Captains Day at Sweetwoods

For our July meeting, 24 players turned out to play Sweetwoods Park Golf Club. Traditionally used as the venue for our Captain’s Day, this year’s captain, Kevin Leftley, pulled out all the stops with prizes galore. (We will all treasure the exquisite quality of our fire extinguisher gift!) Other than the normal team and individual competitions, there were multiple nearest pins, a best points total on the par 3’s and even a team joker which ensured first prize for one of the most taxing team scorecards to fill in years!!

In the absence of Handicap Secretary Graham, It was Rod Lunn who had the task of deciphering the scorecards and working out the winners. . . . And guess who won the most prizes?

Although scores were generally good, some people that clearly struggled with 7 scores in the twenties reflecting the parched conditions of the fairways. Rod Lunn’s extra responsibilities clearly weighed on his mind as he went on to lose 8 golf balls but had clearly limited his efforts to the par 3s where he picked up an outrageous number of nearest pin prizes!!

There were 9 birdies – a chip in off the green on the difficult 8th green by Graham M was worth noting. The average score was 31, 2 in the teens, 5 in the 20’s and 15 in the 30’s and 2 in the 40’s.

There was no ‘heads or tails’ this time, so Captain Kev awarded the box of balls to the player having a nightmare today – Kevan (17) – it started by driving into the woods on the right on the 1st and finished with a great drive on the 18th, but lodging at the base of the tree in the middle of the fairway……that summed up his day !!

Results

The individual competition for the Foundation Cup was keenly fought. In third with 39 points was Alan Bigley (6), an exceptional score with his handicap. Second was Captain Kevin (18) himself with 40 points but the winner, also on 40 points but with a better back nine holes, was John Miller (20).

John Miller (20)	First
Kevin Leftley (18)	Second
Alan Bigley (6)	Third

The team competition was close with 2 points separating the top four teams. The winning team comprised Phil Taylor, Jerry Watkiss, Alan Bond and another Lunn (Will). Nothing like keeping it in the family.

Player 1	Player 2	Player 3	Player 4	Total Team Points
Jerry Watkiss (16)	Alan Bond (13)	Phil Taylor (12)	Will Lunn (36)	127
Rod Lunn (15)	Kevin Leftley (18)	Graham Meadows (27)	Kevan Gill (15)	126
Alan Bigley (6)	Mark Hughes (17)	Peter Alfieri (21)	Keith Townsend (25)	125

But the clean up of the prizes by the organisers got serious in the other prizes.

Nearest pins

Rod Lunn picked up 2 nearest the pin prizes (5th and 17th) and the prize for best points scored on par 3s. Kevin won a nearest the pin prize on hole 7 to go with his second place. Alan Bigley (NTP in 2 on hole 10) and John Miller (hole 15).

It was another excellent day with great events organised by the Captain and was rounded off with a super supper and much discussion over the near misses and could have beens.