With two editions now held after the passing of its iconic founder, “The Jack” shows no signs of slowing down
Not even the loss of a day’s play due to rain – a first in tournament history – nor the inconvenience of a blackout at the host venue could stop the 2023 edition of The Jack, the eponymous celebrity tournament founded by the late Jack Newton, from reaching its usual heights on the fun-meter.
A return to a previous host venue in Cypress Lakes Resort proved popular with celebrities, amateur entrants, sponsors and the professional contingent, each pool of golfers using the three-night/two-day extravaganza as part wind-down, part celebration and part fundraiser to end the year.
Leading into the most recent staging, the event had raised $6.3 million for diabetes and Jack Newton Junior Golf – a figure that will now rise. Amid the crazy outfits and antics is a serious benevolent side.
The New South Wales Hunter Valley region turned on a sultry, thundery opening day before a downpour wiped out play on the second day, forcing the tournament to be decided by 18-hole scores for the first time. Rookie pro Charlie Robbins, who is just as famous for his place in the “Ninja Warrior” reality TV show as he is for his golf exploits, captured the professional section. He blistered the course for 45 Stableford points while wearing thongs and goggles with flippers and a snorkel attached to his “Scuba Steve” outfit.
At first Robbins’ score looked good enough to only hold the overnight lead and secure a coveted afternoon tee-time, but when the heavens opened across the Hunter for day two, there was no choice but to trim the competitive side of the event in half.
The golf was halved but the frivolity was not, participants using the downtime to plough through beverages at an increased rate and share stories from the past year. Among the conversations overheard in the Cypress Lakes bar that rain-soaked afternoon were comedian Jimeoin telling off-the-cuff jokes and media personality/maths guru Adam Spencer discussing probability in blackjack.
The skies cleared just enough to allow a late-afternoon return to separate a tie in one of the celebrity divisions. A sudden-death playoff at the raucous party hole (a new feature that’s sure to last) was a hit for onlookers, as radio personality Rob Palmer – wearing no shorts or pants – eclipsed comedian Tahir at the par-3 15th hole. Palmer captured the C grade title, while boxer Mateo “El Tijuana” Tapia took out A grade and Kram from alternative rock band Spiderbait won B grade.
Earlier, the second edition of The Jack to be held in the post-Jack-Newton-as-host era moved in a new direction, with each group of four golfers playing the novel Texas Scramble. This format asks the non-professionals in each foursome to select the best tee shot, ambrose-style, but to play out each hole individually from there. The pros played their own ball throughout, however their amateur playing partners were allowed to ‘piggyback’ their tee shots, resulting in several huge Stableford tallies, especially among the higher handicappers. The points hauls of 50-plus accrued by the celebrity and amateur winners were greeted by as many jeers as cheers during the presentation dinner.
That final dinner was nearly abandoned as well, thanks to a blackout which hit the area when a car took out a nearby power pole that afternoon. However, in true ‘the show must go on’ fashion, proceedings were merely delayed rather than halted.
The final night wrapped up with a powerful set led by the inimitable Kram – a longtime devotee of The Jack – and Newcastle band Rubber Bullet. After his traditional playing of “Black Betty”, Kram walked to the microphone and said to the crowd, “See you next year… and for the next hundred years.”
Once The Jack gets into your bloodstream, it’s hard to get it out.
