What is the point of sending out e-mails and putting posts on the web if nobody reads (or takes notice of) them. It was shaping up to be a lovely day out there, the preferred lie rule had been lifted and at the nominated last registration time there was hardly anybody on the books. Please guys, do check the tee times as they do change with the seasons and it just makes it hard for the tee marshalls trying to collect money and get groups to the tee in a mad rush. And another thing, please check your handicaps, they also change from time to time. We will fix your mistakes for you, but some of the course management team take a less liberal view for the inside comp.
There was movement at the station, For the word had got about, That the Beast and Ollie G had got away….
But, with the news of Bill’s impending departure for three weeks and Oliver’s announcement that he too will be absent for a time during September, the ears in the pack pricked up and then laid back for an all out assault on that elusive Championship Table Leaderboard. None more pricked up and laid back today than Chrispy and Mehm who shared the honours with a very nice +2 apiece. Despite the picture, Chris managed to stay clear of the trees today and it was all down to skill and ability and not to the usual ‘lucky’ bounce off the timber.
At first it looked as if we had a four way tie but Mal’s inside card went into the pile by mistake and Ed realised that he had put the wrong handicap on his card (again!) and so when that was sorted out, Mal and Ed ended up sharing the second place honours with Noodles with square cards all round (if that doesn’t sound too ‘Irish’).
As a result of all this, the top of the table is as crowded as it has been for many a year and, with the absence of the two leaders for a time, there is plenty of chance for the situation to change dramatically over the next few weeks. Unfortunately, the Fred Kitson does not fall into the time frame so there are only single-headers up for grabs.
Ryan is continuing his little run of some form and gathered the third placing points with -1. Oliver struggled with the decision making today with his full bag of clubs and, a couple of times, he might have been tempted to reach for his five iron rather than his putter. He went very close to raiding the Eagles nest on the 17th by putting it on the green from the tee and putting the putt only a couple of centimetres outside the hole for the easiest of birdies. There were only six of our little feathered friends captured today and there were very few moves on the Eclectic front as well.
Not sure what sort of problems Blighty had on the 13th but he was observed playing a shot from by the hazard on the right while well behind the rest of his group. He reported a minus for his trouble but he still managed to collect a point with his -3 tally.
Our numbers today were bolstered by a number of new faces. Wayne Pollack was back to suss us out again and it was other committments that took him away after 9 holes and not the fact that he was playing with Ed. Joel Butterworth, Mark Berthelsen and Michael Gourlay were the others to join the round and we certainly hope that you enjoyed it and we look forward to seeing you again soon. Michael certainly laid his cards on the table with 72 off the stick and he picked up the ProPin as well with the ball a mere 30cm from the hole on the 15th. The Nearest the Pin for a ball on the 4th was well contested again and Whitey was the man to collect.
The condition of the tee on the 4th obviously didn’t affect Whitey’s shot too much but he did have a few words to say about some of the others which are about as bare as a badger’s at the moment and Whitey doesn’t carry a tee so he was none too happy. Apparently it has something to do with course maintenance. The temporary tee on the 6th was just the opposite and more like rough than otherwise. Noodles had to deal with the effects of a deposit made by somebody’s dog on the 4th green after his ball ran through it and left it in his track on the way back to the hole. He wasn’t too impressed to say the least.
The Birthday Birdie reports that Dennis will be blowing out some candles this week and with the footy season coming to an end, there are hopes that we might see him on the tees in the next little while.
In other member news, Gordo was sweating it out in the summer heat of Santa Monica at last report. Mostyn has apparently not been too good and has been in hospital for some surgery and won’t be back on course for a little while. All the best for a speedy recovery Mozzie. RodG is still nursing his golfer’s elbow and is not sure how long it will be before he can make a comeback. Ed is still ‘contagious’ but seems to be treating himself with some sort of magic bullet. Targe’s offsider is recovering well but it will still be a few weeks before she can get back into the shop and he will be able to join us once again. Reports that Damo is a contestant on The Block are unfounded – he is just selling his house.
Results for Saturday, 30 August 2014
1st Mehmet Akdag(+2) 1st Chris Priems(+2) 2nd Stephen Butterfield(□) 2nd Malcolm Fleming(□) 2nd Ed Kloprogge(□) 3rd Ryan Porker(-1) 4th Oliver Gross(-2) 5th Andrew Blight(-3)