The joys of winter golf are not restricted to the golf game. We are told that good mental health can be helped by being out in the fresh air and close to nature. 

At this time of year, the wildlife around the Duchy course can be seen more easily and brings joy to those who spot the animals and birds, even if some are commonplace. Occasionally, a rarity turns up. Swans have returned to the ponds after an absence of several years and an otter was spotted close to a pond on the 17th hole by one of the greenkeepers. It is fair to say that it is not known who was the more startled, otter or greenkeeper. The otter did utter some barking noises but what the greenkeeper said was not recorded.

The weather might have been warmer in Texas, USA, but a game of Texas Scramble with golfing friends over thirteen holes of the Duchy course on a sunny day in late winter raised the spirits of the Farrington Park ladies’ section last Thursday. This format is very forgiving, if one player in the team of three has a “bad” shot, it can be hoped that one of her two playing partners will make up for it.

Who chipped in for a birdie? No putts, required! Who putted the ball straight into the hole from thirty feet? Hooray, quickly mark down the gross score, celebrate with a high-five and move on to the next hole.

Thirteen teams entered the competition with players’ handicaps reduced on a percentage basis. Twelve nett shots separated the first and last teams and most teams managed to score a birdie and several pars. In the final placings, three teams scored nett forty four, but countback decreed that Jenny Ahlberg, Lena Warren and Min Woodward took second place ahead of Denise Baker, Jill Holland and Debbie Jones with Jane Ball, Corinne Durbin and Sandra Hares in fourth spot. The winners had the lowest handicap allowance of the entire field but an almost flawless performance, which included three birdies and eight pars, gave victory to Jacqui Gregory, Mandy Hobbs and June Symonds with nett forty one.

Jane Ball