Must have been the long weekend. It started off looking as if there was a chance for everybody to get points again then all of a sudden there were at least four extra players and another group as the stragglers strolled in after the first (and almost the second) group had teed off. Fortunately, the Tee Marshalls had handed the reins over to somebody else and so they were not the ones teed off. So it was that we ended up with eighteen members and two guests out trying their chances with the vagaries of a pretty damp Ivanhoe Public Golf Course. Damp enough for the management to declare preferred lies but not damp enough to take a little pity and put the tee markers forward a bit although they are required to keep the length of the course within limits.
Damo started the day bragging that the weeks of being nice and smiling at Harry had paid off and he had got one of his precious strokes back. So, what does he do but go out and take advantage of the conditions to take the back nine apart with one under and do more than enough to beat the Beast in a count-back. So, it is back to 5 for Damo but despite that he is making his way up through the Points table and is neck-and-necking it with Bill in the chase after Ed. They are hoping that the pigeon season lasts for quite a while yet.
In the process of demolishing the back nine Damo also broke Mehm’s heart in their matchplay round and romped home 5 and 3. Mehm was so broken by Damo’s birdie on the 15th that he ended up reporting that he had nine (yes nine) putts to finish the hole. If that isn’t some sort of a record, it’s hard to say what would be.
Now, a man who has been AWOL a bit over the last little while but now seems to have his leave passes in order also might be making something of a show of form. He certainly came to play on the back nine and if he had got his MoJo back a little earlier he could easily have taken the main prize. This is of course Mo(styn) not Mo(sabih) who came in with a nett 67 but with nine strokes difference between the front and back nines.
One stroke further back was a trio of SOS, Noodles and Snags. Almost makes you hungry doesn’t it. Speaking of hungry, Snags and Chrispy were playing for a pie and sauce and you’d have sworn it was for a sheep-station. All sorts of one-upmanship and sledging from both sides but in the end Snags was victorious. He had to rush off after the game so has taken a rain-check on collecting his winnings. Something to look forward to in a couple of weeks time (for everybody). SOS wore a club shirt but it was one of the old black ones – probably reminds him of his new work uniform.
The other protagonist in the Great Pie Challenge came in next just the one stroke further back with a sixty-nine – Chrispy’s favourite number by all accounts. And last on the podium, but by no means least were Oliver and Harry who netted 70 apiece.
Birdies were a little thin on the ground for the numbers playing with a total of eight in all. Damo got the Nearest the Pin for a ball on the 12th but didn’t get the bird and Gordon made up for a pretty average (for him) round by picking up the ProPin on the 18th. The improvements in the Eclectic table were also fairly thin on the ground with only three people registering fewer strokes so most movements were down to handicap changes. Still, we are only about half way through the year so plenty of time yet for the handicap to go out or the birdies to accumulate.
The June Bonus Trophy acquired a couple of new contenders today which makes the leader board appear a little odd but things will sort themselves out as the weeks go by. Check out the status on the web-site under the Competition menu. And if you fancy your chances of putting together three good ones in a row (or feel like making a donation to the Club) you can still register on Saturday by paying the sub before you tee off. After that, the field stands.
The wet conditions seem to have interfered with the mowing program on the course and some balls were hard to find or maybe they had plugged. With the preferred lie rule in place there should have been no excuse for not checking the identity of the ball that was played but it seems that in at least one case with Ryan and SOS that there was even a double cross-over and it took some considerable time to ponder the rules that applied and the penalties incurred. The gap between groups that opened up made some wonder whether there had been some sort of medical emergency.
Oliver was out before tee time practicing with his whiffle balls and was apparently shanking them consistently. Took him about six holes to throw off the trauma that the experience engendered. Targe left a few putts just a bit short and it was suggested that he needed more legs. Bob was noticed wearing an elbow brace. Not sure whether it was for tennis elbow or golfers elbow but hopefully it is nothing too serious. After the round, Brendon was away taking care of business when the staff delivered his very tasty looking bacon roll. If he hadn’t arrived back promptly, it could very easily have been auctioned off. Chrispy in particular seemed very keen – maybe it was the thought of Chrispy bacon.
Andrew Hall joined us again and submitted his second card with a promise that he was going to try to get Dick motivated – that’s his brother Dick. Along for the first time today was Darren Ambridge who showed some serious potential with the card that he put in. Hopefully Darren hasn’t been too put off by the chiacking and will join us again in the future as well. A warm welcome both of you.
Results for Saturday, 07 June 2014
1st Bill Eastoe(66) 1st Damien Lee(66) 2nd Mostyn Gregg(67) 3rd Stephen Butterfield(68) 3rd Craig Sharp(68) 3rd Stephen O’Sullivan(68) 4th Chris Priems(69) 5th Harry Boughen(70) 5th Oliver Gross(70)