With a visit to Newport (Pembs) for the last time this year, Tenby had high hopes of repeating the last win at home, and with the forecasted rain holding off for the start of the match, at least it looked dry for the attempt
Showing the way off the first tee, Newport's captain Ralph Nicholas and Tony Bailey were quickly into their stride against the Tenby captain John D. R.Williams and partner David Morgan. Hard nuts to crack are these Newport boys, and it was with a heavy heart and a sinking feeling as well, that J. D. R and David had to call time on the 15th. Not an auspicious start to the afternoon for John, and having been well and truly admonished by his vice-captain for driving into him on a couple of occasions didn't help at all, but Ralph and Tony could be excused their elation, as they had done the double on J. D. R, albeit with a different partner.
"Plan B is being enacted behind us," said John, as he surveyed his troops from afar.
David Leeke and I were up against a very strong pairing in Phillip Turner and Alan Griffiths. It was an excellent game that had everything. From being three up and looking like a stroll in the park, we went to sleep for a time, and I confess to a lack of putting ability. Coming back to all-square woke us up, and David struck two vital blows. One on 14 where an offered half was turned down, and again on 15, when his tee shot finished up six feet beyond the pin to put us back in the lead, and finding the putting touch again on 16, allowed us to shake hands on a good win.
By this time, the skies were beginning to look a bit greyer, and a fresh northerly breeze was bringing in a few odd spots of rain, and David Evans and John Cook, were keen to get on and do a job of work over Roy Davies and David Williams. But being sandbagged by a 28 handicapper who was out-driving him by 30 yards, didn't do David Evans's normally placid nature a lot of good. Neither did the 14 stableford points by Roy over the first five holes help either. He was backed up admirably by David Williams, and it was only the knuckling down, and getting stuck in by the Tenby pair, that finally wore down the Newport pairing, and a well earned 1 up was taken, thankfully!
Roy Gundry partnered John Hall for the first time, against Chris James and Barry Onions. John must have wondered about Roy's first tee shot, and who he was partnering. It certainly wasn't Seve, although he could be wayward as well, but they got their act together, and made a good win on the 18th after a real ding dong of a game. The experience of playing with Roy doesn't seem to have dented John's enthusiasm in the seniors thankfully. In fact, he couldn't get his name down quick enough for the remaining matches! But this win was perking up John D. R. no end!
From being three down at one stage against John P. Jones and Rhidian Smith, Malcolm Arlott and Vince Shaw put their sandy excursions to one side, and even overcame memories of stinging nettle patches, to come back from the dead, to record the only half of the day.
"A cracking game," said Vince and Malcolm in unison, as they went one up with two to play, only to lose the 17th. But well taken 4s on the last ensured that the two pairs were honours even, and an even better half was taken in the clubhouse.
A solid game plan from Geoff Aston and Barry Frayne that involved bribery with KitKats, and goodness knows what else that went on, saw them home in style against Terry Grover and Malcolm Owen. The saving of par from the sand on 16 was the crunch in a fine 4 and 3 win for Tenby, and left Terry rueing what could have been.
John Charnock and Peter Hart were given a lesson in Newport golf, by Gareth Evans and Gareth Thomas. These two were the archetypal gentlemen on the course; there was no kicking, biting or gouging going on, just a good game of golf between new friends made on the day. Needless to say, a loss to Tenby, but a gain in the friendship stakes.
Dave Miller and Derek Bath were going great guns against Geoff Lewis and Glen Evans, until the threatened rain started to fall in some degree.
"A wonderful game until then," said Dave, and a tacit agreement from both sides on the 4 and 3 win for Tenby, meant that an early order for the match meal was in sight.
After an eagle on the first by Ian Peters and Colin Mundy, followed in quick succession by another run of winning holes, Colin Griffith and Bob Harris were left looking a little frazzled. But they showed their mettle and the colour of their money, to come back from that devastating four down after five shock - I nearly said it the other way round, and Colin said that it felt like it - to come in with a splendid 2 up win over the Newport pair, which was like a shot in the arm.
Newman Vincent (pictured), returning to the fray after a spell in hospital, looked the picture of robust if not rude health, and partnered by the normally in form Jack Hasdell, were treated to a display of golf that almost defied description, from Dai Thomas and Alan Smith.
Newman said: "It was really a 1 up win as we finished on the 18th," but then proceeded to tell the tale that they had started on the third! What depths will golfers go to, when enhancing their games!
The trauma of being driven into so many times by his captain, obviously left Ken Gouldsbrough with a certain mental block over his game, and even a robust performance by partner Peter Woodhouse, could not stop Cyril Smith and Tony Greatex from recording a 2 and 1 win. This, on top of the aforementioned infringement by J. D. R. and being given information to the contrary regarding distances from the green, i.e. 200 yards instead of 150 yards, and having to watch the Newport lads hacking out of deep bushes, hitting the road and finishing close to the pin type of shots. No wonder there were slightly hysterical scenes in the showers!
Finally, Jim Taylor and Des Stone set the seal on a grand day out at Newport, with a good 1 up win over Glan Rees and Roy Phillips.
"Jim looked after me nicely," said Des. "He dragged me out of sand, bushes and marram grass." Sounds like an adventurous game, doesn't it?
Ralph Nicholas extended a very warm welcome indeed to John D. R. Williams and the Tenby team, and thanked J.B.H. for the last Newport v Tenby report in the Tenby Observer. Crikey, was it that bad? Ralph also gave the result as a win for Tenby by 7.5 to 4.5, to loud cheers from Tenby.
John Williams replied for Tenby, by thanking Ralph and Newport for their superb hospitality and for the excellent catering supplied, and for Newport in accommodating 24 from Tenby. He also apologised to his vice-captain for driving into him on numerous occasions. A situation that Ken Gouldsbrough was going to take a long time to recover from! All in all, a very enjoyable day indeed, and we can't wait for next year.
Results, Newport names first: R. Nicholas and T. Bailey bt J. D. R. Williams and D. Morgan 4 and 3; A. Griffiths and P. Turner lost to J. Hancock and D. Leeke 3 and 2; R. Davies and D. Williams lost to D. Evans and J. Cook 1 up; C. James and B. Onions lost to R. Gundry and J. Hall 1 up; J. P. Jones and R. Smith halved with V Shaw and M. Arlott; M. Owen and T. Grover lost to G. Aston and B. Frayne 4 and 3; G. Evans and G. Thomas bt J. Charnock and P. Hart 3 and 2; G. Lewis and G. Evans lost to D. Miller and D. Bath 4 and 3; I. Peters and C. Mundy lost to C. Griffith and B. Harris 2 up; D. Thomas and A. Smith bt N. Vincent and J.Hasdell 4 and 2; C. Smith and T. Greatex bt K. Gouldsbrough and P.Woodhouse 2 and 1; G. Rees and R. Phillips lost to J. Taylor and D.Stone 1 up:
J.B.H.