ross BOCKMAN        
2    75    Denis DALE,   Mike LEEDHAM         
4    76    Robert ANGUS         
5    77    Alan EVANS         
6    80    Greg STANFORD         
7    81    Les BROWNE         
8    82    Donald BOX         
9    85    Peter DALEY         
10    86    John BEVERLY ,   Tony BAILEY         
12    98    Steve PRIOR         

Bockman played steady golf all day on his first site of this excellent golf course and his round of 74 was a good score. Dale recovered from an early triple bogey to equal the round of 75 by tournament favourite Mike Leedham who was a little below his best. Leedham is expected to be very hard to hold off in the final round tomorrow.

Bob Angus parred the last seven holes and was pleased with his good round of 76 while Victorian Alan Evans was disappointed after dropping four shots on the final holes for his round of 77. In the senior professional section David Good and David Hughes share the lead after even par rounds of 71

Kingston Beach Golf Club is a par-72, 18-hole 6,082-metre members golf club at kingston, a 15-minute drive south of Hobart. The golf course is open to the public outside competition times.

The Club was officially opened in 1922, having developed into an 18 hole links course from earlier beginnings. The first recorded game of golf was organised here by the Nettlefold family in 1920. Robert Nettlefold used the family property as an improvised course and indeed established the Kingston Beach Golf Course.

The Clubhouse was built in the 1830's by the pioneering Lucas family, whose descendents are members of the club today. The heritage-listed clubhouse sits on top of a hill overlooking the beach, the Derwent River estuary and Mount Wellington. The building is listed on the National Trust heritage register.

The course, known as Nettlefold Reserve, was proclaimed a bird sanctuary in 1942 and as many as 80 species of birds inhabit the area. Originally links in style, over the years many trees have been planted to tighten up the course.

Since its inauguration, Kingston Beach has produced many fine players with members of the Nettlefold and Toogood families in particular achieving international recognition.

The first two tees, a par-three and a short par-four, are elevated. Once off the hill the next 15 holes are a flat, easy walk with narrow, tree-lined fairways, some water hazards and bunkers with a variety of sands – not always consistent! It is best to stay out of them – a feat not easily accomplished.

The greens at Kingston Beach Golf Club are small, but without many undulations. On those that slope towards the fairway, particularly the last six holes, it is best to stay below the hole. Downhill putts can be treacherous, especially in summer when the ground is at its driest.

A mechanical inclinator assists golfers to the tee for the 18th hole – a short par-three. There is a practice putting area and a range for irons only.

'THE TOTE' TASMANIAN OPEN

The Tasmanian Senior Open Golf Championship will be hosted by Kingston Beach at the same time as The TOTE Tasmanian Open Championships.

The TOTE has signed a naming rights partnership with the Kingston Beach Golf Club, which will host the 2010 and 2011 The TOTE Tasmanian Open Golf Championships (5 to 7 February).

More than 150 local and interstate players are expected to play in the event, a national ranking tournament for amateurs with the winning amateur qualifying to play in the 2010 Australian Open.

It is 26 years since the Kingston Beach Golf Club hosted the Championships. Kingston Beach Golf Club Administration Manager Meagan Sommerville said the club was delighted to partner The TOTE in hosting Tasmania’s premier golf tournament. “The club is very much looking forward to working with The TOTE and Golf Tasmania to produce a high quality event,” she said.

“The opportunity to host the event after 16 years was too good to pass up, and we are obviously very pleased The TOTE has identified the Open as an event worth investing in.” Golf Tasmania Director Luppo Prins said the partnership between The TOTE and Kingston Beach had secured the tournament for at least the next two years. “With the tournament’s future in doubt because of a lack of a major sponsor, Golf Tasmania is very pleased that the Kingston Beach Golf Club was able to secure The TOTE’s support,” he said.

TOTE Tasmania Chairman Michael Kent said the company had demonstrated in recent months that it was keen to support Tasmanian sport. “Adding the Kingston Beach Golf Club and The TOTE Tasmanian Open Championships to our portfolio of sponsor partners is further evidence of our commitment to Tasmanian sport,” he said.

The Open was first held in Tasmania in 1913. Tasmanian golfers Len Nettlefold and Peter Toogood have each won the event eight times.