Bunkers penultimate fixture of 2023 on Wednesday 8th November at Hampton Court Golf Course was the final event in the society's year long "Order Of Merit" competition.
Conditions certainly didn't favour the field of eighteen players. Persistent rain until the latter stages made for very heavy going. The fairways were somewhat bare and the bunkers unavoidably soggy and off fairway there were plenty of leaves and long grass to conceal wayward shots. The clubhouse was very comfortable and the staff very welcoming. Some epic breakfasts were served and the after golf meal of beef pie and desert was enjoyed by all. Fines on the day were limited because the usual fine recording cards mostly disintegrated in the very wet conditions on course, along with many of the score cards!. Fines, if there had been any would have been handed out to Frazer for getting his brand new irons dirty, Tony for losing his balls, Luke for having cake plus 2 flat white coffees pre match and after golf reserving his dinner place with his hat ! and Ian T for having his own name embroidered on his jumper. Captain Shorter simplified the fines process by fining everyone £2.
Despite the awful weather a majority of the players produced very respectable scores with the top six getting 36 + points. Runner up was Frazer with 38 points and his new irons certainly produced the goods ! Captain Shorter had a magic day, winning two nearest the pin prizes and had a Stableford score of 39 points to win the November Event "Putt Putt Jug".
Below is Captain Shorter receiving the trophy from Colin, well he couldn't present it to himself, could he?
And as this was the final Order Of Merit event this year, we had to conclude that competition as well. Going into this event there were 3 who could mathematically take the title. Luke, Phil, and John T For the first time in history though, all three top players came out of the last event scoring not a single point between them. So after all the expectation of a 3 way shoot out, nothing changed! Well actually it did, because Dave's win catapulted him from 4th to 2nd in the final OOM, bumping poor John T out of the top 3.
Well deserved to all the top 3, but especially to Luke with a total score of 57 merit points from his best 6 events. Luke, below, receiving the trophy from Captain Shorter.
Congratulations all and see you next time, and don't forget after the next event is the AGM!
Luke & Tony Peters