Price and Edwards cause major sensation in Rabbits League
The day started disastrously. Bud French had been invited to substitute for the absent John Murphy and would be partnering George Pegg against Dave Moran and Bill Beynon, the leading pair in the league. Bud French, a giant of a man, and a considerable talent too, was very excited at the opportunity to tilt at these two canaries and arrived at the course early for practice. After four or five hundred practice shots he was loose and honed. Then sickness suddenly struck, the gastro kind, and it would be insensitive to describe any more. He was ushered off home to bed, clutching his stomach, and groaning. Readers must not be too worried about this, for the Rabbits committee purchased some flowers, a bunch of grapes, two pork pies and a sausage roll for him to carry. He would soon recover. One must apologise for this little diversion so soon in this match report, particularly as devotees are probably puzzling at the headline. Who are this Price and Edwards, who have caused a major sensation this week? For if this is fact they have defeated the little contenders Dave Morgan and Paul James, allegedly by two and one. Nobody really could accept this was possible, for the Rabbits captain, Stephen Price, was never appointed to his high position on grounds of golfing ability and it is probably fair to say that his partner Mark Edwards is one for the future. The truth machine had to be wheeled into the clubhouse and lo and behold this was found to be true. They had steamrollered their opponents and typically stated they were too big to handle. Shades of Dolly Parton here. We must move to the next matches quickly before becoming too engrossed in fairy tales. The next two matches were pulsating halves. Colin Smith and Rees Davies fought like mad against Fred Adlam and Dorian Thomas to share the points. Simon Evans with Stephen Harries also had a blistering half against R. F. Murphy and John Hunt. Should too many details of these two matches be reported the reader will need 'Prozac' to calm down. Let it just be said that wherever he is on the green Simon Evans will sink his putt and so it is that his games are always quick with the Rabbits conceding each time he reaches for his putter. Jason Rolfe is suffering because of his partner's indescribably bad play which goes on week after week. Jason did everything in his power in an attempt to climb a rung in the table, but fell to the in-form on-song Derek Farley and Anthony Allen by a slender five and four. But Anthony Allen did make one pertinent reflection after the game. In the previous week he had enjoyed a particularly succulent seven and six victory over the Divots. "You chaps were so much more challenging than those Divot blokes. It was a great game this week." In the next match it was a joy to welcome back into the league Roy Morgan. He has come in even at this late stage of the season to replace Tom Pritchard, whose business demands have forced him to pull out. Roy Morgan will now partner Macky Harts on a regular basis and this pedigree pairing will stand no nonsense from anyone. But this week Macky was absent, out of the country on Government business, and Mike Fox was brought into partner the Corinthian Roy, a real nugget of a team. They, however, could do nothing against Peter Watkins and Chris Smith, who eased to a nice two and one victory. Mike Munro found 14 balls on the course, but for once was not strictly on song with his golf. He and partner Stephen Watkins went down to Richard Caley and Brian Dooley three and two. 'This Dooley' is going places with his golf. Richard Caley sees him as a Divot in the not too distant future. Come to the Divots. They are always first into the clubhouse on Sundays and it was rather touching that they emitted little ripples of applause as each Rabbit arrived at the bar following their own games. Presumably this was after the Rabbits' moral victory against them the previous week. The Rabbits appreciated their warmth and decided to have a whip round to help them. The committee were pleased to announce the grand sum of 37p had been collected. Curiously, the Rabbits' captain had to leave early, leaving vice-captain Stephen Harries in charge. Evidently, the captain was going to see his wife off. Now nobody knows what he meant, but if anything juicy and reportable arises one presumes the Tenby Observer will put the Rabbits report on the front page next week. We all wait further news, but in the meantime this independent reporter can see and appreciate the wonderful fraternity of the Rabbits and marvel at their skills. The match results were as follows: S. Price and M. Edwards bt D. Morgan and P. James 2 and 1; Colin Smith and R. Davies halved with F. Adlam and D. Thomas; S. Evans and S. Harries halved with R. F. Murphy and J. Hunt; D. Farley and A. Allen bt P. Marsden and J. Rolfe 5 and 4; P. Watkins and Chris Smith bt R. Morgan and M. F. H. Fox 2 and 1; R. Caley and B. Dooley bt S. Watkins and M. Munro 3 and 2; D. Moran and W. Beynon bt G. Pegg and B. French on a walkover (sickness).
It's tough at the top - and bottom - of Divots League
After a long break for the Christmas and New Year festivities, the Divots returned to league action for the first time in over a month on Sunday. Their only outing since the beginning of December was the previous weekend's annual clash with rivals the Rabbits section, which the Divots had won comprehensively. So it was an eager bunch of golfers who gathered in the clubhouse ready to do battle on the links, only for that enthusiasm to be tempered somewhat when they stepped out to find themselves facing some rather testing conditions in the form of a near gale force wind. But these Divots are made of stern stuff and first to brave the elements were top-of-the-table pairing Ron Johns and Clive Law, who were up against formidable opponents in the shape of the two Gareths, namely Rees and Phillips. Both teams were undefeated before they took to the tee, and after 18 holes, that was how it remained, as they fought out an honourable halved match. Not that it was without its drama. Indeed, Ron and Clive were three up at the turn and looked to be heading for a comfortable win. But G and G obviously had other ideas and - despite Gareth (Rees that is) suffering a severe case of the shanks - they staged a remarkable fightback which saw them cut the deficit. The league leaders still held a one-hole advantage going down the last, however, only for Gareth (Phillips that is) to sink a pressure 10-foot putt on the final green to earn a well-deserved share of the spoils. "It was tough out there," admitted Clive afterwards. "A real battle in the wind." Second out were big-hitting Adam Joseph and his partner Rob Hall, who are among those still with serious title aspirations, against struggling Loz Phillips and Neil Dickinson. Before this eagerly-anticipated clash between the current captain and vice-captain, Loz and Neil were among the favourites to collect the wooden spoon this year... and nothing has changed since, as the bottom-placed pair were left slightly shaken, if not stirred, by their impressive opponents. "Our awesome power was too much for them," said Rob afterwards, as he enjoyed the chance to get one over on his captain. And who could argue with that? After falling two behind early on, Loz and Neil were always playing catch-up - and that was something they never managed to do. They did hang on to be still only two adrift after eight, but after that they were swept aside as Adam and Rob stepped up a gear to win 9, 10, 11 and 12 to go dormie and wrapped it up with a half on the next. As he sat in the clubhouse celebrating a big win, and a bonus point to boot, Adam remarked: "It was an enjoyable game in which a lot of respect was shown for each other." Loz would probably argue with that, however, after Rob slotted a superb curling 20-foot birdie putt on the 11th when a simple lag to the hole for a four would have been quite good enough, thank you! "That was not very sportsmanlike," commented a dejected Loz, who promised to put in some hard hours of practice before the next round of matches, as another defeat could well see an unwelcome addition to the kitchen drawer! Third match out on the course was something of a family affair, with Scott Davies and Nigel Ayers meeting head to head with Scott's father Steve and his partner Ian Thomas. Initially it was experience which told in this clash, as the latter pair took advantage of a bagful of shots to cruise into a commanding four-up lead after just seven holes. But that was as good as it got for them. After that, Scott and Nigel began to get their act together, turning the match on its head with a barrage of pars and birdies, including one on the short 17th where Nigel canned a tremendous 30-foot putt from the back of the green. It was all too much for Steve and Ian, who eventually succumbed by one hole, Ian admitting later that their opponents had "hit a hot streak" to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Scott, meanwhile, was just pleased to have beaten Dad! Now back to the battle at the basement. Before the festive break, among other contenders for the dreaded wooden spoon was the pairing of Andrew Morton and Gavin Field-Thomas. But, wait a minute, what had happened to our Gavin during the Yuletide sojourn? As the final match teed-off, spectators could hardly believe their eyes. Had he been off his food over Christmas? Had he been on the Atkins Diet? Had he been adhering to a strict training regime in the gym? Indeed, it was a new slimline partner who appeared with Andrew on this day. But as the early morning gloom lifted, all became clear. It was not Gavin at all. Sadly, due to work commitments, he has had to withdraw from the league, with his place being taken by another member of the Davies clan, this time young Christopher. Gavin's larger-than-life presence will certainly be missed by all in the Divots, but he would no doubt have been proud of his young replacement's performance last weekend, as Andrew and his new partner stormed away to be four up after four against fellow struggler Rob Willcox and substitute Roger Schooling (standing in for the absent Brian Hartley). Rob and Roger did manage to fight their way back into it, with the highlight being an eagle two on the 13th, where Roger holed his second shot after their opponents had knocked their own stiff for a birdie. Phew! Does it get any better than that? It did for Andrew and Christopher, who eventually got home by a 2 and 1 margin to pull clear of the bottom and leave Rob and regular partner Brian facing a vital clash with Loz and Neil in little more than a week's time. Watch this space! Sunday's results were: Gareth Rees and Gareth Phillips halved with Ron Johns and Clive Law; Adam Joseph and Rob Hall bt Loz Phillips and Neil Dickinson 6 and 5; Scott Davies and Nigel Ayers bt Stephen Davies and Ian Thomas 1 up; Andrew Morton and Christopher Davies bt Rob Willox and Roger Schooling 2 and 1.
Seniors' introduction to winter conditions
Was it a look of relief or trepidation showing on the faces of senior members as they arrived for Tuesday's roll-up and eclectic competition? Perhaps it was a bit of both, the anticipation of actually getting out on the course as a group certainly brought some joy to the hearts of the elderly statesmen. Of course, a few hardy souls had ventured out last week, but only succeeded in completing eight holes (the first six and the last two) and as they trudged in off the course they were met with, "You must be mad!" as the rest bowed their heads into the driving rain, scurrying to get to their cars. The trepidation felt between the shivers this week was in anticipation of the near gale force wind that drove across the seventh to 13th holes. And they were not to be disappointed as they sniffled and snuffled their way through the outer reaches of this demanding course. But then the wind always blows across the Burrows. The affect of the wind was reflected in the scores as the highest of the day was 33, with the lowest being 15, 16 and 18. Despite the conditions, John Charnock earned himself a two on the 17th, the only one of the day. We won't ask him what his total was, but suffice it to say there were eight seniors with a score of 23. This week's strong men were Brian Waters, Alex Lees and Derek Bath, while winners were: 1. Jim Taylor 33 pts (back nine); 2. Ken Goldsbrough 33; 3. John Cook 32 (back nine from Stan Hudson). There was interest in the up-to-date scores in the eclectic competition provided by David Morgan. Current leaders are Newman Vincent and Des Stone with net 51, followed closely by Mike Fox and John Charnock on 53 and John Cook on his own with 55. The majority have scores between 56 and 63 and the following have some work to do to catch up on the field: Roy Gundry, Philip Marsden and Brian Waters (64), Malcolm Arlott, Bob Harries (65) with Colin Griffiths (67) and Alf Hickman (68). There is still a long way to go and there will be much shuffling of positions between now and the final roll-up. Next week sees the seniors' contribution to the tsunami cause, in conjunction with the rest of the club. Entry fee will be doubled and this, along with a contribution from the seniors' fund, will go to the cause, so a good turnout is needed. If you can't make it, Brian will still take your money. On Tuesday, February 1, Roy has a special event planned - a South African Stableford which involves multiplication, so some practice scoring at home will be needed! The sheet is rapidly filling up with names for the Rosslare visit from March 29 to April 1 and deposits are now required.
Chicken damper
First of all, a little late but the thought is there, a Happy New Year to all Chickens old and new and to everyone who knows a Chicken or two. Chief Chicken Morran Boot hopes that everyone will have at least something of what they wish for in this coming year. But back to the game plan. We only lost one week as it happens, to poor weather, but last Friday wasn't exactly tropical was it? A stiff wind and a driving rain that was interspersed with driving drizzle as a distraction. But Chickens are made of stern stuff and there were quite a few bending their backs to pick up their balls. The damp conditions were stretching the mental processes of Morran, Ted Martin and Mick Johnston at the table, as some of the cards looked as though they had been through the wringer. But Mick didn't have that sort of problem with his new Christmas toy. A laptop calculator would you believe. But it still seemed to have the same buttons on it that tend to give erroneous results. Perhaps it's a clone of the old one! Jim Taylor looked a little bedraggled, but at least he had a two on the sixth. His recovery clubs were not doing their job either. They were putting him in trouble, and you may be seeing them in the Tenby Observer advert columns soon! Des Stone and David Leeke were going well, and thought that their scores in the inclement conditions were going to be good enough to take top spots. But John Hancock (pictured) was looking quite cheerful despite a handicap cut for his leading score of 26 points. Results: 1. John Hancock 26 pts (£1); 2. Des Stone and David Leeke 25 pts (50p). Twos: Jim Taylor (55p). No booby.
J.B.H.
Junior section
Some times wet, some times sunny, but always windy, the first medal of the month was played last Sunday. The early leaders in the Thomas Cup are Emma Guerreiro in Division One and Oliver Worley in Division Two. A splendid 69 by Emma should see the first cut in her adult handicap and an equally impressive 39 will certainly see a cut in Oliver's handicap. Well done to all 12 young golfers who braved the elements to play. The next competition will be the monthly medal on Sunday, February 6 - tee-off at the normal time of 10.26 am. Although there is no organised golf up until then, the tee is still booked for juniors every Sunday, so please feel free to use the times.
Testing conditions for monthly medal
The first monthly medal of 2005 was held on Saturday on an overcast and windy day. It was played off the blue boxes and that, together with the wind coming off the sea across the course, made it a real test of golf. This was further emphasised by the competition standard scratch being 75 - three stokes above standard scratch. Division One winner was John Gottwaltz with a net 70, second was Andy Pouton with 71, third was Brian Cramb with 72, fourth was Nick Rogers with 73 and a better back nine and fifth was Clive Webb also with 73. Division Two winner was Lawrence Lindsay with a net 70, second was Huw Roberts with 74, third was John Rees with 76 and a better back nine, fourth was Peter Williams, also with 76, and fifth was John Cook with 77 and a better back nine. A total of 100 players took part, with eight carding 2s. They were Steven Amos, Stephen Davies, John Gottwaltz, Paul Haley, Gary McNeilly, Lew Morris, Clive Webb and David Williams. This weekend there is a fourball better ball competition in aid of the Tsunami Appeal.