The final trophy competition of 2017 was held on a chilly Sunday morning with the sun eventually making a belated appearance. Sadly, the later starters were caught in a sudden downpour but were fortunate to witness not one but two rainbows.

Ladies

The Lady Captain’s Drive-In Stableford competition on Thursday, 2nd November attracted a good field of 45 ladies. They played in teams of three, a low, medium and high handicapped player in each team.

The weather was glorious sunshine all day, the temperature on sheltered parts of the course felt like early summer. Scoring from the winning teams was better than the temperature!

The runaway winners were Jackie Walker, Margaret Seery and Tracy Grist, with 86 points. Sue Stilwell, Tracey Watts and Sandra Hares were second, with 78, two points ahead of June Symonds, Jenny Howarth and Denise Baker in third place. 72 points secured fourth place for Gail Proctor, Angela Hudd and Jane Richardson.

During the competition, the ladies had each placed a flag on the fourteenth hole, where they thought the ball of the new Lady Captain, Rosi Brown, would land. Knowing how well Rosi hits a golf ball, the ladies guessed that she would land her ball half-way down the fairway, in the middle. Numerous little flags littered the chosen area, it was just a case of whose flag would be closest?

The ladies gathered around to watch Rosi use her driver to hit her tee shot. However, no-one had anticipated what happened next. With a despairing cry from Rosi of “Oh, no, I hit my ball much better in the competition,” her ball disappeared into a fairway bunker. No flags had been placed there! After some measuring, it was deemed that vice-captain, Pat Roscoe’s flag was the closest to Rosi’s ball. Pat received a small gift from Rosi for her effort and this year’s chosen charity “Wilberry the Wonder Pony” will benefit from the ladies’ donations at the end of the Captain’s year.

After the lovely weather on Thursday, Saturday, 4th November’s weather saw a return to more normal Autumn weather. No lady managed to play to her handicap, because of the tough conditions. Gail Proctor scored 32 points (including a birdie at the 5th hole) to take first place. Mandy Hobbs had a birdie at the twelth hole, to help her take second place with 30 points, just a point ahead of third placed Pauline Brixey.

Thirty five ladies took to the fairways for the last qualifying Stableford competition of the year on Thursday, 9th November.

As always with winter golf, the playing conditions were challenging and even “clubbing up” seemed to have little effect on the outcome of where the ball finished rolling – into the rough, off the green, too far past the hole, too short of the hole etc. Everyone had their favourite excuses for their eventual score. The CSS rose to 75, only Lally Gibson with 36 points and Carol Jones with 35 points (which included a birdie on the 8th hole), bested the conditions. Wendy Butt finished in third place, beating Linda Rogers on count back, after both finished with 32 points.

Men

Saturday Stableford 4/11/2017 – With the course playing very long with the white tees still in place, some top scoring in both divisions. In Division One Jack Vowell, with 39 points sat on the top, with two players both on 38 points, with Duncan Bratt taking second spot on count back from David Morgan. In Division Two a good round from Don Perry, on 38 points in top place with John Woodland second, on 37 points and Jon Cox third, on 36 points.

Seniors

Texas Scramble 8/11/2017 – In beautiful Autumn sunshine a good field participated in the Texas Scramble with the Yellow Tees causing players to hit a good shot off the tee on the par 4 and par 5. It was very tight at the top with second and third places decided on count back, with in third place the 3 ball of Barry Hall, Rick Clark and Fraser McGregor and in second place on the same score was Colin Robinson, Bill Waddington and Steve Mitchell, but the top prize went to the Seniors’ Captain’s team of Phil Thompson, Graham Price and Steve Park.

First, Phil Thompson, Graham Price, Steve Park, 55.80. Second, Colin Robinson, Bill Waddington, Steve Mitchell, 57. Third, Barry Hall, Rick Clark, Fraser McGregor, 57. Fourth, Steve Symonds, Ray Guthrie, John Holland, 58.30.