Despite the need to get out and do the last minute Christmas shopping, there were ten members who made it to the course to try out their clubs, maybe for the last time, just in case Santa delivered them a new set on Christmas Day.
However, what Santa did deliver was some remarkable scores and a respite from the hands of the handicapper since the event was purely a social one. There was a discussion about whether it was a rule that more than six players constituted a Club Event. However, a search of the Committee minutes, the club rules and other sources suggested that there had only been a ruling on the home team during the Annual Challenge and so, for the moment, at least, the day had to remain as a Social Event.
So, Keith will be a happy man on two accounts. The first being that he put together a blinder of a round with 83 off the stick and a total of 43 Stableford points to come out the clear winner on the day. The second, that he didn’t lose a heap of strokes in the process. It didn’t all go easily for Keith though. On the 2nd, the tee was placed about as far back as it can go on the bank but when Keith reached the teeing ground, he found that he didn’t have his club with him. Ed refused to lend him his on the grounds that it would break the Rules of Golf and so Keith had to trudge back to his bag to get a club so that he could legally play his shot.
Fairly close behind was another Senior in the person of Allan who managed a very commendable 40 points and showed some of the form that he was known for of old. The scoring rate was obviously just too much for the Thunderbird though as just as it arrived at the 18th green it threw a belt or trashed a gearbox or something and it had to be half pushed/half carried back to the car in shame.
The conditions must have suited the older members of the club because the next spots were filled by Harry with 38 points and close behind was Ed with 37. Ed sprayed his tee shot from the 18th a bit and was over behind the 9th green to play his second. The pin on the 18th was on the bottom tier and his chip rolled across the top tier, came to a stop on the verge of the slope down and then started rolling again to finish within easy distance of the hole for his par. The Seniors didn’t have it all on their own as Dale came in with 37 points as well to head up the youngsters.
If there had been points to give out, then Noodles would have been the last to collect one with his score of 32 points. The most notable thing about Noodles game was the fact that he has resolved not to throw a club for the rest of this competition year and he has managed to get through one game without doing so.
Chrispy is hoping for what is popularly known as the ‘Short Shank Redemption’. Chris had a lesson to attempt to fix his problem and the changes made were remarkably effective – during the lesson. Despite applying the principles taught, Chris reckoned that instead of getting onto the green, he ended up going around it. In desperation, he adopted a baseball grip and managed to improve the standard in the latter half of the back nine. It has nothing to do with his golfing problems but he has taken to drinking his beer through a straw. The reason is to slow himself down because he drinks too fast. Not sure whether that idea was his or Carolyn’s.
Mal Fleming was back with us for his first round for quite a while and he showed that he can still hit a ball pretty well though he might not quite be up to playing to his old handicap and his next couple of cards will be used to review whether his handicap might need to be adjusted. Welcome back Mal!
There was a chip in of cash for a ProPin competition on the 18th and, despite the pin being on the lower deck and a couple of almost on the green shots, nobody was successful and so there will be a Jackpot of the pool to next week. A good excuse for those already in to come back and have another go and an even better one for those not yet in to came in and pinch the loot. This week, it has to go off.
Here’s hoping that everybody had a happy and safe Christmas and that the New Year brings further happiness and better golf.