Last Sunday, the weather was made for high quality golf. After the recent wet, windy, cold and bleak week, it turned warm, sunny and still. Late morning temperatures crept into the low 60s. The scene was set. Simon Evans was the most dramatic, scoring a hole-in-one. Unfortunately, it was the wrong hole and partner John Murphy was quite brilliant in finding the ball. However, this was their only moment of glory as they subsided to Fred Adlam and Paul James by four and two. Fred and Paul scored two birdies, which is probably overdoing things just before Christmas. Stephen Price is like a formula one racing car. When the tuning is right, it goes, but when a minor problem of timing occurs, it splutters, slows and grinds to a halt. In Stephen Price's case, it was the minor problem of putting. All other parts of his game were of Ryder Cup standard. Partner Paul Davies just stared into the distance with a glazed look, each time S. Price unwrapped his putter. Naturally they lost, going down by four and three to the big-hitting Mike Hale and Chris Smith, who now stand equal first in the league. This pair are quite awesome. They will take some stopping. This week, though, Chris Smith and Mike Hale were attacked by a marauding magpie on the sixth. Your correspondent has never ever witnessed such an event before. Maybe a lion, tiger or rhino, but never a magpie. They fled in line like the Keystone Cops, terrified. Maybe they don't have the nerve to take the title. You need moral fibre and courage to win the Rabbits League. I think this pair are not quite stout enough. Sitting in joint top position are George Pegg and John Hunt, who took Jerry Whitehouse and Macky Harts to the cleaners this week. George Pegg is the longest-serving Rabbit, having been around since the commencement of the Rabbits League 43 years ago. Indeed, he won a major in season 1980/81, but George has never aged. To the spectators out on the course, his lean frame, athletic stride, his poise and suppleness mark him out as a 30-year- old. Your correspondent backs him and John Hunt for silver at season's end. Should they be the Victor Ludorums, I understand they will both speak at the victory dinner. Twenty minutes each. I am surprised to note the very low position of Rabbits captain Stephen Harries and partner Derrick Farley in the league, for they are true pedigree golfers. I think the administration is getting the captain down. After their most recent loss to Stephen Watkins and Richard Caley, standing in for Glyn Price, your correspondent interviewed the Rabbits captain in his slough of despond. He was very worried about the very low numbers of children booked in for the visit of Santa Claus at the Christmas party on December 18. He declared 19 to date. (Editor's note: "Any more and the place will be bedlam"). The captain feels there should be more children and was proposing to conduct a seminar to guide the Rabbits into how to have babies. Goodness captain, the Rabbits are not insects. I am sure they know how to breed. Sadly, it is reported there was another loss for Eugene Boyd and Mark Edwards and they sit low in the table, fretful. They lost this week to a resurgent Dave Moran and Steve Hockings, now becoming ascendant. For very good reasons, and most generously too, Tenby Golf Club are providing and asking members to use mats on the fairways to halt winter damage. This is laudable and members enjoy the mats and no longer have to drop in semi-rough when their drives are dead centre of the fairway... a particular Rabbit trait. So far, Eugene Boyd does not like his mat and so he languishes low in the league. But all who understand golf, can say to him that one day he will love his mat and will never wish to play without it. Currently, however, he describes the present state as 'Crazy Golf'. Marvellous. But reader, by Christmas, Eugene will be asking for a spare in his stocking. Rees Davies and M. K. Munro are climbing up the league. Birdies are becoming a habit with them. Ben Blake and Jason Rolfe suffered this week. There is one more league match before Christmas. Then on December 18 is the big big seasonal extravaganza, the Dilwater. Then there is a break and combat will recommence with the annual bloodletting match against the Divots on January 8. The Rabbits are once again much favoured. Curiously, the Divots of late have become a little more human. This last week the Divots loaned a raffle ticket book to the Rabbits when the Rabbits were in crisis. Tenby Observer readers will not think this is anything, but those who have observed the scene for years will agree this new spirit of co- operation is earth-shattering. The Rabbits all concurred when the reason came forth. The current Divots captain, Rob Hall, was a Rabbit many years ago. He was taught the fairway of life with us. The Rabbits have been fortunate to receive a valuable bequest. Indeed, they have been given the cellar of a former and much revered former Rabbit, John Louis. The Rabbits committee are now in enclave deciding best uses; and in the meantime the captain's seminar on 'How to Procure Babies' will be held every other Tuesday at 7.30 pm in the clubhouse. Admission by ticket only. The Rabbits are in very good condition. The results were: G. Pegg and J. Hunt beat J. Whitehouse and M. Harts 5 and 4; M. Hale and C. Smith beat S. Price and P. Davies 4 and 3; S. Watkins and R. Caley beat D. Farley and S. Harries 2 and 1; R. Davies and M. K. Munro beat B. Blake and J. Rolfe 5 and 4; W. Beynon and D. Thomas beat D. Morgan and A. Allen walkover; F. Adlam and P. James beat S. Evans and J. S. Murphy 4 and 2; D. Moran and S. Hockings beat E. Boyd and M. Edwards 5 and 4; R. F. Murphy and Dafydd Evans had a bye this week.
