Captain’s Log

Hi Folks,

Well that seems to be it – Summer has finally left us…Boo ! However, on the bright side (& apart from the Big Ho, Ho, Ho) we have plenty of winter competitions to indulge ourselves with followed by getting tucked up with a few beers afterwards in the warm ! Plus the Presentation Evening is in a couple of weeks and the Turkey Trot which are always decent affairs to be involved with.

It was freezing at the weekend, especially Saturday afternoon when it rained, but we had a good turnout for the winter series and the rain did a job on the greens, so that by the time we played on Sunday the greens were playing pretty well and in good shape for this time of the year and given their recent treatment. They do seem to be coming back a bit now after that difficult dry spell in the summer, so that bodes well for next year – credit to Billy and his team.

So, on Sunday we had a quarter final match in the Avon Challenge Cup at home against The Abbey. We beat them earlier in the season 5-1, but I knew this would be different; more riding on it as they were outsiders at best for the league (but on that day I do recall they were talking up their chances and very definitely they were expecting to beat us!). Obviously, we put them to the sword that day so as expected that increased their determination this time around to exact revenge on us. This time they had the recent memory of the course and how it plays, coupled with the change in format (Greensomes this time) which is never easy at the best of times and then a semi-final place beckoning…we were going to be in for a match, and so it proved.

They came with plenty of very low handicappers, but we also prepared ourselves and the team with some very decent steady pairings, never likely to be too far away from hitting fairways and greens in regulation, and of course we had home advantage. With four games in, it was two-a-piece, then 3-2 to the Welcs with it all riding on the last game (a draw would have been awkward as someone would have to go back out for a play-off and most of the boys had tucked into a beer or two by this stage!). Anyway, Messrs Andrew Kirk and Tel Smith brought it home 2&1 to give us an overall 4-2 Victory. It felt closer, but the games we lost were by a narrow margin and three of the games we won were by a decent margin – so it was a brilliant day and the boys were buzzing. We beat a very good team of low handicap golfers at the end of the day and we continue to prove to be a very tough nut for someone to crack when they play us at home, and of course our home record remains intact for this season. We now await details of the semi-final draw which will be played in January/February of the new year and that is definitely something we’ll all be up for and looking forward too! For all those who can make it to the presentation evening I look forward to seeing you there, and hopefully everybody else at the TT – I’ll be seeing you !!

Cheers, Neal.