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After a few complaints and drop outs in 2012, we decided to listen and move the date to a late Friday afternoon tee time to enable as many as possible to turn up. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the adverse affect and only 5 players qualified to win the trophy took to the tee.
We had a field of 8 in total thanks to Michael's friends so we still had a competition.
It was a lovely warmish day, but with an occasional heavy breeze and the course was in excellent condition as a consequence of excellent growing weather with a wet winter and spring.
For once it was me that was late. I arrived at the course just after my allotted tee time, but it didn't seem to matter as the course was fairly quiet which is surprising at £12.50! The others had practised chipping, putting and had a few big practise swings and I turned up cold which is not usually the best preparation, but that's not how it turned out as I won by 3 shots.
That said, I was totally beatable as anyone who hooked up their game would have won. Paul in particular will curse some unusually poor shots from quite close in which is a strong part of his game. Maybe a shape of things to come was a "top" from less than 70 yards from the green on the first. Something I have not seen Paul do for years and years.
Everyone left shots on the course. Cliff started OK after blobbing the first and was well in contention at the half way point. But he faded from the 14th and only scored 1 point in the final 5 holes. He also had some poor putts, pulling some short ones which he usually buries.
Michaels mate Ball started very well and was leading after 6. But then inconsistency took over and every time he scored he followed up with a blob.
Michael himself struggled to find the form which took him to the title on his maiden outing a few years back, but at half way was well in it on 14 points. He, like Cliff seemed to struggle coming in and only managed 3 points in the final 6 to end his hopes.
The less said about Charlie's opening 9 the better! A shocking 3 points put the former champion out of it. But he rallied well and warmed up to post 11 points on the back 9 which was the third best. So clearly Charlie just needs to play more.
Nando was another inconsistent one. Good scores were followed up by blobs and his 24 points in total could have been a real challenge if he had just scored on some of the massive 8 that he blobbed.
Nick played an amazing game. Picking up a rare 5 points on one hole with a birdie on a two shotter, following that with a par on another two shotter and he was flying ahead. But he then found getting the ball off the tee a struggle and in the end was amazed to finish second.
As I said earlier, Paul could easily have won and if he had played to anything like his normal game, but he didn't and it let me in.
I for once managed a fairly decent short game. Still missed silly short putts but there were no damaging 4 putts or duffs for 20 yards. I was OK off the tee, rode my luck a bit and in the end came home with 3 points to spare. Next year off 18 will be tough but that's the way we do it!
Nearest pin was won by Michael with a great shot to the 4th that I thought I had got inside until I got close when I saw how good his shot was! We did a second on this year too that Ball picked up but no longest drive.
So, another year done and planning will start for 2014 in the autumn. Paul and I have decided to end the qualification of knowing Lee or being family to win it and open it up as a normal society from now on. So hopefully we will get bigger numbers, but it will mean policing dodgy handicaps which is the nightmare of all golf days.
Danny - 31
Nick - 30
Paul - 28
Nando - 24
Cliff - 22
Ball - 22
Michael - 21
Charlie - 14