Divots Winter League tees-off
During the recent Divots annual general meeting, it was voted in favour of trying a new format for this year's Winter League, due to the ever-dwindling numbers.
When your correspondent has asked ex-divots why they no longer play in the league, the same four replies seem to follow; not able to commit to play every week, the early start, the weather, and not wanting to play with the same partner every week should there be a personality clash.
Now there is nothing we can do about the weather and the committee who decide in cases of inclement weather should play commence, do tend to use their common sense. Should it be raining heavily, historically the Divots take shelter in the clubhouse watching the Rabbits, wet proofs, umbrellas and all head off into the mist. Plus, it only rains in the afternoons in Tenby on Sundays.
Early start? Well, best part of the day some would say, and back in time for Sunday lunch if you wish, brownie points intact.
Now there are not many personality clashes at Tenby Golf Club, so rather than abandon pairs, it was voted that we continue to play with a partner, four ball better ball stableford with partners drawn weekly. The same better ball score being awarded to each player towards their league score. If there is an odd number, then a blind partner will be drawn and their card, along with the odd player, will compare cards after play to produce a better ball score. There is to be a new trophy for the winner with the current pairs cups going to the pair with the highest better ball score on one of the 18 weeks.
The league will run over 18 weeks with the best eight scores to count. Therefore, as long as you join the league, it is up to you whether you play once or 18 times. (Rules etc for joining are posted on the board in the club, there is a £6 annual fee). The pairs will be drawn the Sunday before play (a sheet will be placed on the board), although we are all aware that sometimes plans change, and you are still welcome to come down and join in, should you find yourself available and not wanting to wait until 10.30 am to tee-off. Come and join in!
First out this week were Nigel Ayres, with partner and hot favourite, Gareth Phillips, playing along side the captain, Rob Hall, who became the first to try the new system of playing with a blind partner as his drawn partner, Ron Johns pulled out due to sickness. Loz Phillips was drawn as Rob's blind partner and he would have to wait until after the round before knowing his better ball score.
Gareth and Nigel played very steady golf picking up a couple of birdies along the way, including one on the fifth hole, with a shot netting them four points on the one hole. With the only hiccup coming on the seventh, they managed to scramble a single point to keep the good run going. Overall, a very satisfactory start to the league with a nett score of 62 and 42 points in the bag towards the league.
Watching the display of golf was the lonely figure of the captain, Rob Hall. The good, the bad and the ugly was the way Rob's round was described, and although only failing to score on one hole, a courageous score of 28 points was carded with the added hope that his blind partner's score could catapult his overall score. Once cards were compared, Rob's score was improved to a total of 33 points. Both Rob and Loz remarked on the difficulty not knowing what the other is doing, and maybe an adjustment of the rules may have to follow.
Next on the tee were defending champion Clive Law and divot virgin John Stevenson playing with Steve Davies and Gareth Rees. The pressure of defending the title obviously getting to Clive on the first hole with him struggling to card a point and having to rely on his partner John to bring the welcome first point. However, you can't keep a good man down and Clive was soon back dove tailing with John, recording two and three pointers for the remaining front nine holes, posting a creditable 20 points on the front. A very steady back nine followed and apart from a blob on the 17th, a total of 39 points was accepted by both as a good start.
Steve and Gareth's two points on the first was just the start they wanted, but this was followed with a blob on the next, despite two good drives. True to form, the two rallied well and steadied the ship to record 19 points on the front nine, despite Gareth missing a three-foot birdie putt on the eighth. The birdie was to come on the 13th following three fours in a row and the target of pars all the way home was set. A couple of shots were dropped, but a back nine of 20 points was enough to equal Clive and John's score of 39 points.
Last out were Richard Chapman with partner Gavin Field-Thomas playing alongside Chris Davies and Loz Phillips. Loz having the added pressure of his score counting not just for his partner Chris, but also captain, Rob Hall.
Now some might say that Rob was not the only guy out there playing on his own. Richard Chapman found himself having to play his very best golf to make sure of a decent start to the league with his partner struggling to find the fairways, in fact struggling on some occasions to find the golf course with his ball. Fortunately, there was no lost ball count and the damage reduced with a new shiny ball won in the raffle. A lost ball on the 18th tee looked the likely result as the three fellow players struggled to spot Gavin's drive in the air.
Gavin however would be delighted with the lie for his second shot, the ball nicely teed-up, but unfortunately it was still on the original tee as Gavin had missed it. According to Gavin, the ball moved just before impact, it probably ducked when it saw the speed of the club coming. A score of 35 points was a reasonable start to the league for both Richard and Gavin and we are sure that once Gavin gets used to his new handicap (max 18) he will bounce back.
Loz Phillips and Chris Davies carded the same score of 35 points with some steady golf from young Chris only being out of the hole on two occasions.
Loz admitted that he had played poorly and promised that he would not play so badly again for the whole of this league - good news for his partner next week. He did, however, admit to enjoying the round watching Gavin playing shots the like of which he had never seen before and hopes never to see again.
To close the day's proceedings, the draw for next Sunday's pairings took place with a welcome return by two of the Mortons and the famous Mervyn Tucker. Nick Faldo's name had also appeared on the sheet and whilst we think that someone had put it on as a joke, in the unlikely event Faldo had put his own name on, it was decided to exclude him as it was felt he would struggle to complete eight cards in total because of his other commitments.
Although the pairings have been drawn, anyone wishing to join the Divots League may still put their names on the bottom of the list or turn up on the morning by 8 am and we will surely be able to accommodate.
The pairings so far are as follows: 1. M. Tucker and G. Phillips; 2. Steve Davies and R. Chapman with G. H. Rees and Allan Morton; 3. G. Field-Thomas and R. Johns with C. Law and A. Joseph; 4. N. Ayres and C. Davies with D. Ayres and R. Hall; 5. Scott Davies and D. Sigsworth with Andrew Morton and L. Phillips.
Results for October 16: N. Ayres and G. Phillips 42 pts; C. Law and J. Stevenson 39 pts; Steve Davies and G. H. Rees 39 pts; R. Chapman and G. Field- Thomas 35 pts; C. Davies and L. Phillips 35 pts; R. Hall and Blind Partner 33 pts. Best pairs score: 42 points by N. Ayres and G. Phillips.
LEAGUE TABLE
Nigel Ayres 42 Gareth Phillips 42 Clive Law 39 Steve Davies 39 Gareth H. Rees 39 John Stevenson 39 Richard Chapman 35 Chris Davies 35 Loz Phillips 35 Gavin Field-Thomas 35 Rob Hall (Captain) 33 David Ayres 0 Scott Davies 0 Ron Johns 0 Adam Joseph 0 Allan Morton 0 Andrew Morton 0 D. Sigsworth 0 Mervin Tucker 0