OBLATE CUP -  HISTORICAL PHOTO GALLERY

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A contemporary cartoon depicting Paul Gwynne's sandy fate in the inaugural Oblate Cup at Penrith, 1983.

The spectacular Leura golf course, site of the 1989 Oblate Cup. It is just possible to see the window of the main honeymoon suite in the Fairmont hotel which Paul Gwynne's first drive narrowly missed. The ball miraculously bounced back onto the fairway and Gwynne went on to win the championship.

1992 winner Don Scott receives the hallowed trophy from previous year's champ  Wayne Smithson (who seems hesitant to let go of the spoils)

Greg Sadler wins his third Cup at Tuggerah in 1993 despite thick chin growth which impeded his vision and swing. He would go on to win an unprecedented fourth title in 1997.

Licking, sipping and sucking at the 19th hole after the 1993 Championship. Moments later paramedics were called to revive Jeff Sadler who had one Tequila too many that night.

Greg Sadler gives the Oblate Cup and yellow jersey back to Don Scott who reclaimed the title in 1994.  The photo also captures Tony Waters about to fall out the window after imbibing his tenth stubby.

The standard morning routine during 1999 for Tony Waters who won the coveted Cup at Boomerang that year: sleep in the winner's yellow shirt, take a coffee and hold the trophy for 5 minutes.

Paul Swinhoe's turn to hold the pine cone icon came in 2000 at Tuggerah. The victory was reminiscent of his halcyon days at Oxford.

An amazed Noel Gwynne accepts the 2001 prize after claiming he had played one of the worst games of his career. Apparently moustaches did not go out of fashion until 2002.

After debuting in the 2003 Skins, new TWGA recruit Theo Kokinomagulos wasted no time adding his name to the illustrious list of Oblate Cup winners in 2004. Organizers were worried when the champ disappeared for 2 hours between the game and the presentation.

After a 16 year drought, Paul Gwynne finally reclaimed the old prize at Calderwood in 2005. This time there was no Fairmont hotel distracting him on the first hole, although there was an enormous stauntion and an exploding ball.

In 2006 veteran Doug Henderson shrugged off the bad karma of the Darius Award a year earlier to win the Cup for the first time in his long career. He attributed the popular victory to a Thai meal he ate the night before and the adrenalin rush of having his car locked in the car park.

Jas Henderson becomes the first female golfer in Oblate Cup history to win the pine cone after tearing Calderwood apart in 2007. She attributed her amazing form to a new driver, a high tee and the 7 iron chip. The spousal transition enabled Doug finally to put his name on the cone since he was unable to find an engraver all year.

Noel Gwynne used the 2006 Darius award to springboard to glory as 2007 Player of the Year and followed it up with his second Oblate Cup at Blackheath in 2008. Meanwhile Jas washed the yellow shirt and, with it, 24 years of blood, sweat and tears.

Brad "Three Iron" Payten claimed the yellow shirt in 2009 under scorching conditions. His strategy was patiently look for every lost ball, stick with his trusty three iron and eat lots of paddle pops before the game.