Captain David Barlow having parred the sixteenth
Our away match against Northampton on June 25 was postponed because of intense heat in the first heatwave of the summer. Ironically, the rearranged match on Thursday Aug 13 was almost as hot. Algy Grimes reports
I decided to try and ensure that I was not late I decided I would follow my SatNav and had a very easy journey via the M1. Thinking I am bound to be first, I went into the clubhouse being greeted by various staff at the club, only to find Graham Gadsden and Michael Newstead already with their coffees and breakfast baps ordered! So I couldn't resist and had one too.
As people arrived, I was relieved to tick off everyone's names.
The first match started a little before our allotted time of 11am, in temperatures not too bad given all the warnings. As organiser I had the privilege of partnering Captain David. For a change I had a few shots to play with but both of the opposition had shots too.
We all hit fairly good drives on the first hole, but I was the only one on the green in two, making the par to win the hole with a net 4/3.
Both David and I made par on the second, but again with a shot I halved the hole with a 3/2. A good start, two net birdies but only one up.
On the third I managed to get a par first to win the hole and David got his par too. On to stroke index 2, a low drive by yours truly found the middle of the fairway due to the 'run' on the ball on the parched ground. To show the wheels had started to fall off, neither me or David played the hole well and couldn't stop them winning the hole, a similar situation on the fourth and we were again all square.
David then took over by parring the sixth par 5 with some excellent shots to win it, so back to one up.
Who introduced bunkers to this game? In what would prove to be my nemesis on the day, a fairway bunker soon put paid to me, I picked up, but David got a bogey but lost to a shot of theirs, back to all square. David parred the eighth for a half.
At this point we enjoyed some cold drinks from the halfway house which seemed to give us a new lease of life for me to go on to win the ninth and tenth. Now two up I had a relatively short putt on the eleventh for a half (I thought it should have been a gimme!).
The next two holes were a win by them and a half with David's bogey to remain one up. We went two up on fourteen with my par, we lost fifteen but David made two pars on sixteen and seventeen to win the match 3 & 1.
Match two of Paul Jones and Nigel Underwood was also wrapped up on the seventeenth with a 3 & 1 win, Nigel decided he had done enough and came in, Paul wanted to try for the nearest the pin in two on the eighteenth.
Match three was also a 3 & 1 win for Andy Brown and Paul Jeeves. They did say that one of their opponents only lasted nine holes though, but a win is a win.
Match four found the opponent who was giving all the shots got 4 birdies and we lost that one 2 & 1.
Match five was a good win for Graham Gadsden (his breakfast baps helping) and Steve Luckman 5 & 4.
Match six proved to be a bit of a battle, Tariq Bhatti and Graham Lewis found themselves 3 down but managed to get the half.
Match seven with Daniel Emkes and (I have turned up correctly today) Fred Williams, won 2 & 1 a great result given they were playing the lowest handicap player for Northampton.
Match eight was not so good for JOG losing 4 & 3, this was to the second lowest handicap player for Northampton.
Instead of the usual nearest the pin on par 3 holes they decided we would play nearest the pin in two on the eighteenth, this was won by Andy Brown, well done.
Another change from the usual process, the speeches etc were held before the meal, which gave their Captain the opportunity to give his sentiments for a good match. David then presented Andy with a bottle of wine and announced the overall result of a JOG of 5.5 to 2.5. Well done to all.
The meal was a very nice Hunters Chicken and Chips followed by Rhubarb Crumble again enjoyed by all.
Here's looking forward to the return at JOG on 25th August, hopefully it won't be so hot.
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