Things were just a little icy, as we struggled to get the first group to tee off, even though at least one of them had a very important birthday to go to. The claim was that it was too dark. Last week, the corresponding group from the 10th were playing with Glo-balls. By the time they got to the bottom of the hill, the ladies were queuing behind, counting how many groups we still had to go. As the only group of three in our field of eighteen members and one guest (Jake, though he hardly seems like a guest), they soon streaked ahead of the field, and started expressing some concern as to how many beers they would have consumed before the rest of the field fronted the judges. They must have showed some restraint, as they both were still upright at the end of the day. We can only assume that Ryan made it to the party on time. The Birthday Birdie says happy many more to the little one who now has one under the belt.
There was ice in lots of places to start the day. On the top of rubbish bins, among the leaf litter under the oaks, but especially underfoot on the fairways. Double socks were the order of the day, although some hardy types still turned out in their shorts. Pres reckons he feels restricted in longs. Eventually, it started to warm a little and the ice melted, and, it seems, that a few golfers took a while to warm up as well. Brendon was one who used most of his handicap on the front nine, with one contribution to his troubles being a power shank to end all power shanks. After the seventh, though, he really knuckled down and finished the last eleven holes right on par, with a couple of birdies off-setting a couple of bogies. This effort helped our birdie total to eight, and did minimal damage to his handicap, with only the winner’s penalty in play.
Wazza played his first competition round today, and it didn’t take him long to get some points on the board, as he finished just a point behind Brendon to take second place. Approach play probably let him down on more than one occasion, but, he has been sneaking out for a bit of practice during the week. So, watch out for Wazza! You could just about hear CJ salivating for the entire round. By the fifth hole, he had already scored three beers, thanks to efforts by Jake, Pres, and Bobbie. Fortunately, SOS was going to drive him most of the way home. CJ’s 34 points was just that little better than Pres could manage, so the Brothers Priems took out the points for third and fourth. Just to spoil the chances of handing out minimum points, Stan, Craig, and Ken all presented to collect a point each for fifth place. Stan could have easily missed out on his spot, if not for a putt on the 10th, that came to an absolute stop on the edge of the cup until a blade of grass must have given way, and the ball fell in.
The first BallPin was on the 4th, and there were not too many contenders for the honour. Porks put in a bid, but CJ was able to trump him for the pill. The Jackpot ProPin on the 12th saw quite a number of potential contenders, but Pepsi had put in an early claim at 2.2m, which you would have to reckon was in with a good chance. But, Marc laid one up to 1.52m to take the heavy money that was on offer. Marc didn’t make it to the list of birdies, but neither did he three putt, as some suggested. The 18th green resisted all attempts at holes-in-one, or even getting a ball onto the green, so there is a Double Jackpot there next week.
Gordo’s score was apparently not helped by managing to put his ball up close and personal to a tree that left no option but to play backwards, or sideways at best, on several occasions. SOS was bragging about having found one of Pepsi’s balls in the rough somewhere. This was based on an inscription on the ball that good manners prevents repeating here. SOS also thought he might have ventured OOB on the 13th, when his ball was heard to clang on the green control box on the left. His provisional finished on the green, so he sort of hoped that his first might actually be out. It wasn’t, and having been denied relief from the effects of the green obstruction, he played a great shot that finished, as nicely as you please, in the hole. After Harry managed to putt way past the hole on the second, he reckoned that it must have been the ice on the green that caused it to slip past. Bob’s buggy was in the news today when it suffered a capsize, as he traversed across the slope down towards the fairway on the 17th. He also sold the fancy rain cover to SOS, who reckons it was probably because he couldn’t get it out of the bag that it came in, because SOS was struggling to do so as well. Gordo found the trees with his drive on the first, didn’t make much of a fist of his second, and left his third short of the green. Adam had smashed his drive and landed his second nicely on the green. Gordo chipped it in for his par, while Adam took three to finish with a bogie. Adam probably felt there was no justice in this world as a result.
Results for Saturday, 14 Jun 2025
1st Brendon Mitchell (36) 2nd Warren Capes (35) 3rd Chris Priems (34) 4th Robert Priems (33) 5th Stan Blackshaw (32) 5th Craig Cameron (32) 5th Ken Watson (32)
Seniors Results: 1st Chris Priems (34) 2nd Robert Priems (33) 3rd Craig Cameron (32) 3rd Ken Watson (32) 3rd Stan Blackshaw (32)
Nearest the Pin Results: ProPin – 12th Marc Phillips BallPin No 1 – 4th Chris Priems BallPin No 2 – 18th Jackpot