Last Sunday witnessed the third series of matches in the Rabbits Winter League. The sun shone down, the course sparkled with the early morning dew. In conditions like this there was sure to be excellent scoring. And so it turned out.
Indeed Ray Bowen and Peter Cray were subjected to a display of golf quite unparalleled in the history of the Rabbits. Against them Dave Moran and Simon Evans were on song and after nine holes were just one over par. Out in 35 shots sounds good, but when one allows for handicaps their performance was a true net 23. The defeated pair were generous in their praises. But news of this splendid scoring had quickly reached the ears of the Divot section of the club. They were shaken rigid by the glad tidings, for early in the New Year the Rabbits play the Divots, and the Divots had become nervous.
They retreated into conclave, emerging some time later with ashen faces and a proposal for the New Year match to be played under rules quite foreign to those proclaimed by the Royal and Ancient. Simply they proposed a limitation on handicaps to an absurd maximum of four per match. Stating they regarded this annual match to be one of fun and pleasure and not one that they had to win.
The Rabbits captain, who is normally a soft touch, heard out patiently their proposal and agreed with them that the joy of this forthcoming fixture was one of competing and not just winning. But rules are rules and the normal half of combined difference on official club handicaps would prevail.
For, if we do not keep to the rules, then a lawless game will break out and the purity of golf abandoned. The Divots it seems are fundamentally decent people and will not want to sacrifice the harmony that exists between the two sections. Even though at present the Rabbits are odds on favourites, and all just love their shots receivable.
Returning to the golf itself, Sunday in the Rabbits camp was a meeting place of Rabbit legends of the past.
The club president, Mr. Gwyn Tibbs, was out on the course, gracing all with his presence. Here he was playing as a substitute with Brian Dooley; a combination of class, experience and youth. However, even this divine pairing could not upset the even more experienced George Pegg and the youthful Stephen Watkinson this day, with George and Stephen triumphing three and two.
And the great Tom McLean was back too, assisting Philip Marsden in a surprise victory over Glyn Price and John Murphy. They say that the great Tom more than just assisted. In fact, he dragged his partner through this tight match. What a player he is. Slow swing, relaxed; and over perhaps 25 years in the Rabbits has never lost his edge. A pride of Scotland indeed. One must suppose it is about him that the Scottish sports fans sing before their international matches.
There was Peter Moss also, a player with a long distinguished Rabbit history. Goodness, in 1971 AD wasn't it Peter who re-wrote the history books with his amazing victory double of Rabbits League winner and Junior Cup holder? He too has never lost his sharpness, but he may have reminded us of his golden age as he and his partner George Spain were on the receiving end of a heavyish defeat by the juggernauts Colin Smith and Ian Thomas. This latter pair look invincible and it would be a foolish man to bet against them in their pursuit of silverware at season's end.
Poor George Spain, who has been working so hard for the Rabbits' organisation this year in arranging substitutes, had the misfortune to lose two perfectly struck drives to marauding crows out on the course. He could not play against Juggernauts and these thieving birds at the same time. Everyone was happy for him when he won two balls in the raffle!
David Morgan and Gordon Glaves both gained their first league points and move off the foot of the table. Their faces after play, in the interview tent, were wreathed in smiles of joy. Both were too excited to speak coherently, but your correspondent did hear Gordon describing those precious points as being better than a virgin's first kiss, whatever he meant by that. To illustrate further his joy, he described the vanquished opponents Peter Watkins and Mike Munro as gentlemen. There is an intensity in the Rabbits League this year.
Tom Pritchard and John Murcott, playing Phil Carpenter and Steve Cole, had a terrific game, with the match ending in a pulsating half. All had to take sedatives after this fight. It is a pity TV had not screened it, so skilled was the play.
Two pairs have no points at this early stage of the season. Ron Murphy and Steve Harris went under to the favoured pair Brian Hartley and Norman Goddard. Norman, another veteran appearing this week, and a Three Counties champion of the early '90s, commented on their opponents that the way they play they will soon be off the bottom rung.
The same goes for Clive Law and Jonathon Broome who held Mike Anthony and John Stevenson to a close result in a game of much skill.
On the domestic scene, the society is doing its best to cement the best relations possible with our colleagues in the Divots for the trial ahead. Also everyone in the Rabbits was overjoyed to learn that Mike Anthony will be society captain in year 2003.
He has charm, leadership and abundant ability. The Rabbits are very well blessed.
The results were: C. P. Marsden and T. J. McLean bt G. J. Price and J. S. Murphy 4 and 2; D. Morgan and G. Glaves bt P. Watkins and M. Munro 1 up; G. Pegg and S. Watkins bt G. Tibbs and B. Dooley 3 and 2; T. Pritchard and J. Murcott halved with P. Carpenter and S. Cole; M. Anthony and J. Stevenson bt C. Law and J. Broome 4 and 3; D. Moran and S. Evans bt R. Bowen and P. Cray 5 and 4; C. Smith and I. Thomas bt P. Moss and G. Spain 6 and 5; B. Hartley and N. Goddard bt R. F. Murphy and S. Harris 4 and 2.