Last Sunday the Tenby Rabbits played their third game in the three Counties League, this time at Garnant's Park, deep, deep within the Black Mountains.
So far the Tenby team have an unbeaten home record, but the expected away victory has not yet materialised.
This year four new teams have entered the League, one of which is Garnant's Park and, in normal circumstances, Tenby would have served the ultimate golfing experience on their opponents. But regrettable this week, the Rabbits had a team ravaged by injuries - mainly broken metatarsals in the left foot - and further handicapped by non-availabilities through wedding anniversaries, delayed Mother's Day lunches, the birth of kittens in the family and flu.
Selection had been most difficult, and finding the hidden course in the Carmarthenshire countryside had brought stress to many.
Double figure eight manoevres around Llandeilo had been the navigational norm. And it wasn't helped by the first sighting of the course, high, high up a mountain. Even our courageous Highland Scotsman, Tom McLean, was heard to declare the height made him giddy and he doubted whether his game could ever be adapted to the thin air.
A further problem for the Tenby standard bearers was the fact that they had never played the Garnant's course before, and all golfing experts will agree that this is no recipe for success.
The Tenby course is a classic dune course requiring tremendously accurate placement of the drive, precision approaches and occasionally that clever pitch, bump and run shot to the hole.
The Garnant's Park course is quite different with its length at over seven thousand yards. Here the golfer needs to lash his drive Tiger Woods' distances, followed by high iron shots over knolls and crags to distant greens with cambers and naps quite foreign to the Tenby stars.
The Tenby Rabbits faced a severe test, in a foreign land just below the snow line. The views were amazing which provided some compensation. the course too was brilliant but testing.
Simon Evans and John Cook playing number one were true spearheads and ripped the hearts out of their Garnant equivalents in an unsurpassable display of skillful power golf. Alas though, there was little sting in the tail in the rest of the team and the Tenby heroes sank to defeat by a score which will not be reported in the Observer this week for it would be misconstrued and misunderstood by readers. The score does not always echo the fights out there on the course!
Nevertheless the Rabbits had carried themselves with distinction and excelled in the post match formalities, as is their way.
And so the team remains unbeaten at home, but with little to show from the away fixtures to date.
The next fixture is again away this Sunday at Haverfordwest but fortunately the Tenby team know this course well, and under the lead of Mr Glyn Price will no doubt resume their winning ways. for as one of the Rabbit superstars Michael Anthony said at Garnant's Park last Sunday, "When you know the course you can almost shoot your pars blindfold." So all should be redeemed this coming weekend.
Much thought has gone into the away match disappointments and really the answer we think can be likened to purchasing that wonderful wine you have discovered whilst holidaying abroad. You know the story.
There, in that little Bistro in the Beaujolais region of France, you sample a vintage and it is nectar from the gods. You bring a case home with you. Invite your friends to dinner. Uncork a couple of bottles and serve it. It tastes like vinegar.
Simply like many of the best vintages the Rabbits are not travelling well at the moment!
Luck runs out for Seniors
On Thursday, May 2, Tenby Seniors suffered the indignity of a thumping 8-2 matches home loss to Newport (Pembs.). Left-handed Senior's Captain Malcolm's luck finally ran out with his team selection against a right-handed Captain Malcolm from Newport. This ended the winning streak of five consecutive matches at the start of the season.
Having halved the first match, the two "Malcolms" anxiously awaited the results as members of their teams arrived back at the clubhouse.
The formidable 2nd pairing of "steady" John Hancock and Colin Griffiths were soon to be seen drowning their sorrows with "red Medicine," having been out-putted by another JDR (J.H. cannot get away from him), this time in the form of the Newport Vice-Captain John D. R. Nicholas.
The double "Tony" act of Morris Ranoe rescued a half on the 18th with a 20 yard "Morris" special putt, the putt getting longer as the evening wore on!
The normally reliable Bob Storey/Newman Vincent combination were truly beaten. With Ken Gouldsbrough, John Williams victorious on the 18th (having been 4 up on the 9th), Captain Malcolm's blood pressure returned to normal as the match results were even after 4 games.
However, the tailenders unusually collapsed with David Rees, Denzil Thomas, John Bonar, Bob Harris, Rob Williams, Derek Bath, Clifton John and Bart Youll losing their respective matches.
After the team dinner, Senior's Captain Malcolm Arlott welcomed our visitors, congratulating them on their fine win. He then offered his resignation as Captain in order to spend more time with his young wife Pat and family! He really was not well, the strain had been too much, one could tell!
In reply the Newport Captain, after complimenting the course condition and the true, fast greens, rubbed further salt into Malcolm's wounds. He proudly announced that history had been made in that he was the first Senior's Captain to preside over a winning Newport team at Tenby. Our archivist is still checking out the match scores over the past century!
However, they say it is all about camaraderie with the Seniors and I am sure the story will be different after our next away match at Cardigan, so much so that Captain Malcolm has even handed over the team selection of our Treasurer Ken Gouldsbrough, so look out Ken.
J.D.R.W.