In the opinion of many, foursomes is the purest form of golf. If that is so then foursomes medal is the ultimate test of golf AND friendship – for better or worse, your partner must play the ball from wherever you have hit it.
P.G. Wodehouse eloquently described a foursomes game where, the ‘Oldest Member’ was partnered with someone whose game was ‘off’ – ‘Sir ( he wrote) I am tied to a divot’! So it came to pass that during the Arthur Clarke Foursomes, most of the 26 pairings may have experienced similar angst!
One of the oldest golf trophies in Roehampton Club, its history is undoubted and it was lovely to see George Trevor in the field – who first won the trophy back in 1966.
The winners with gross 76 / net 69 were brothers Daniel and David Birn while in second place were Scott Stanley and Simon Butler A.K. A. ‘Divot’ with gross 75, net 71.
In third were Connor Hamilton and Robert Findlay with gross 75 / net 72. Congratulations to the Birn boys who have cemented their place at the Men’s Golf Dinner on 17th November.
We have kicked off our Inter-club and Surrey tournaments. I have received the following report from Captain Justin Thesiger ‘Bad news from the front, we have lost the Surrey B team to a strong advance from a determined Mitcham side’. Mentioned in dispatches are Gerry Dennigan and Neil Anderson, lost but not forgotten Greg Whitaker, Miles Otway and Justin Thesiger.
We are planning a spring offensive and this coming weekend our First Team will take on Surrey Colts and our Surrey 5s A team will take on Addington Palace. I have been told that ‘it will be all over by Christmas’ and I’ve high hopes we are still in the tournaments to the bitter final battles!
Nigel Brown is welcoming players to his squad for the John Ling Trophy. Active, 55+ golfers are encouraged to sign up via IntelligentGolf.
Ricky Pharo and I also had the great pleasure of a Captain and Pro (C&P) match v Wallace Wilson and Rob Findlay. Another really tight game, the match turned when the C&P played holes 8-15 in 6 under par.
Despite this, the ‘Celtic’ pairing kept the game close and when Wallace made a 2 (nett 1!) at the 17th, the game was still alive. Thankfully Ricky made a masterful ‘up and down’ from behind the 18th to give the Captain and Pro a further victory. This weekend we welcome Paul Taylor and Derek Mason. As many people know, Derek went the entire season unbeaten in Captain and Pro during his year of Captaincy. Thankfully I fell at the first hurdle this season so I won’t have that hanging over me!
Saturday sees the Men’s Stableford with a full field and doubtless many of the early matches in the Club knockouts will be played. I am certainly looking forward to playing Murray Feely in the Lockwood Foster on Saturday afternoon.
Whatever the golf you are playing this weekend, as they say in France ‘ Bonne Chance’ !
