On our away visit to Haverfordwest this year, you could have been forgiven if you had said: "I'm not going out in that rain for a start." It was not good and yet, even as we sat in the clubhouse, having the usual team pep talk, and senior bonding session, the skies were beginning to clear, and spirits were being raised. Then, after the glasses were put down, we went into battle.

First out were John D. R. Williams, our captain, with partner Newman Vincent, against Sylvan Thomas and Roger Daniels. Sylvan was standing in for regular Haverfordwest captain Rod Thomas, who was indisposed, and according to J. D. R., didn't stop talking until he had realised they were three down. This bucked the ideas up a bit, but still didn't prevent the Tenby pair from recording the first win of the day.

"A crucial putt from the side of the pond on the 14th for a birdie," said Barry Frayne, put him and Ken Fletcher in a two up position, with four to play, against Brian Foster and David Colston. This seemed to be a bit of a blow to the Haverfordwest pair, and they couldn't quite recover enough to rescue the situation. Another win, and things were looking good for Tenby.

Now, forgive me for perhaps being a little naive, but I always thought that one used an electric bag trolley, to help pull you along, not you push the bag trolley along, if you get my meaning. But Vince Shaw? No.

If there has to be someone different, there's always Vince to rely upon, and his excuse was that his switch fell apart. But he had partner Owen Monaghan to help him from the eighth hole onwards. A good job Owen was there, as being three down with five to play, meant that something special was called for. Winning those last five holes was. No wonder Owen, pictured above, looked impressed. Not so Iori and Alan Jones, who thought they had the game in the bag.

Malcolm Arlott and Bob Storey were dormie five down, and Malcolm said that opponents David Banner and Ron Seed wanted to shake hands then. "But," said Malcolm, "we might have halved the game." Rightly so, but with David dropping only two shots on the way back, and his partner doing better, Malcolm admitted that he may have been a tad optimistic!

"I was pleased with my drives," said Roy Gundry, "but I wished my irons were all woods." By that remark, it is understood that Roy had a problem with the aforementioned irons, and it came to pass, that from being three up at one stage, and being overhauled hole by hole, that he and partner David Morgan, had a final hiccup on the 18th, to let Brian Jones and Terry Gwilliam pinch the game.

John Hancock and Derek Bath were a very good partnership, against Chris Henderson and Glyn Ranger. Derek played a superb supporting role, and making his handicap allowance work very well for us, coming in when needed, and finally delivering the coup de grace on the 15th, with a well taken five nett four. You really can't have a better partner, who uses his head sensibly.

"Jack Hasdell played them on his own," said Ken Gouldsbrough, as he and Jack recorded a loss against Rob Box and Derrick Williams. Hmm, sounds like a bad day at the office for Ken, but not so for Bob Harris and Hywel Probert, who had a nice 3 and 2 win over Haverfordwest's Julian Davies and Ritchie Williams.

"I won," said Bob, and who could disagree with him, he's such a nice chap!

Roy Morgan's run of good play and luck, came to an ignominious end, as he and partner Colin Griffith were up against Fred Nye and David Griggs. A 7 and 6 defeat meant that the match was now standing at five games to four, with three more to come in. So it looked a little like a tight situation was looming.

John Cook and Alan Keating gave Tenby a breathing space, with a 2 and 1 win over Wyn John and Tony Waldgis, with one off 27 and the other off 28. "A tight game," said J.C., "with not more than one in it most of the way round. A big relief when we finished."

Unfortunately for Tenby, and fortunate indeed for Haverfordwest, the final two games went to the home side, with Tony Ranoe and Tony Morris going down to Ray Paul and Ray Woodason, and Tony Morgan and Des Stone doing it likewise with David Low and George James. A genuine halved day.

Stand-in captain for the day, Sylvan Thomas, pictured below, not only welcomed John D. R. Williams and his Tenby team, but also thanked the Almighty for the gift of rain in the morning, and gave Newman Vincent a special mention for his excellent play. Newman modestly bowed his head.

John D. R. replied for Tenby, by thanking Sylvan and Haverfordwest for their hospitality, and could remember 20 or so years ago, when the welcome given by the club was just as good, so little has changed in that department. John also complimented the staff and committee for the course presentation, and also the caterers.

Vince Shaw rounded the day off with his patter of tales that had the clubhouse chuckling away nicely.

Results (Haverfordwest names first): S. Thomas (capt.) and R. Davies lost to J. D. R.Williams (capt) and N. Vincent 3 and 2; B. Foster and D. Colston lost to B. Frayne and K. Fletcher 3 and 2; I. Jones and A. Jones lost to V. Shaw and O. Monaghan 2 up; D. Banner and R. Seed bt M. Arlott and B. Storey 5 and 4; B. Jones and T. Gwilliam bt R. Gundry and D. Morgan 1 up; G. Ranger and C. Henderson lost to J. Hancock and D. Bath 4 and 3; R. Box and D. Williams bt J. Hasdell and K. Gouldsbrough 2 and 1; J. Davies and R. Williams lost to B. Harris and H. Probert 3 and 2; F. Nye and D. Griggs bt C. Griffith and R. Morgan 7 and 6; W. John and T. Waldgis lost to J. Cook and A. Keating 2 and 1; R. Paul and R. Woodason bt T. Ranoe and T. Morris 7 and 6; D. Low and G. James bt D. Stone and T. Morgan 2 up;

Haverfordwest 6 Tenby 6.

J.B.H.