NEWMAN - SUPERHUMAN?

I think that I should start by helping you, dear reader, to keep up to date with the position of players in the five ongoing competitions which the Seniors contest every Tuesday. At the halfway stage the results looked like this:

1. Order of Merit - The Ken Gouldsbrough Bowl for Seniors 75 and over. 1. Des Stone 215 pts, 2. Rod Clarke 201, 3. Mike Fox 192.

2. Order of Merit - The Clifton John Memorial Trophy for Seniors 74 and under: 1. Jim Moffatt 227 pts, 2. Bob Howse 226, 3. Idwal David 221.

3. The Des Stone Trophy for the best Gross eclectic score by a Senior 74 years and under. 1. Jim Moffatt 61, 2. Allen Watts 62, 3. Jeff Banfield 66.

4. The Colin Griffiths Trophy for the best Nett eclectic score by a Senior 75 years and over. 1. Jim Martin 58 pts, 2. Des Stone 55, 3. Newman Vincent 54 (countback) over Mike Fox 54.

5. The Dudley Williams Tenby Seniors Cup for the best Nett eclectic score by a Senior 74 and under. 1. Dave Henry 59 pts, 2. Jim Martin 58, 3. David Lamb 57 (countback) over Bob Howse 57.

Bearing all the above information in mind, Eclectic number 11 on Tuesday was always going to be a battle - particularly since Jim Moffatt’s excellent score on the previous Tuesday- and so it turned out! The conditions were not far from perfect, not too cold, barely any wind and no sign of rain - ideal for some good scoring, and some good scoring is exactly what occurred!

Let’s set the scene, 39 Seniors competed and the CSS was 38 Stableford points. The top 11 players equalled or exceeded this score and as a measure of the high standard of play, five 2s were recorded – who achieved what? – read on:

Derek Bath and Meurig Jones scored twos on hole six.

Newman Vincent scored a two on hole 12.

Allen Watts scored a remarkable two on the par four 13th hole - then went on to pot another two on the 17th!

The occupants of this week’s winners circle were:

In third place with a fine 41 points - Bob Howse. Bob was one of five players with 41 points, but a countback of the last six holes secured his prize - it also secured him a drop in handicap of one stroke.

Second place went to Dave Henry, whose splendid 44 points almost made him the victor, but just not quite! However, Dave’s excellent round of golf reduced his handicap from 18 to 16.

Top spot and much glory went to Newman Vincent, fresh from a holiday in - Tenerife and sporting an expansive tan. Newman encountered a rich vein of talent and played spectacularly well to score 45 points - actually he had 45 points walking off the 16th hole, and hoped to beat Jim Moffatt’s score of 47 last week - but the pressure of leading a big field took its toll and he failed to score on the last two holes. Happily, 45 points was enough to claim top spot - and the subsequent loss of three strokes from his handicap bothered him not a jot - as can be seen from the photograph!

So, much changing of positions on the leaderboard, some outstanding performances and a burst of handicap reductions - quite a day!

And finally, the charity raffle prize of £10 was won this week by the ever-cheerful Steve Sutcliffe - now even more cheerful!

M.F.

Watts wins the Whotsit!

Friday, January 13 - at last the weather allowed the Chicken Trotters to get out on the course and battle for the coveted Roger and Mary Trophy - not a cup, not a bowl, not a putter - A Whotsit!

Fourteen Trotters came out to play, on a day when the temperature hovered around 4ºc, the wind howled and the sun was very bright and low on the southern horizon, quite blinding at times.

However, regardless of these testing conditions, some very good scores were returned as everyone tried their hardest to win the Whotsit. For this competition, the Chickens play off their club handicap, so with no ‘Sin Bin’ reductions to overcome, all who participated had every chance of making a good score - did they do it? - read on.

David Rees didn’t do it, he scored 25 points and claimed fifth place, winning a meagre 40p. Mike Fox didn’t do it either, his 25 points with a slightly better back six, put him in fourth place, winning him a paltry 50p. Also not doing it was Neil Dickinson, who also scored 25 points, but with a better countback, and won a less than majestic 60p. Richard Davies almost did it with a fine 27 points, and treasurer Steve Cole rewarded him with 10p short of £1.

However, the man who did it was the mighty Allen Watts - who trashed the opposition with an excellent 30 points - winning the trophy and a wallet swelling £1:20. You can see the pride on his face in the photograph, and I’m sure that the Whotsit will be at the front of Allen’s trophy cabinet for the next year!

I must mention two Chickens who strived to do it - David Lamb scored a skilful two on hole six and Richard Davies (again!) slotted his second shot on the 12th. Their reward of 45p each made the whole day worthwhile!

The game was followed by the traditional group photograph and the belated Christmas lunch. The delightful Emma took the photograph and the equally delightful Lee prepared the three-course lunch (sausage, colcannon and gravy), which was served by Emma 3 (yes - she is delightful as well!).

Sadly, Martin Neilan had to leave early and doesn’t feature in the photograph - or the list of prize-winners, just for a change! And no booby prize was awarded, because Steve was in a particularly good mood since he is about to depart for a cruising holiday starting in Barbados with Pam - it will be all sun, swim and rum!

And finally, not featuring in the prizes, but well worth a mention is renowned Rabbitt Mackie Harts - whose score on the back five beat the entire field. The Chickens will be trotting today (Friday), and every Friday when the weather permits, you are welcome to come and play, just pick up a blue card from the locker room and join the group milling around the first tee.

See you there!

M.F.

Swingers enjoy Dewi Sant

Last Saturday, 22 of Tenby GC’s finest Saturday Swingers embarked on their annual pilgrimage to the cathedral city of St. Davids.

In the morning, the party tackled gale force winds, but luckily no rain whilst playing the wonderful links which were in a magnificent overall condition, the greens in particular.

On the whole the scoring was creditable, although one Swinger later proved to be a better freestyle dancer than he will ever be a golfer.

As tradition has it, the afternoon was spent at St Davids RFC where Swinger Paul Heywood sponsored the home team’s match against high-flying St. Clears.

A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all who attended.

The leading scores were Gethin Evans 35 pts, Mike Anthony and Neil Webb, both 34, Gary McNeilly 33, Ross James, Richard Ormond, Paul Heywood and Peter Rossi, all 32, Jerry Whitehouse and Darren Thomas, both 31, Martin Morris, John Stenson and Jeff Banfield, all 30, Steve Maytum, Dai Cope and Terry Davies, all 29.

Twenty years of Trotting

Very much like this year, 20 years ago on January 10, 1997, the weather was bitterly cold but dry, however there was very little wind and temporary greens were in play. Twenty-three Chickens trotted out onto the links, well wrapped up and keen to get some good scores in early in the 1997 season.

Par for the day was calculated at 31 Stableford points for the 15-hole competition - and all of the five prize-winners equalled or bettered this score, to whit:

In fifth place, Fred Adlam scored 31 points and won a fairly generous £1.

Joint third place went to Ian Griffiths and Vince Shaw with 32 points; they both pocketed £1.10.

Morran Boot amassed 33 points, claimed second place and was rewarded with £1.30 - but -

The top man was Pat Rees, whose 34 points crushed the opposition and earned him the Gold Medal and a princely £1.80.

Nobody managed to score a two, and the strong man holding up the rest of the field was Malcolm Young with a fairly mediocre 19 points.

Elsewhere in January 1997 - Tiger Woods won the Mercedes Championship; scientists in Scotland announced that they had cloned an adult mammal, producing a lamb they named ‘Dolly’.

More next week.

M.F.