Away Match v Saffron Walden - 29th May 2019

A view of Audley House on the 5th hole
(photo from Derek Young)

We arrived early at Saffron Walden to beat the traffic but on the putting green was Steve Clark, chipping and putting, like a man with a mission...

That soon followed by a stream of arrivals, we were all present and correct for 08:00. Captain Dave and myself, were quickly made honourable guests by our wonderful hosts. Our round started well, we held on to all square through 3. Then what seemed to be a short time, we were 3 down at the turn. Dave managed to win 11 & 13 to go just 1 behind.

 

As with greens in certain topology, they where unreadable, I could have made it all square on the 16th, but looking at an uphill putt, it started to gather speed, and was, still  accelerating, uphill, it was a downhill putt...

 

There was some good wins from Fred Williams and Derek Young by 1 hole; Keith Fuller and David Wood 3&1, and a creditable half from David Crosby and Malcolm Lee. The result was a corresponding one at JOG, 5 1/2 to 2 1/2, so the aggregate score was all square.

 

On the day, we where all winners, with an excellent carvery of beef and pork, fresh veg, followed by a choice of deserts, or cheese board, and great hosts.

 

Steve Collins

Organiser

Home match v South Beds Veterans - 28th May 2019

Being the organiser for the first time I arrived early to find three quarters of the opposing team eagerly awaiting their coffee and biscuits.

David and I got off to a bad start and never really recovered losing 3/2 on the 16^th to their two very good pars. Their captain Gary Hooper an ex colleague of mine from Mentmore GC days had his revenge on me from last year.

The end result was a loss for JOG 3 to 5, the winners being Bob Anderson & Ray Smart 4/2, Jim Peacock & Peter Wade 2up, Algy Grimes & John Whitbread 2/1 having been three down after eleven.

My choice of Pork Loin followed by Eton Berry Mess seemed to be enjoyed by everyone with one comment of  "I couldn’t eat three of the Desserts but definitely manage two".

The weather did hold out for us today and a number of us are off to Saffron Walden tomorrow hoping it remains dry.

Keith Fuller

Organiser

Away Match v East Herts (STAGS) - 21st May 2019

I last played at East Herts at the end of August last year and the course was suffering severely from the dry summer. However, it’s recovery this year shows no signs of last year’s issues with fairways lush with no bare patches and reasonably slick greens. The second cut was also lush but at about 2 inches high it was just high enough to hide the stray ball.

Normally in my game I play the supporting role getting the odd ½ to hopefully help to win our 4 ball. This time, however, the Captain was gracious in letting me be the main act whilst he took the supporting role making the difference from losing by 1 hole to our actual win of 1up.

The other results were mixed but went in favour of East Herts –
David Crosby / Mike Marshall              won 2&1
Terry McSweeney / Jim Kerr                 lost  2&1
Michael Newstead / John Cocksedge  lost 4 &3
Bill Walker / Gerry Degaute                  lost 4 &3
Colin Newbury / Jim Peacock                lost 2 down
Neil Pinnington / Keith Blankley           won 4&3
Jonathan Lean / Algy Grimes                 lost 3&2

Hence team result:-                   Jog Snrs 3,  East Herts Stags 5

Lunch was a very good Steak & Kidney Pie followed by Bread & Butter pudding with custard

Malcolm Lee
Organiser

Ken Robinson Scramble - 14th May 2019

This competition lived up to it’s name as I scrambled about with two likely lads (anon for now) not signed in and even worse no raffle ticket sales to them !

As it happens both had not been ”no shows”  and their respective teams were not down to three which would have meant  minimum of 5 drives each instead of the planned 4.

They had joined their teams and paid the entry fees late with no change from a note from one of them. Well extorted Captain Dave!

The weather was set fair and there was some good scoring on the Carthagena by all the teams.

The winning team won by a whisker with 58.2 against 58.3 so a close shave for that whisker.

Runners up were Keith Blankley, Seniors Captain Dave Gauge, Gordon Goodchild (again in the Team prizes) and Richard Munns but ”Arthur“ to you and me.

The worthy winners were Colin Fox, John Sandland, Jack Shepherd and nice to see Geoff Stevens as one of the winning team.

The raffle raised around £230. Thanks to all that did buy the tickets.

 

Runners-up: Keith Blankley, Gordon Goodchild, Richard (Arthur) Munns, Captain Dave Gauge

 

Winners - Jack Shepherd, John Sandland, Colin Fox, and Geoff Stevens

 My team with Kevin Donnelly, Colin Newbury and the redoubtable Bill Burrows came third with no prize, but by way of consolation Colin Newbury won two bottles of wine in the draw and observed that that was the first time he had had a winning ticket.

 

Fred Williams

Organiser

Home Match v Harpenden Common - 7th May 2019

Captain David and myself, playing their captain of the day, Peter Rushbrook playing off 5, and their organiser Brian Baker playing off 20, thought we were going to be up against it when the first hole was halved. We then won the second and halved the third and thought we had a game on. However we go on to win four holes on the trot and with another half and win for us we are 5 up at the turn, then a win, half and win meant we won by a dog licence (7 & 6 to those that are too young to know otherwise). Their captain Peter was unable to get to grips with the speed of our greens and vowed that they would get their own back at Harpenden with their very quick greens.

With other results going as follows –

Sam Standen / John Ellary won 3&1

Keith Fuller / Gerry Degaute lost 1 down
David Lincoln / Richard W-Thorne halved
Jim Peacock / Graham McKay won 6&4 in their dream machine buggy
Steve Collins / Brian Bullen won 3&2
David Crosby / Keith Blankley won 4&3
Terry McSweeney / Michael Newstead lost 3&2

Team result JOG 5 1/2. Harpenden 2 1/2

Nearest the pin winners were  JOG Brian Bullen and Harpenden Mike Gillis.

The golf was followed by a carvery and a desert of bread & butter pudding, everyone left feeling well satisfied.

Algy Grimes

Organiser

Away Match v St Neots - 3rd May 2019

Captain Gauge and his Grandads SAS Army (Saints and Sinners), mustered early on a cool blustery Friday morning to march north to do battle with the St Neots Old Contemptables. They initially expected some resistance at the Black Cat roundabout, but no resistance was met, and the SAS arrived at the battleground early to find there was no opposition !!

The organiser was immediately under suspicion that he had arranged an away battle when it should have been at home. Fears were quelled when the opposition started to arrive. We let Dave Evans (in his pale blue jumper) mingle with the opposition who also had pale blue jumpers, in order to assess any strategies – but to no avail.

The battle started on two fronts (the first and sixteenth), a strategy that SAS are not accustomed to at home, and it quickly became apparent that while the fairways were in good condition, the real challenge would be on the greens which were both very slow and fluffy.  Most of our matches found themselves 3 down after 3, and the SAS struggled throughout with a whitewash rout on the cards as the first 5 matches were all lost. Mr reliable (Pete Jarman) and his partner Dave Wood, stopped the rot with a half, and the final game with support from the Scottish SAS (Jim Kerr) and Nick Schuman was a fine win (last putt on the last hole) to bring the overall battle score to 6.5 to 1.5 in favour of the Old Contemptables. Jim Kerr also took the nearest the PIN, but in true Scottish tradition complained that the marker board had deflected his ball away from a hole-in-one (would have cost you more than a bottle of wine Jim) !!!

The weather held for the majority, but poor old Jim Peacock came in soaking wet having suggested that he and Algy Grimes play their last hole, the 15th, so they ended up a long way from the clubhouse!

 

A hearty meal (1/2 a chicken each !), good company, and an enjoyable battle.

 

Graham McKay

Organiser