Another calendar year begins and yet nothing changes, it still continues to rain! The greens staff at Mendip have fought valiantly to keep the course open and playable and to their credit, only a couple of days have been lost and overall, the course and greens remain in very good condition.
On January 16th, after a delay of a week, the annual Captains’ Drive In took place. The 2016 Club Captain at Mendip is long standing member, David Williams and he was joined for the Drive In by the New Ladies Captain for 2016, Hilary Rowdon. They were greeted by a cold and frosty start and the 136 Competitors, the absolute maximum number that could be squeezed onto the course with its Shotgun start format, were all very grateful for the hot mince pies and mulled wine that was provided by the Captains.
After their rounds were completed, the competitors gathered on the first tee to see David and Hilary hit their drives straight and true and thus commence their year of Office. Back in the clubhouse, Captains’ jackets were presented and speeches made and everyone who knows David and Hilary will not need telling that Mendip is in for an excellent year in 2016.
There was as usual a competition running alongside the Drive In, being a four person Bowmaker event. Winning team was Tony Logan, a recent new member joined from Frome, Matt Bendall, Simon Whittle and Phil Moores, another ex-Frome member with 102 points. They were followed by Jim Scott, Colin Clifton, Chris Logan and Richard Chapman, the latter two again being ex-Frome members with 100 points and in third position, a Seniors Team consisting of recent Past Seniors’ Captain, Geoff Mosley, current Seniors’ Captain, David Pilbeam and Seniors’ Captain Elect, Henry Banks who were joined by Andy Frampton and who scored 96 points.
The Ladies Team prize was won by Marian Speed, Josie McCulloch, Karen Cookson and Allison Rumming with 93 points. Second place went to the long established team of Chris Olds, Joan Clark, Kay O’Connor and Margaret Hawker with 89 points. Andy Frampton won the men’s nearest the pin, on the 8th hole, by holing his tee shot!
On another cold and frosty morning, the hardy ladies of Mendip played their first charity bowmaker of the year over 9 holes. The frozen ground led to some unpredictable bounces and indeed some amazing scoring. Even with the course playing short and with many of the ladies having two shots on some holes, the event was won by Karen Cookson, Val Dixon and Nola Russell with a scarcely believable 47 points, followed by Karen Richards, Alison Letts and Caroline Laws, with 43 points. Following the golf, past Ladies Captain, Linda Brobson, ran a light hearted Golf Rules Quiz that the ladies found informative and a useful refresher.
Despite the wintry conditions, cold, damp and misty, thirteen intrepid couples competed in a mixed greensomes event and despite the suggestion that the event could be reduced to nine holes, the competitors would hear nothing of it, so eighteen holes it was! There was a draw for partners and some pairings were meeting for the first time. In third place, after a triple countback, were Martin Honeybun and Margaret Allen, with 35 points. In second place, Peter Rumming and Ladies Captain Elect and competition organiser, Patricia Rawlins, with 36 points, but just winning with 37 points, were Alan Roper and Sue McFerran.
Tony Williams