Lady Captain’s Day took place last Tuesday. The players took to the course in teams of four, with two scores to count on par 4s and 5s, and all to score on the par 3s. In return for a donation to Regenerate my chosen charity, they were able to draw a string from the Captain’s Box, and then could use that string to move their ball in any direction on the course, without counting as a shot. The twist was that all the strings were of different lengths. Tristan, Louis, Charlotta and I were greatly entertained by the reactions of the ladies, some were thrilled with a very long piece, while others were disappointed with a tiny little nub. Everyone took it with good humour, and I learned later that the little pieces did come in handy to drop in a putt that had barely missed the hole. There was also a surprise fundraising event on the 16th hole, where Assistant Pro Nicole Stewart was stationed with her driver in hand. The ladies were allowed to ‘buy a tee shot’ and all but one person took advantage of the opportunity. Nicole is one of the longest hitters in the Club, and everyone was thrilled to find themselves hitting the green in far fewer shots then they might otherwise achieve. There were a fair few tales of balls landing in crazy places (Nicole is not a machine after all!), but as with the string, everyone took it with great humour, and almost had more fun negotiating their second shots from unfamiliar territory!
Ladies’ Golf Captain’s Blog
Club Championship
Congratulations to everyone who entered the Ladies’ Club Championship. Playing back-to-back medals is a challenge, and the one who conquers not only the golf course, but also has the fortitude to withstand the stress of maintaining concentration over the long haul, is worthy of being our Champion. All the players competed admirably, with not only good golf but also good humour and grace. The well-deserved accolades go to Jane Peel, who shot a combined score of 163 to take the trophy and the title.
Lady Captain’s Day
Thank you to everyone who made the day a success: Charlotta, my Vice-Captain, right hand woman and the best friend anyone could have, Daniella and Mariam who made the Box of String, Tristan and Louis who brainstormed with me, organised the food, and had my back in all the weeks leading up to the event, Nicole who stood all morning on the 16th tee and hit over 80 drives, raising £405 for Regenerate, Dev who made the Pimm’s and kept Charlotta and me company, Dhiren for handling the cards, explaining the format, riding us all around the course in his buggy and generally keeping everyone under control, and of course the ladies section, who allowed me to reschedule the event so that I could attend the Pearson Surrey final. In all, nearly £1,350 was raised for Regenerate.
Congratulations to the winners:
1. Lydia Roper, Jackie Beedle, Keh Smith and Caroline Fairnie – 104 Points
2. Caroline Pack, Diana Salmon, Vicki Norcliffe and Elise Gordon – 103 Points
3. Kate Blake, Caroline Stokes, Jinni Featherstone-Witty and Jenny Carter – 100 Points (Countback – back 9)
Closest to Pin 13th: Henrietta O’Shea
Closest to Pin 14th: Alison Post
Closest to Pin 5th (in two): Diana Salmon
Straightest Drive: Kate Blake
Jollyheim Cup
Members from England took on Members of diverse nationalities, all wearing their countries’ colours, in the annual Jollyheim Cup. The event was organised by the fantastic captains Jane ‘Welsh Dragon’ Peel and Trish ‘English Bulldog’ Boyington. The playing partners were revealed with great drama on the first tee, with cheers greeting each announcement. The matches were organised as 9 holes of foursomes and 9 of fourball better ball. The competition was fierce but of course with lots of laughter and camaraderie. Afterwards, all of the players retired to the clubhouse for a drink and to hear who the champions would be. A glass of Pimm’s in hand England Captain Trish Boyington prematurely announced the final result as a friendly draw. At the same time the foursome of Judy Gowing, Anna Tingle (Eng), Helen Maguire and Lou Lou Van Geuns (ROTW) were locked in a fierce battle which won the winning point for ROW who now legitimately retain the trophy for another year.
The only sour note on the day, which I feel obligated to mention, was that a number of people withdrew with little notice, spoiling the impeccable preparations done by the Captains in setting the pairs and preparing the cards. Obviously, illness cannot be avoided, but it is inappropriate to withdraw at the last minute because something more interesting comes along.
Centenary Bowl
The Centenary Bowl team won the second leg of their match against Hindhead Golf Club at home. They are through to the next round, where they will face either Woodcote Park Golf Club or Royal Wimbledon Golf Club.
Vice-Captain’s Away Day
Vice-Captain Charlotta Lyckeus organised a fantastic away day at Berkhamstead Golf Club. Former Roehampton Club Assistant Pro Joe Biggs is now the Head Pro there, and he made sure we were given a very warm welcome. The course is big and wide open, with large mounds (known locally as the Berko Bumps) instead of bunkers. This arrangement seems like it would make the game easier, however trying to negotiate not only the odd lie but the thick, long grass had some of us wishing for familiar sand. Everyone enjoyed the golf, the lovely lunch afterwards and the good company of friends, so the day was a huge success. Congratulations to the winners:
1. Therese Swanson, Alison Post, Caroline Dewar and Susan Major
2. Helen Maguire, Margot Corbin, Fiona Pollard and Avis Darzins
3. Claire Martin, Melanie Schreyer, Elise Gordon and Pippa Walker
Closest to the Pin: Catherine Cooper
Longest Drive: Judy Gowing
Rules on Giving Advice
Player Bs ball was lying badly. B was deliberating what action to take when player A, her marker not her partner or caddy, said: ‘You have no shot at all. If I were you, I would declare the ball unplayable.’ What is the ruling? As A’s suggestion could have influenced B ‘in determining her play’, it constituted advice and A is penalised two strokes. B is not penalised. Such a comment is advice because it could have influenced the player in deciding how to the play the hole. During a round, a player must not give advice to anyone in the competition playing on the course. (See Rule 10.2a) If player A had listened to B, and perhaps asked for further information, then she would also be penalised, as the player is required under Rule 10.2a to try to stop ongoing advice voluntarily.
Players may share facts that are public information, such as distances, layout of the hole, positions of hazards, etc. A player can also indicate the line of play for a blind shot, such as over a hill, for example by holding up the flag stick or a club, but that aid must be removed before the player hits her shot. In the above example, if player B had asked what the rule is for declaring a ball unplayable, it would be acceptable for A to answer her, just not to advise how to apply it.
And while we are thinking about interacting with our partners on the golf course, the following are not rules codified by the R&A, but according to one article I was reading, the golden rules for etiquette in general play are:
Silence is golden: when someone is playing their shot, stand dead still and be as quiet as possible
Take your time but don’t be slow: while you are waiting for your turn to hit, measure the distance, think about your club, get your glove on. Keep your pre-shot routine short, hit your ball, and if it goes wrong, don’t spend an age staring at it in disbelief, just find it and hit it again
Don’t lose your temper: don’t throw a club, EVER. Don’t swear or shout, or at least don’t shout a swear, keep it under your breath. Don’t take divots out of the ground in anger. Don’t kill the vibe … everyone is out there for fun!
Watch where you stand: out of the line of sight of your partners and somewhere safe
Respect the course: repair divots, pitch marks, and rake the bunker completely, leaving it perfectly prepared for the next player. (This conduct IS part of the Rule Book in rule 1.2(a))
Interacting with your partners: In general, be quiet on their shots and congratulate them on their good shots. Don’t give unsolicited swing/shot advice to other players as it’s usually very unwelcome.