Ninety-six bleary eyed golfers gathered at Tenby Golf Club early on Saturday morning to prepare for the 7 am shotgun start of the annual Phillip Booth Texas Scramble competition. This year is the fifth time the event has been held and its popularity is confirmed by the increasing number of competing teams.
The competition is based on the Cranby scoring system with shots deducted or added to each team's gross score dependant on the total sum of the handicaps of the four players in each team. Scoring is always very low as in most cases the players choose the best of four shots, from tee until holing out. The only exception is that each player must have four of his drives recorded on the score card. Towards the end of the round, matters can become a little tense if one or two players are out of form.
To offset the increase to their gross score teams of mainly low handicap players like to include a high handicapper. And it was one such team which took the honours. First, with a nett score of 62, seven shots better than the white box par of 69, was the team of Oliver Duckett, Gareth Rees, Rob Hall and Gavin Field-Thomas. Their round included eight birdies and 10 pars, with no dropped shots, an excellent achievement.
Two shots behind with a nett 64, and taking second place on a last nine count back, were Richard Morton, Ken Breaker, Steve Evans and Martin Morris.
In third place were Nigel Ayers, Viv James, Dan Cope and Andrew North, also with a nett 64.
After the golf, a welcoming Champagne breakfast was provided for all the players by the event sponsor, Mr. Phillip Booth, of Booths Leisure Group, who also presented the prizes. The event raised £240 for charity, and with Mr. Booth generously adding a further £260, Tenby Cottage Hospital will receive a total donation of £500.