Tenby Rabbits Winter League

Champions of the Tenby Rabbits Winter League this year are vice-captain Tim Davies (left) and newcomer Richard Prout (right), who are seen receiving the coveted shield from captain Mackie Harts. The pair beat former winner and past captain Chris Smith and Robin Bradbury 1 up in a nail-biting 18-hole play-off on Sunday after the two had tied at the top of the table at the end of the regular league season.

Panic on the golf course! A set of car keys and a camera were the cause of the panic. As it happens both came to light - eventually. Having arrived at the course in good time Des Stone realised that he had forgotten his glasses and his camera, two essential items for golf day. Having begged his wife to return home to collect them, he walked on to the first tee just in time to retain his time slot.

Half-way down the second fairway, he realised that he had again left his camera, this time hanging on the board beside the tee. Panic set in as he pressed the accelerator pedal to the floor of the buggy urging it to go twice as fast as it was going. At the gate, he met the group behind his, Morgie, Bradders and John Hall. Of course, they claimed not to have seen the camera, until Des was about to leave them with foot even harder on the pedal. Only then did they burst into laughter and relieve Des's panic by retrieving the camera from Paul Bradley's golf bag.

John Cook (J.C.) meanwhile had a long wait before the buggy returned with his putter. His panic was yet to come. With the round completed, he went to unlock his car and realised that he was missing his set of car and house keys. He searched high and low, without success. "Don't worry," he declared, "I'll walk home and get the spare set." It was a rather embarrassed J. C. who walked into the clubhouse to tell his playing partners that he had found the keys. They were in his shoe all the way round the course!

No wonder he did not play to his usual high standard. His partners thought it was due to the number of bunkers in which he found himself. He even visited one bunker twice. He chipped out of the back of the captain's bunker on the fifth only to chip back into it with his next shot. (Did you pay your fine John?) Still he managed 16 points on the front nine. He 'locked himself out' on the back nine with a rather tired eight points to end up in the lower order.

This week was another good day for golf. It was cool and misty, but there was very little wind and conditions were ideal for high scores.

Thirty-eight seniors took to the course and two dozen of them achieved a score of 30 or more. As was expected, 40 was the number to aim at to be in the higher order for the day. Even so, a number seemed pleased with their result. Jim Martin was pleased that his 30 made him leader in the clubhouse. (He was first out!) On the other hand, 'Uncle' Jim Taylor had reason to be pleased with his commendable 34.

Below them were last week's winner Tony Ranoe who could only manage 29. He was delighted to par the first with a four and stated that he should have given up after that .He was one ahead of Mr. Wonderful (Martin Neilan) who shared a 28 with Richard Chapman. Royston Morgan and Hywel Probert shared a buggy, as well as a rivalry, and both ended up with 26 points. Roy had the bigger smile by virtue of a better back nine.

Fourteen seniors scored a total of 35 or more points, with the top two in the 40s. Alan Spriggs and John Hall par-red the course with 36 points, while Dudley Williams, Paul Nixon and Chris Sierwald beat them by one point.

Tony Morris continues his run of good form and must have thought that he was in with a shout on 38. But no, while he was the only one with that score, there were four more ahead of him. So who were the elite members of the senior echelon this week? Jeffrey Banfield played his first game this week as a senior, a very young looking senior, and with a handicap of 10, he showed the rest how to play the course completing his round with 39 points.

There were, however, three even more senior members who kept him away from the prize money and demonstrated that you have to play well to top this lot. The three names that crop up from time to time are Brian Morgan, also on 39, but scoring a better back nine, Brian Diment with a magnificent 41 points, despite not scoring on two holes and... Ken Gouldsbrough, who is on a mission to reduce his handicap, with an unbeatable 42 points. This effort reduced his handicap by two to 20. Could he sneak up on 'our Jim' and steal the eclectic result. There is one more eclectic competition to enable seniors to improve their scores.

Shot of the day is awarded to Ron Murphy. Not having had much luck all day, he was delighted to keep his ball in play on the 15th. His drive was hit with great gusto, it rebounded off the bridge over the pond, hit a tree, again rebounded off the bridge before striking another bush and ended up on the fairway. This beat Roger Scholfield's birdie on the same hole. Roger's second shot found its way to the right hand slope just off the green. His lob wedge, firmly struck, propelled the ball forward at a goodly pace, hit the flag and nose-dived into the hole.

In the same mould, Allen Watts's long drive on the 14th was followed by a miss-hit rescue club shot which ended up inches from the pin. He missed the putt!

In his words of wisdom to the gathering, Stan Hudson bade farewell and welcome in the same breath. Malcolm Arlott had called in at the clubhouse to bid farewell to all his friends in the senior fraternity. Malcolm had been a leading light in the senior section of the club, as correspondent and captain, for many years and will be missed by everyone in the group as he moves out of the area to Ledbury. While he leaves, another joins. Jeff Banfield joins the group and has already made his mark with his scorecard.

Results: 1. Ken Gouldsbrough 42 pts; 2. Brian Diment 41; 3. Brian Morgan 39.

Two's: Nigel Rimell, Jeff Banfield, Bob Wiseman (6th) Des Stone, Roy Gallop (12th).