MARK Pedder made a fine start in the Rushmore Winter Eclectic competition with a net 64 which fired him into a four-point lead.

Pedder, who has been a regular member of Rushmore’s Hardy B Team for many years, has trimmed his handicap down from 13 to nine following a lesson with Rushmore head pro Richard Harber.

The winter competition will continue over the course of the next three months and will test Rushmore golfers’ staying power through some chilly winter conditions.