Last Sunday saw the concluding games in the Divots Winter League, with the final positions at both the top and bottom dependant on the outcome.
First match away saw Gareth Rees and Ian Thomas requiring victory against David Douglas-Law and Andrew North to have any hope of avoiding the wooden spoon. David and Andrew, meanwhile, had designs on third spot.
A good close battle followed, with only one hole in it up to the turn. All square playing the back nine, Gareth and Ian's par on the 10th edged them in front again. However, David and Andrew kept the pressure on all the while, and when David's tee shot drove the green on the 13th, Gareth and Ian's par was not good enough!
Inspired by this, Gareth and Ian birdied the 14th to take a one hole lead over the line. This was extended when playing the next, with three out of the four second shots finding the railway line! A half on the 16th saw Gareth and Ian dormie two up.
Playing the 17th, Ian's hook towards the bushes put the pressure on Gareth, who delivered the goods, and with David and Andrew having only one ball in play just short of the bunker, David fancied playing a little bump and run through the dip and onto the green. When Gareth found Ian's ball after being told not to bother, he showed David how to play the same shot, ending up within six inches of the pin. Unable to match that, a victory for Gareth and Ian meant waiting to see if Kenny and Roger would suffer defeat, in order for the wooden spoon to be avoided.
Second away was the title decider between Adam 'Elvis' Joseph and Mike Anthony playing against Tim Edwards and Nick Rogers - substituting for Laurence Lindsay, who unfortunately found himself in hospital with a viral infection, despite making it into the clubhouse prior to tee-off. A get well message is sent from all. Tough men these Divots, you know!
The importance of winning could not be over-stressed by Elvis who had had a private telephone line put into Mike's house so he could discuss tactics during the week. With the mornings getting lighter, Elvis had also returned the key to Heatherton that Charles had lent him so he could warm up before playing.
Stretching on the tee like an India rubber man, Elvis and Mike set out their stall early on, going two up after two holes, and thinking it would be a breeze. Tim and Nick soon put paid to that idea, however, winning the next hole.
The desperation to win meant nothing was given and reaching the turn four down, poor Tim and Nick smiled wryly.
A birdie three from Elvis and Mike on the 10th was only good enough to halve the hole - it was that sort of game, fitting for the championship.
When Elvis drove through the 13th green, ending up on the path in front of the 14th, the fire in his belly was still alight, and a chip and a putt meant the title was secured - Elvis and Mike, champions at last!
Next away saw Michael Schooling and Nigel Ayers playing against David Ayers, substituting for Niclas Thomas, partnering Martin Durham.
A close game this one, with both pairings playing for pride, and Niclas and Martin having a chance of finishing third should they win. Now every time that Nigel has played against his son he has never won, and despite birdies on the 14th by David and Martin and on the 14th by Michael and Nigel, the game still remained all square.
On the 17th, with Michael doing his Baldrick impersonation, stating that "I have a cunning plan" to run the ball down the dip adjacent to the bunker and onto the green, Gareth Rees style, yet another halved hole was the result.
On the last, with all to play for, both Michael and Nigel used local knowledge in aiming for the newly-constructed wall and saw the ball ricochet some 40 yards up the fairway!
All approach shots were some 20-foot away from the flag, and with Michael and Nigel putting close, a half looked likely. Up stepped David and, from off the green, sunk his putt for a birdie three and victory.
The watching spectators from the warmth of the clubhouse could tell that Nigel had lost the match from his body language, with the comment afterwards being "gutted." Never mind, at least one member of the Ayers household was happy - oh and there was the small matter of securing third place.
Fourth game saw Richard Chapman and Gavin Field-Thomas playing Mickey Barrett and Mark Duckett. A mid-table clash this, with big hitting the order of the day.
Mickey, fresh from winning the medal, the twos sweep and the bag draw, the day before, found he had used up all his luck. You know when Gavin is in the lead, you can hear him, and this brought the comment of playing against Tweedledum and Tweedledee, from Mickey and Mark - no prizes for guessing who's who!
There was a good standard of golf played, though, and when Mickey and Mark got on the 14th for two, it meant the match would have to go over the line, despite Richard and Gavin being three up. With a shot on the 16th, Richard and Gavin secured victory.
The post-match comment was that it was easy, and a buoyant Gavin stated that "he now had something in common with Crammy... we both hadn't shot 80 before yesterday" - although there was no mention of this when Brian entered the clubhouse shortly after. I wonder why!
Last away saw Loz Phillips and Neil Dickinson playing Kenny Breaker and Roger Schooling, with Gareth and Ian hoping that Loz and Neil would do the business, following their victory earlier.
Word was that Kenny and Roger were four up after playing the 10th, and victory seemed a formality. However, standing on the 11th tee, Roger realised that he had played two shots in succession on the 10th, and being the honest gentleman that he is, informed the group, who agreed after discussion that loss of hole would apply, and when they lost the 11th, Kenny and Roger went from standing on the tee at four up to being only one up. That must have hurt!
Going over the line two up, Kenny and Roger must have felt pretty good, only to see Loz and Neil win the 15th and the 17th - all square, game on!
With a large crowd watching from the clubhouse, the news had been relayed back that it was all square. Only Kenny and Roger's second shot had found the green, despite Loz and Neil being closer, but just off. When Loz took the flag out, everyone knew that his putt would have to go in, and seeing it go at least six-foot past the hole, cries of another Hanse Cronje were rife! Kenny and Roger, knowing that a half was good enough, calmly rolled their putt into gimme territory, and with Neil missing the return putt, secured victory in the process.
And so the honours are decided, with Adam 'Elvis' Joseph and Mike Anthony crowned champions and Gareth Rees and Ian Thomas taking the dreaded wooden spoon.
Results were as follows: G. Rees and I. Thomas bt D. Douglas-Law and A. North 3 and 1; A. Joseph and M. Anthony bt T. Edwards and N. Rogers 6 and 5; D. Ayers and M. Durham bt M. Schooling and N. Ayers 1 up; R. Chapman and G. Field-Thomas beat M. Barrett and M. Duckett 4 and 3; K. Breaker and R. Schooling bt L. Phillips and N. Dickinson 1 up.
There is still the matter of playing against the Rabbits on Sunday, a shotgun start this, with players starting on the tee that is the same position as they finished in the league. Playing off the 'stones', American foursomes is the format, with half the combined difference being the handicap allowance, and no maximum. Should be a good game, with the rivalry not quite as fierce as it has been. A Divot victory is expected, although with all those shots given, you never know!