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Youngsters Pinch Geoff’s Pot.
Youth triumphed over experience as the first new style competition for ‘Geoffs Pot’ was won by the Under 60’s in fine style. Despite a valiant effort by the ‘Overs’, who imported a couple of foreign looking over 70’s one of which had a very strange putting style described by his partner as a ‘crouching tiger bay’ and the other who drove his buggy at breakneck speed mapping all the course hazards, the under 60’s won easily by a couple of holes.
Twenty intrepid members turned out at Rookwood ready for the fray. Coffee was served; Paul Mobsby entertained us with an unending stream of humour; we welcomed new member Paul Fennelly as the newest member; Clive Dolan regaled us with tales of shipwrecks in the far South where he and his crew had bravely brought their crippled craft back just in time for Clive to round up the numbers and save Holmesy having to divide 19 by 4; Captain Stickley took to his new post; a great deal was made of the new season’s handicaps (despite no one understanding how they were arrived at): and all the time Roger ‘The Fines’ Pitts looked on, constantly seeking opportunity to recruit another ‘informer’ to help swell the Society’s coffers.
Eventually, the teams made their way to the first tee and the contest began in earnest. The first two matches were keen to get back for the prizegiving and raced away. Match 3 took the whole affair much more seriously with every shot carefully planned and executed with such precision that a small gap opened up between them and the match in front. On any other outing this would have gone unnoticed but on this day one of the sharp eyed over 70’s in a following match had his buggy fitted with a sat nav (presumably so he wouldn’t get lost) and this machine constantly logged how far behind schedule the round was going. Pure evidence for the Finesmaster.
The weather was kind to us and the course played long and occasionally straight,allowing some good scoring and perhaps fewer lost balls than normal. The water hazards claimed their share though - the pond in front of the 3rd green being a particular challenge for some of our number.
And so as the sun dipped behind the trees the final matches moved down the 18th fairway where Steve O’Carroll had taken time out between checking Ryder Cup progress to find the fairway for the Div 1 longest drive and Captain Stickley had driven straight and true as befitted a new Captain for the Div 2 Prize.
Back in the clubhouse, food and drink were taken, the fines were paid, the prizes distributed, and Sandra presented Geoff’s pot to the worthy under 60’s winners, many of whom will be able to bolster the over 60’s side in next year’s competition!
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