The calendar is drawing close to the autumnal equinox and the autumn break in the weather must be just around the corner but old man Sol showed that he still had a bit of a bite for the unwary, particularly when the few clouds cleared away and the north westerly started to blow with a bit more conviction. Simon was a bit worried how some of the ‘old-timers’ might bear up under the heat of the day later in the round but, as it turned out he needn’t have worried his ‘pretty’ little head about that as the results will show.
Rod has been persuaded, by a combination of badgering by his cohorts and visible results of the benefits of coaching, to buy a new driver (and maybe even a fairway wood – what next? rescues?) and to take some coaching. If today’s result is any guide, the benefits have been nothing short of spectacular with Rod really hitting his stride on the back nine to card a pretty spectacular 24 points with a singleton on the 18th. A repeat performance next week through the round would surely street the field.
Blighty was wandering around in a bit of a daze this morning asking about the location of the handicap sheets. Despite being told where to find them, he obviously didn’t, and so he moved from equal second to outright second as a result of the handicap and score correction. With only a single point separating first and second on the leader board, it would be good to be a fly on the buggy next week.
Keith was another who obviously didn’t check the handicap sheet (hey guys, your handicaps do move despite what you might think) and so he stepped up a point to keep the tie with Allan in place on 39 points. So, with another two just a single point back, there could be skin and hair flying in the last group next week.
Then, at long last, in third place, one of the younger members got a look in with Dale managing to tally up a respectable total of 37 points for the round. Bob and Dave rounded out the interim podium positions by playing right to their handicap on 36 points. So, it is still anybody’s trophy to collect as big turnarounds are not impossible in this frustrating game that we play (or try to anyway).
One match was contested today between CraigC and Mal. Neither really set the world on fire in terms of the scores in the main game, but the match turned out to be a game of two halves. Craig started out pretty well and, at one stage half way through the front nine, he seemed to be in a commanding position at three up. However, Mal did not wilt in the heat as Simon had feared and won several holes without needing his stroke allowance to get back in front and take the match 2 and 1. The match was so low key, that one player in the group did not realise that it was in progress until the match ended at the 17th.
There are three matches left in Round 1 and there are three more Saturdays to get them completed. Please contact your opponent and arrange the match or, if they are unable to play, arrange a match against the appropriate reserve. Don’t just hope that they will show up one day or you could both be out. Also just another point of clarification. The ‘if you are there you play’ rule only applies to the time between the start and finish of the relevant round. So round two matches do not have to be played until on or after April MM but if you and your opponent agree the match can be played before then. Third and subsequent round matches have to be played during the specified time interval on the basis of ‘both present, play’. But you still have to talk to your opponent, don’t rely on chance.
The BallPin today was on the 12th and Simon was able to squeeze out Rob to collect the ball, despite hoping that it was a ProPin and that he was going to get some money. The mobile ProPin was actually on the 15th and Dennis took on the trees and the contours of the ground to finish 3.52m from the hole which was enough to collect the dough. The 18th ProPin was located on the top deck again and Harry went close to putting it inside the 5m limit, except that the ball wasn’t on the green. Three weeks in a row would have been a bit much perhaps. In the event, nobody else got close enough and so there will be a Jackpot up for grabs next week. With twenty four players out on the course today and another big field in the offing next week, there should be a pool worth winning. Despite the field size we only managed to put in 10 birdies. Not a great strike rate at all.
As usual Rodger joined us for his annual tilt at the Memorial Trophy and at 33 points he does have a bit of work to do, and a bit of a chance. Still, he did admit to having some good rounds around Christmas time which got his handicap down a bit from where it had been so maybe it is not an impossible task. It seems that after the wide open plains of Yarrambat, he is not too enamoured of our closely treed fairways.
Mehmet is on the comeback trail after his knee surgery and maybe it has done some good as even he admits that he doesn’t fall over backwards as much as a result. He did say that he got a bit tired towards the end of the round – tired of outdriving Chrispy. Damo matched Mehm with a bandage on his knee and has apparently lost count of the number of recons he has had over the years.
There were no reports of draughties today but there were apparently several airies. Porks got a good drive away on the 2nd but the ball finished hard against a tree. A practice swing suggested that a shot was possible but the execution produced the same result as the practice and no contact with the ball. Chrispy, on the other hand waited until the 17th to find himself in a spot that required a left handed shot to have any chance of playing from the lie. Instead of the back of a putter or an iron, Chris chose to use his 3 wood with the ultimate result of missing the ball no less than three times. Perhaps he didn’t want to use his putter because it has a brand new ‘fat’ grip on it. Politeness does not allow repeating what the size of the new grip reminded him of holding.
Noodles new year resolution continues to hold though he was spotted trudging rather disconsolately across the 16th after putting his drive from the 14th out of bounds. Some others might do well to follow Noodles’ resolution as there were reports that three out of a group of four were guilty of equipment abuse and all on the same 14th hole. Members are looking forward with anticipation to a long drive shoot-out between Stef and Dave after Dave finished pin high on the 9th from the tee. Bring it on.
Next week the field will head out in reverse Leaderboard order with the front group tasked with getting the bar-be-que going and the cooking under way. Any extras that turn up will be slotted into the early groups and it would be handy, for catering purposes, to have an idea who is going to drop out of today’s field and who is going to opt in next week. So, head over to the Registration page and indicate your intention before next Thursday so that we can adjust the number of steaks and snags if required.
Results for Saturday, 17 March 2018
Leaderboard Round 1 1st Rod Grant(41) 2nd Andrew Blight(40) 3rd Allan Davies(39) 3rd Keith Delzoppo(39) 4th Dale Webb(37) 5th Bob McDonald(36) 5th David Mullenger(36)
Seniors Leaderboard: 1st Rod Grant (41) 2nd Andrew Blight (40) 3rd Allan Davies (39) 3rd Keith Delzoppo (39)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin No 1 15th Dennis Ward ProPin No 2 18th Jackpot BallPin 12th Simon Powell