After a drizzly drive to way-out Newport, Pembs. last Thursday, and with high hopes of redeeming our pride from the last drubbing received from Newport at home, no less, the afternoon turned out just fine. Sunshine and clear views across the Newport estuary form a splendid location for golf; well, who could ask for better?

"I could," said stand-in skipper John D. R. Williams, as he delivered his pre-match pep talk. "Every man to do his bit for... etc., etc," and after pre-match refreshments had put most of the Tenby players in good humour, the clarion call for 'the bits' was heeded by no less than five pairings, with one pair going slightly deaf, and the other five pairs having an impediment that augurs ill for future matches in the season!

JDR and David (Dai) Rees had an excellent game against Newport captain Malcolm Jack and Tony Greatex, with favourable bounces of the ball, even though Malcolm was in fine form. You can't beat a bit of favourite bounce, especially in a 3 and 2 win, and not a sign of the Barclays from David Rees either, a good omen for the Tenby team. JDR's legs almost won the day's Betty Grable award, and would have if it hadn't been for the hairs.

A loss for Tenby came from Brian Waters and Roy Gundry, better known to his legion of admirers as 'Bob Grumbly'. This was a 5 and 4 win for Ralph Nichols and Tony Bailey, with Roy doing his best to restrain himself from being banned for verbal abuse of the ball (and players alike).

The scoreline didn't really tell the whole story, as Tony's handicap of 24 saw him play like he was 10, and occasionally the Newport pairs parentage was called in to question by the inimitable Roy, when things didn't exactly go their way.

"I drove the ball really well," said Roy. "But couldn't get into the game."

Nevertheless, some good golf came from Tenby, so things couldn't have been all bad - could they?

Newport's Barry Onions gave a guided tour of the links, along with partner Graham Thomas, as they struggled manfully against a currently in form Ken Fletcher and David (piano) Morgan.

"A difficult game," said David, but there's no satisfying Ken is there. If every putt doesn't go into the hole without touching the sides, there must be something wrong somewhere. A perfectionist I think is the term, and it sums up Ken's attitude to the game, as he and David came home by 2 and 1.

The next four matches were the domain of the aurally, orally, and visually impaired section of the day's Tenby Seniors. David Evans and Roy Morgan started the rot (sorry about the choice of expression) against Terry Grover and Tony Hemmings, with a 2 and 1 loss. Roy said that he would have to take out a mortgage on a confessional box, while David reckoned he was generous to a fault!

Denzil Thomas and Colin Griffith, although 'buggyised', were 'marmalised' by John Holmes and Cyril Smith, and Ken Gouldsbrough with Des Stone should have made the grade, but after playing some of the best golf of the day lost on the 18th green.

A start of birdie, par, par, should have been the ideal openers for John Hancock and Alan Keating, but they found themselves one down to a very good pairing in Gareth Evans and John Jones. Things then went from bad to worse, and even par golf for a time wasn't good enough, so another 5 and 4 loss was recorded for Tenby.

Brightest spot of the day came from back in form Vince Shaw, and Derek Bath, who had a massive 9 and 7 win over Lloyd Williams and Richard Fowles. The Newport pair must have been completely shell-shocked. We thought something must have happened for them to disappear from the course so early. Little did we know why! Great to see such form.

Two more good wins for Tenby came from Owen Monaghan and Clifton John, whose prior visit to the church at Eglwyswrw obviously did a power of good, and with Newman Vincent and Bart Youll. Newman said that late starter Bart turned out to be a star, and was glad to have him aboard. Yo ho ho! But no bottle of rum.

Finally, the only half of the match came from Fred Wilks and Richard Morgan, this due in no small part to Fred, who, having a stroke on the 18th, promptly had an air shot, that caused his partner Richard to call him names. Opponents David Jones and Cledwyn Davies called Fred a different sort of name and took the half with some alacrity.

After a super match meal, served up by a bevy of Newport beauties, that led to speculations of transfer fees etc., Newport's Seniors captain Malcolm Jack, welcomed the Tenby team under the auspices of next year's Tenby captain JDR Williams, and remarked yet again on the most excellent 9-1 win for Newport at Tenby earlier on in the year, and said that the actual half taken on the day, showed Tenby's enthusiasm for revenge, but hard luck!

JDR replied on behalf of a slightly crest fallen side, and thanked Malcolm for a super day out, and said that Newport gets better each year that we visit, and who could fault that observation. The green staff had done a tremendous job, as had the caterers, but he had to apologise to Malcolm for bringing his reserve team, but of course, next year would be different! But a good result.

A shame to leave really, but all good things have to come to an end sometime, and there's always next year.

J. B. H.