Seniors emerge from hibernation
Their little noses pushed beyond the door to see if the cold snap was over and they could get onto the course to play what was, for many, the first game of 2010. The hibernation was over, for the time being, so all but two of the original list of 44 turned up to greet one another as long lost friends with much hand clasping and New Year's greetings.
Colin Griffith did make it, but was too late to tee-off, so some re-adjustments were made to accommodate his lie-in. The other to excuse himself was the seniors' secretary, Jim Martin, who was recalled to attend to a sick dog.
The first event of the New Year was a Texas Scramble, held over from December, so everyone was eager to start. The first group were on the tee - well three of them were. Where was the fourth? On his way was the answer. Halfway in to the course Des Stone realised that he had forgotten to pack his golf shoes, so he had to turn back, retrieve them and then follow the school buses into town.
Delight at being out turned to frustration as the wind increased and, with the chill factor, became an even greater challenge. A few even complained that they had not felt so cold on the course for a long time. But then, short term memory is a problem anyway.
Assured of being leaders in the clubhouse, the first group set off with high hopes. While they reached the green in three, none of them could sink the putt that would have given them a birdie start. However, it was a treat to watch Clifton John endeavour to land on the fairway. From the second tee he hit his ball with venomous aggression, sending it out towards Caldey and then calmly watched it arc round to land and roll onto the correct fairway. Such was the admiration from his fellow players, it was selected as the nominated drive for that hole. That didn't happen every hole!
Owen Monaghan and Derek Bath weighed in with their putts to help the score, well Derek did on the ninth and 14th. Owen spent the time striking matches to stay warm. He gave up on the 17th when his last five matches failed to light.
This group was usurped from pole position when the second group arrived. Roy Morgan and Hywel Probert had enlisted the help of Brian Morgan and Stan Hudson and with a bit of good fortune eased into first place by one stroke. This was not held for long. Peter Williams, John Hayhoe, Paul Bradley and Bart Youll pipped them by one point.
Net scores for the day ranged from 72 (two groups) to 67 (two groups), indicating what an equaliser the cold wind was. The strong arm group, after a count back, consisted of Rod Clarke, Ken Gouldsbrough, Russell Clarke and Meurig Jones.
The group involving Martin Neilan, David Lamb, Tony Morris and Mel Hicks was the only one with a two on their card. That was on the sixth.
Two groups played with three members and one of these included Geoff Aston who, it is rumoured, has already begun his preparations for next year's Boxing Day Swim.
Pleased to be back in Pembrokeshire for the day, Brian Morgan started the year off as he means to go on - extracting money from his fellow golfers to help local charities. His raffle book is somewhat bent and dishevelled which prompted Derek Bath to ask, 'Is this my moth-eaten ticket?' 'Yes and I am waiting for your moth-eaten pound!' was the quick response, followed by 'Especially if you want the moth-eaten prize!' from another corner.
Prize winners this week were David Miller and Maurice Lewis (who might play if the weather improves!).
Competition winners were: 1. 67 (net) Peter Williams, John Hayhoe, Paul Bradley, Bart Youll (back nine); 2. 67 (net) John Williams, Alan Yates, Nigel Rimell, Mike Fox; 3. 68 (net) Stan Hudson, Brian Morgan, Hywel Probert, Royston Morgan.
Rabbits resume league campaign
Tenby Rabbits resumed their Winter League campaign on Sunday, after some weeks of inaction due to the course being closed because of the snow and frost.
These golfers don't like missing a week, but some had not played for three weeks and, when you are of Rabbits golf standard, that's a long time without a game. But more so, that's a long time spent at home with her indoors - mind you, all those jobs that needed doing must have been done now, surely!
Anyway, as I said, we need our weekly golf, as for most of us it keeps our limited skills finely tuned, but with such a gap since we last played, some were even asking which end of the club to hold, while some didn't care because they knew it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference anyway.
And just to make sure they were not wrong and the break didn't make any difference, in true Rabbits style, the tee-shots of the first were of the usual quality - lack of it, that is - with at lot of second shots being played this side of the ladies' tee and from the path.
Tim Davies qualified here, amongst others, but at least he avoided the next bloopers category, that of 'air shots'. There were two of these, well two who owned up, or were grassed on! One of them was past past captain, Chris Smith, who found his partner Mark Eds' ball sat like a plum, ready to be smacked, but a hefty swoop with his three-wood saw him totally miss the Donnay, leaving Chris ready to be smacked with Mark's three-wood!
As I said, there were two failed swoops on Sunday, with the other being grassed up by Paul Davies, and this time it was current captain Mick Gillett, who was in the dock! Now, as an ex Old Bill, he has explained some things away, but this mystery miss was neither down to crooks, crows or rooks, was it Razor. Mind you, Mick was in the awards for clanger of the year, for after gracefully giving a putt on the 10th hole and conceding the hole, he holed his own putt in from some 40 feet - what a muppet!
Results: Dave Moran and Juan Cruz beat Tony Hopkins 2 and 1; Tim Davies and Mick Gillett fell to Tony Morris and Paul Davies 1 down; the mighty Mick Hale and Steve Maytum were seen off by the big hitters Chris Davies and Kevin Smith 4 and 3; and Steve Watkins and John 'The Pipe' Murphy went down a hefty 6 and 5 to Chris Smith and Mark Eds.
Mackie (the vice) Harts and Gerald (how far) Hewitt had a walkover.