Seniors v Leighton Buzzard at home, June 13 2022

 

Algy Grimes and Bill Walker with Leighton Buzzard Seniors Captain Andy McDonald and Club Captain Graham Freer

Match organiser Bill Walker reports

The day dawned bright with clear blue skies on the morning of our home match against our friends from Leighton Buzzard Golf Club; a good omen for a special day.  The team sheet showed we were receiving a total of 72 shots while giving them 79 shots; the closest we have been to our opposition this season. The arrivals, the meet and greet, the Captains’ introductions etc. all went well and surprisingly, nobody went to the wrong venue. And so to the golf!

The leading match teed off with Captain Algy and yours truly and proceeded to halve the first hole in gross birdie. Thus, the tone of the match was set.  Friendly but nip and tuck, cut and thrust, attack and defend, and a further 4 gross birdies (including a birdie 3 for LB’s Seniors Captain on the 13th) until we stood on the 16th tee with the home team 2 down. 

 Our opponents put one in the trees on the left while his partner was on the green 8 feet from the hole but across the slope. Alas, the home team were both in the second left hand bunker no more than a foot from each other. 

First to play was your author. A sandy contact  saw the ball trickle off the first cut onto the edge of the green, catch the slope in a slow and steady arc creeping ever closer to the hole and then with its last roll -  drop in the hole.  

We agreed that if our opponent could sink his put it would be poetic justice for the half in birdie on the first, which he then proceeded to do. Hole halved!; and 8 gross birdies in this first match. Captain Algy then won the 17th to take us down the last which alas we halved. So Match 1 was lost by 1 but all agreed that it was one of the best matches we have played all season. 

Reports suggest that many of the team had similar close tussles and the final result was JoGGC 4 ½ points to Leighton Buzzard GC 3 ½ points.

 

Post Script.

The first name on the nearest the pin list on the 16th was Mr 3-Wood Paul Hammond who made the 2 foot putt but then came the NTP expert Andy Shilton who stopped his ball just 10 inches from the hole. It was reported that he scuffed it. A scurrilous accusation which he denied but added that the greatest pleasure he got from the shot was putting his name on the list after Mr 3-Wood. 

 

In summary: Great Course - Great Golf - Great Company - Great Food - Great Day.