THE Joker holes proved pivotal as Maldon Golf Club's staged the fourth round of their Ben Volta Winter League competition.

The betterball stableford format allowed each player in a pair to nominate a Joker hole, where stableford points were doubled.

It proved to be a popular and profitable format for several teams, with the youthful pairing of Billy Mason (two) and junior member Marley Read (21) captialising to win with a marvellous score of 48 points.

There was a three-way countback for the places from second to fourth, as three pairs scored 45 points.

Darren Mason (10) and Dan Hazell (four) were runners-up, ahead of third-placed Keith Locke (17) and Aaron Dickson (16).

In fourth place were Tony Davis (eight) and Martin Read (13), ahead of Steve Gearey (27) and Mick Kempen (eight), who were fifth with 44 points.

The captain's prizes for nearest-the-pin went to Sam Cummins on the par three fifth/14th hole and Tony Davis for the closest second shot, on the par four ninth/18th.

The results saw a change at the top of the league leaderboard, with previous league leaders Josh Cousins and Ben Griffiths not in action.

Tony Davis and Martin Read now lead the way on 68 points, ahead of the pairings of Billy Mason and Marley Read and Steve Gearey and Mick Kempen who are joint second on 66 points.

Alan Buckingham and Sam Cummins are fourth, on 61 points.

At 6.30am on the morning of the event, many of Maldon GC's greens were partially under water due to heavy overnight rainfall.

But the unstinting efforts of head greenkeeper Stuart Reece-Ford and a handful of willing members armed with rollers ensured competitors started their rounds at the allotted time of 8am.