Match Result – Draw 3 - 3.

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Twelve of our number left Carlyon Bay Hotel on a heavily loaded 16-seater coach at 10.30 in the morning on a “40 minute” journey to the other side of Cornwall. This magical mystery tour in the mist and fog over the top of the county got us to our venue at 11.45, just in time for a rushed walk to the first tee for the noon start.

 

Our journey back after the match was no better. With some members of our team trying to persuade me and the driver to stop at every hostelry on the way for more alcohol. Luckily we fought off their protestations as we discovered on our approach to St Austell that the police had closed the main road and our enforced detour got us back to the hotel just in time for dinner!

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At our annual dinner the previous Friday I had exalted our team to win back the trophy we could not win back at St Austell the previous year. We were unsuccessful in this endeavour. Sitting on the terrace with a 3 to 1 lead our last two pairs lost heavily.

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The course was not in great condition having recently received copious amounts of rain. The tees were well worn and patchy and the greens had been hollow-tined and sanded making putting a lottery. It was obvious the course had been carved out of rolling farm land with some very interesting topography. Despite considerable money being invested in the resort facilities, the golf course needs some time to mature.

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There were a couple of creditable performances from our team but unfortunately most of us experienced a lack of good fortune, no more so than Nick Broady (again) who came up against a big hitting younger opponent on top of his game receiving 12 shots and theoretically scoring the equivalence of 45 stableford points on the day. Despite Mike Slatter getting 14 shots off Nick they went down 3&2 in the last match with them discovering that WHS meant Wadebridge Handicap System!

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I had the pleasure of playing with John Christie (who played superbly shooting a nett 68) against stand in Captain John Bassett from Launceston, who struggled with his game, and Mike Martin from St Austell who didn’t! We were coasting at the turn 3 up then belying his previous play Mike birdied 10 then had a birdie nett eagle on 11 to peg us back to 1 up. We did not panic and eventually prevailed 2&1, mostly thanks to John’s very steady play.

 

President Ian Smith and Stephen Price managed a Half, as did my Vice Captain Dereck Buttler & Ian Watkins. Stephen Gallagher from Gloucester and Barry Preece from Tracey Park, both playing in their first event, managed to win 1 up.

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Sadly Paul Drinkwater & Clive Fluck in match five lost 5&4 and, as already mentioned, Nick Broady & Mike Slatter in the final match lost 3&2. Both these matches seemed to have lost ground on the field meaning that they were unable to take advantage of 90 minutes drinking time on the terrace in glorious sunshine before our scheduled 5.30 departure. This probably was the driver behind their scheme to get our coach to stop on the way back!

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At 5.10 we had a short, rushed speeches and thanks session and presentation of the trophy back to Cornwall before I had to drag the team back to reload the bus for our lengthy, frustrating return to Carlyon Bay.

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Sam Collins