Mill Ride provided a warm, welcome, sunny start but windy which eventually went cloudy and cooled off. Warm enough for some white legs to appear and strange coloured shorts to go with them. The course was very dry (apart from the water hazards) which then required pitching prior to the greens to allow for the run in and some greens were a little bumpy in places. Our meal after was a curry which was enjoyed. The course once again proved both long and tricky with a few balls ending up either in the water or nowhere to be seen in the woods.
It was good to see Martin Green return again as a guest and is obviously not being put off by us members - and has since joined as per qualification rules.
A few notes from the course:
A tough, long course for the majority which saw a chunk of the society match scores of previous years, 26-31 points. But today, somebody managed 40 points, how, his first shot was a sharp pull, not a snap hook, no, just played for a slice but he hit it straight - theirs a first. Well done Mr Michael Prevost (best captain ever!!), a massive 9 point winning margin.
Frazer was seen on side of the 12th Green mimicking some Morris Dancers, well actually avoiding Dave Flavell's attempt to hit him, but the nimble footed Frazer avoided the ball.
Some teams found it hard to read the greens and so allowed for borrows that just weren't there.
The skill prizes prompted a lot of discussion. Chosen by yours truly and fined by the Captain for a skill prize on the first, NP3 missed totally buy the first 3 groups! NP missed by 16 of the 17 players - only Captain Beard managed to stay on the green - just! , LD - a tighter than the usual wide fairway, a target set by the first group only to be beaten by one player in the last group. Unlucky Dave Flavell, well done Chris T.
It wouldn't be a bunkers event, attended by Dave Shorter, without a mention of the first Tee. Well, First Tee Shorter continued with his antic's - he managed this time to hit the bushes immediately to the left of the tee, short by name, short by tee shot. I will point out that after this, his 17 other Tee shorts went quite well forward - not long but straight!!
To some of the fines (apart from those above):
Paul Healy was obviously very nervous on the first Tee, so he gave a fashion show, how many ways can you wear the same top - he must see a style councillor
Yours truly for taking a shot like a dwarf with a full size club. Having to stand in a bunker to play his ball on the lip of the bunker and so held the shaft about 150mm above the club face.
Martin Green did not spot the 1 acre of water to the left of the 2nd fairway. Then proceeded to put two balls in the third lake - he saw this one, then almost took out the ducks with the next shot.
Mark T, decided to lay up on the par 5 -10th and so have a 120 yard shot to the green. Well, that was the plan; shame the execution did not match the plan. His lay-up shot reached the water!
Darren Anderson marking my card managed to lose it on the 17th, it was found - two groups later by our captain - FINE!!
To the results:
Raffle was won by Bryan Carter
Longest Drive - Hole 13 - Chris Turvill
Nearest the Pin in 3 shots - Hole 1 - Chris Turvill
Nearest the Pin in 2 shots - Hole 6 - Bryan Carter
Nearest the Pin - Hole 10 - Paul Beard
Strongest Man - Dave Flavell
Winner Michael Prevost with a sublime 40 Points (below in photo with Captain Beard) - well done Prev - showing everyone else how to play the game!
Roving reporter: Ian Turvill