Newsletter 2005/06

Since 2003/04 the club has produced weekly match reports. From the start of the 2005/06 season this became a weekly newsletter, distributed during the season, containing match reports from each of the games played that weekend as well as other key information and a selection of adverts and offers.

Sat 24-Sep-05

Friday the 2nd September saw 20 TH&D Members and friends take part in our inaugural Golf Day. The venue was Silvermere Golf Club in Surrey and it witnessed some of the most entertaining golf ever played. We arrived at 9am for our coffee and bacon rolls and made our way to the first tee in our fourballs, in front of a packed gallery. Apart from Monday's Ashes lunchtime at the Oval, I have never seen so many nervous people. Handicaps were talked up, and golfing skill was talked down as all eyes fell onto the first group. Bettina Wolff and Chris Smith made their mark early by crashing two drives down the middle followed by Paul Reid and Thom Ruane. Worst Drive on the first unfortunately has to go to Ian Cooper with his Air Shot and then a 3 foot strike. Everyone tried not to laugh.

As shots were fired into the trees, bumped along the ground and the occasional sweet drive, each fourball set-off on their round of discovery.

Making my way around the course I arrived at the 8th, which we had deemed the Longest Drive hole. I was lucky enough to hit a big one (for me) and strode down the fairway confident of success. Thinking I had beaten the marker, I was disappointed to find that it was B's drive (Longest of the Ladies), and that "The Powerhouse" Aidan Brock had melted one another 30 yards from my ball.

As I walked through trees looking for my ball and on the various fairways it was nice to see other players playing their shots on it too. Unfortunately they were supposed to be on different fairways but its good that we all got our full value out of the course.

Eventually everyone zig-zagged their way to the signature 17th and 18th holes. The 17th is a par 3 over water which quickens the pulse and requires a confident straight shot. We had also deemed this hole as nearest the pin. The honour fell to EJ who chipped one over the water directly at the pin to come to rest on the green accompanied by a mass of cheers from my group (She had up until then, been shocking). Simon Wilshire's marker was only 6 feet away, but unfortunately this was his second as his first had joined many of the other players' balls in the lake.

Down the last I had put my first two straight in the lake before lining up what should have been my second shot. The final approach to the green is another chip over the same lake, but this time in front of a clubhouse full of spectators. Having played the course before and never hit the green on my first go, I luckily managed to put it in the middle and watched with joy as my playing partners hit the tree stump, and then another four balls into the water. I was reliably informed that my group weren't the first to experience the "tree-stump, lake-shot combo". With her confidence restored, EJ also found the green without feeling the pressure.

More amusement was to come, with Lee Snowden almost running out of balls on the 18th, as his fourball calmly stroked no less than 12 into the water between them, much to the delight of the watching crowd. Lee claimed 5 of them.

Some of the golf wasn't all that bad, with Bettina Wolff amassing 39 stableford points and Chris Smith playing off a 10 handicap and scoring 35 points. They were untouchable as a group although everyone had a few shots that Tiger would have been proud of.

After a hearty lunch Awards were dished out and embarrassing shots re-told, with many of us boasting about the 2 foot putts that we had missed. Everyone seemed to enjoy the day and left with promises to play again next time. We also took some snaps to capture the memories.

JT

Players: Bettina Wolff, Chris Smith, Thomas Ruane, Paul Reid, Eunice, Ian Cooper, Suzy Russell, Simon Wilshire, James Terrett, EJ Barry, Chris Hipwell, Amy Mendell, Lee Snowden, Asa Holmes, Phil Wales, John Howard, Aidan Brock, Simon Loveday, Carlo Pozella, Tom Alexander.

Results in Full

Winner: Bettina Wolff

Winning Pair: Bettina Wolff & Chris Smith

Longest Drive: Aidan Brock

Nearest the Pin: EJ Barry

Worst Approach to the 18th Green: Lee Snowden

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