Captain’s day 2009… North Weald Golf Club - 11 June 2009

Unfortunately there are no photos on this occasion, however we had a really super day out. 20 people attended including two Guests Colin Mace and Graham Burton.

The Captain’s day event was held at the North Weald Golf Course. The course is close to Harlow in Essex. It is about 10 miles south of Stanstead Airport and just east of the M11 motorway. The course is going through a fairly major transformation and so there was considerable works taking place on the periphery of the fairways. Other than that the course was in fair condition.

The day consisted of 9 fun holes of Norwegian Golf in the morning followed by the main competition for the Captain’s Cup in the afternoon.

Morning Fun 9 holes – Norwegian Golf

The Norwegian Golf session is where you are allowed a free throw of the ball on each hole. The only stipulations are that you must throw the ball on each hole and that if you throw it in to the hole you have to pick it out and drop it from shoulder height. .

Notable happening were:

• John Skinner and Dickie Smart both lost their ball’s into ditches on the 11th and 10th respectively and both took relief, then chose to throw their balls from that point straight into the nearest bunker!


• the head came off Laurie’s 3 wood and was left with the shaft


• A number of people threw their balls into the bunker’s.


• Bal Patel’s golf bag fell off the Buggy when he accelerated from the tee on the first hole.


• One disqualification - Steve Bartha who refused to throw any balls on golf course as a matter of principle.

The results were a little incestuous;
the winner …

• Steve Baber with the lowest score of 26 points,

Second….

• Steve’s brother in law - Adam Ridley

and the Team prize went to…..

• Steve Barber’s team (that included Graham Newell & Graham Burton).

Captain’s Trophy

Following a mid day breakfast we set off for the main event of the day the Captain’s Cup. This was a normal Stableford competition – with full (Society) handicap allowance.

Notable happenings:

• On teeing off we were treated to a fly-past of an old 2nd world war two fighter plane. It looked a bit like a spitfire to me, but was informed it was an American Fokker of some sort (I don’t think Steve was referring to the plane – but rather the pilot).


• Laurie was within 3" of a hole in one on the 17th - GREAT SHOT– shame, as he’d have bought us all a drink (or possibly 2). We chose NOT to ask if he made the birdie :-).


• Dickie’s ball on the same hole failed to drop, even though most of the ball was over the hole. It was claimed that as such the ball defied the laws of gravity and as the laws of gravity were a higher law than Golf laws he should be allowed to claim the put. Others would have nothing of that!


• Victor somehow managed to loose two balls on opposite sides of the same hole.
  

Notwithstanding that, we had some really good scores on the day, and excluding guests and high handicappers there was but one person that scored less than 30 points with approximately half of the Society achieving 36 points or more. The Average score excluding high handicapers and guests was 34.3 - this is the highest average score we've achieved in over two years. So either the course was comparatively easy or somehow we're playing better golf.

And the results here were:

The 1st 2nd & 3rd places

• Alban Macdonald (40 points –on count back)


• Gerry Quinn (40 points)


• Steve Bartha (39 points on count-back from Nigel Shadbolt)

Best Guest:

• Graham Burton – 37 Points

Nearest the Pin in one

• Steve Barber

Nearest the pin in two

• Victor Clark (captain)

Handicap changes
The average score 34.3 means one shot off for scores above 41.3 but the highest score on the day was 40. No one person has had 3 shots below the average for three consecutive games there are no shot back awarded.

And so the only change to society handicaps this time is to:

• Alban Macdonald - drops 1 to 14 for winning.

Clubman of the year – current 20 top positions

Finally SINGLES Competition
The first round of the singles competition should have been completed by the 10th June. All participants should make sure they have informed Kevin of their results by now. If you've not done this already make an effort to do so otherwise he will arbitrate.

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