Although the event is the Autumn Cup, the weather didn’t feel particularly autumnal. There were a couple of drops of rain but there was quite a warm northerly(?) blowing that made the inveterate shorts wearers feel quite comfortable and the vest wearers were seen to be stripping them off quite early in the round.
The fact that one(?) green had been scarified and some others partially cored might have had an effect on the scores but nobody really took the course apart although there were a couple of cards that showed a significant contrast between the scores returned for each nine. The coring of some of the tees has reduced the need for a hammer in the tool-kit more than somewhat.
As for the Stuart Clarke Memorial, there are a number of people not playing the second round for reasons that range from the poor scheduling of the AFL draw to inconsiderate children deciding to get married and any number of things in between.
The scores and tentative groupings for next week are as follows:
Group 1 (Chef Patrol) Rod W (-6), Brendon (-7), Blighty (-7)
Group 2 Bill (-1), Rod G (-2), Mehm (-4), Mike (-6)
Group 3 Noodles (sq), Mo (sq), Damo (-1), Oliver (-1)
Group 4 Ben (+2), Targe (+2), Richard (+1), Pepsi (sq)
Anybody who didn’t play this week will fit in with Group 1 and/or fill another group depending on numbers.
There was one Matchplay match contested today and Dennis managed to hold out SOS for a 3 and 2 victory. Less than a month now to complete Round 1 so those who haven’t played had better get their running shoes on or withdraw if they can’t/aren’t playing. There are some reserves who would like their chance.
Good to see Trevor back from his injury though it is still giving him some trouble. Also a speedy recovery to Craig who has strained his brain (er Achilles) and will be out of circulation for a couple of weeks.
Noodles managed to get one close enough on the 4th to win a ball for the NTP though he didn’t manage the birdie. He did plod two of the eleven that turned up for the day. The ProPin was held down by Damo on the 15th with a tad under three metres.
One of the excuses offered for not playing next Saturday came from SOS who will be graduating from the Academy next Friday and it seems that the after party is shaping up to be a bottler (with the emphasis on the bottle). SOS did invite everybody to come along (for the ceremony, not the afters) except for any hecklers, loud-mouths, yahoos etc – which eliminated just about everybody. Seriously though, congratulations SOS and we look forward to not seeing you in your uniform any time soon.
Mo managed to leave his ball up a tree and although he played it as it lay he did not emulate the tree-iron shot played on the Pro-circuit recently. Ben went close to having his ball stay up in the same tree and what is more he had two goes at putting it there.
Bill was spotted on the right side of the 6th fairway and when questioned as to how come, he admitted that it was as a result of a recovery shot from his favoured left side. Mehm and Bill were playing a Claytons Matchplay and Mehm had gone from a strong position to looking shaky after the 16th. His attempt to psyche Bill out by offering double or nothing over the last two holes all came to naught with Bill clinching the result with a birdie on the 18th.
There was a case of a club being used for other than its intended purpose when Noodles applied a drop kick and the club came off second best. There was no report on Noodles condition as a result. The projection of an iron in the skywards direction after a badly duffed chip had Harry ducking for cover when he realised he had neglected to carry out a JSA before executing the manoeuvre.
Don’t forget that there will be a bar-b-que after next weeks event so bring along your best appetite.