Can't remember what happened last year in the annual Seniors versus the Ladies game, but I expect someone somewhere will remind me! It was nevertheless a very nice day with just a hint of coolness in the air, enough to keep the mind focused on the job in hand!
But promptly on the tee for the greensome foursomes at 1 pm sharp were Des Stone and Geoff Aston against the fancied pairing of Heather Morgan and lady president Pat Lehane.
Des and Geoff thought they were on a hiding to nothing and so Geoff was forced to give putts no longer than six inches away from the hole! This ploy brought scorn down upon his head, but allowed the senior pair to romp home by 6 and 5! Oh happy day, said Des, the stand-in skipper for the match, as seniors captain, Dave Morgan, was sunning himself in France. But it nearly backfired for Des as he was seen kissing the opposition on the 18th green by Mrs. Stone, who thought he was playing a male bonding role in a seniors match!
Ken Gouldsbrough and Derek Bath took on Anita Davies and Mary Williams, who had the advantage of a buggy, but apparently Ken's short game was very solid and just too much for the ladies.
Mary was so overcome by the 5 and 3 loss that she mislaid her car keys and had everyone patted down in an effort to find them. Some of the seniors were seen going round for a second time!
An in-form ladies duo of Liz Storey and Rita Collins proved too much for Tony Morris and Richard Morgan, who recorded the first senior loss of the day. Oh woe. The ladies were out in 41 strokes and Tony and Richard found themselves being four down after four. This led Tony to wonder if they should walk in then, but sheer pride kept them going to humiliation!
Pat Fox said that she and Ann Marsden were up against two hot guys in the shape of Bob Howse and Bart Youll. It isn't recorded what Pat meant by the remark, but Bob had to go home early, and Bart reckoned he needed more than a ham salad to settle himself down after the 3 and 2 win! It's no wonder that the seniors want to play in this match.
John D.R.Williams and John Hancock were up against it with Gill Roberts and Ann Wilks, and had to dig really deep to hold off a very spirited pair. The ladies played a solid game and took an early one-up lead that brought the pains on and made sure that the seniors didn't lose a touch too far.
But a canny choke down on a three-wood at the 15th from John set up J.D.R for a birdie, and a long looping putt from J.D.R. on 16 for a par really turned the screw, and the game was over on the 17th with another solid par. An entertaining afternoon.
Jim Taylor and Billy Cole had a bit of a duel with lady captain Ann Follon and partner Paula Morgan. From being three up after 12 holes to one down on 16, they almost gave the game away completely, but managed to rally for a half. Sighs of relief all round I hear!
"The ladies played ever so well," said Phillip Marsden, and his partner Brian Morgan agreed. But it was the grinding of the teeth that gave the game away, and Lynn Bonar and Ann Thomas-Ferrand walked off with a fine 5 and 4 win.
Apparently it was one of those games when the men's putts stopped on the lip of the hole, but the ladies' putts fell in. Isn't that just typical Phillip, and on top of that, just to rub salt into the wound, he lost his car keys as well!
It was left to Mike Fox, of course, and Doug Havard to pull out all the stops and battled bravely against all odds, with Joan Pugh and Iona Aston.
Being three down after three holes certainly focuses the mind, but apparently there were free cuddles for every missed putt, social diaries were updated on every other tee and any other nefarious activities that could be thought of were brought into play, but all to no avail. The ladies were having none of that there here and held the men to an exhausting draw.
Mike was almost speechless, but drew on his reserves and managed a quick half in the bar! After a very nice after-match meal, Des Stone thanked the ladies for playing their golf in such a polite manner, and getting the kiss on the 18th was well worth it. But he admitted to being flummoxed by the format, but didn't care as the company was excellent.
He managed to find time to tell an amusing story or two, and they went down well with everyone, and enjoyed also the photo shoot with Ann Follon and Pat Lehane.
Lady captain Ann Follon thanked Des and his, by this time, quite merry men for the game and said she had great fun playing in her first seniors versus the ladies and looked forward to next year's match. All in all, an excellent day enjoyed by everyone.