Tuesday, September 24, a date memorable for the seniors' last contest of the 2013 summer season. Fortunately, no travel was involved for the Tenby team, since this was a home fixture versus Fairwood Park.

The eight pairs from Fairwood arrived nice and early for the 10.45 start, and soon the eight fourball matches were out on the links enjoying a dull, but warm day with not too much wind.

The photograph shows the first fourball, Des Stone and vice-captain Allen Watts with Fairford captain Terry Williams and his partner Hugh Mainwaring after driving off the first tee.

Once again Tenby seniors were on the vengeance trail, since when we played at Fairwood in May this year we were soundly trounced six games to two - ouch!

There were a few distractions during play; both the Fairwood players in the last match saw herring gulls pick up their balls on the first fairway. Fortunately, after flying a few times around the gesticulating golfers, the seabirds dropped the balls back to earth and play continued - until - the fourth hole, where the same pair discovered a rotting, stinking dead dogfish on the fairway, obviously dropped by a gull. The corpse was tossed into the undergrowth and the match resumed; it is a pleasant change to have golf and nature study combined out on the links!

Play was perhaps a tad slow, but eventually both teams gathered in the clubhouse to enjoy a very good roast beef dinner and a sniff of the barmaid's apron. The captains then attempted to outdo each other with lavish praise and flattering compliments, followed by a gaggle of surprisingly funny jokes, before announcing the result, Tenby 4.5 -Fairwood Park 3.5 - revenge is sweet!

By my calculations, the seniors have played 25 matches, winning a magnificent 15, halving just the one and losing only a trifling nine - hearty congratulations to all concerned!

The Tommy Hutton Bowl today (Friday) looks to be well supported, and a large turnout is anticipated for the AGM, 15-hole contest and lunch on Tuesday, October 1. Then we are into the realm of really serious golf as the Royal and Ancient society of Chicken Trotters holds its first tournament of the year on Friday, October 4. See you there!

M.F.