I’ve received a photo taken on Saturday 26th January, on the 16th fairway by the 150 yards marker, which look like somebody was practicing their approach shot to the green. This is always disappointing, and even more because only our better players are likely to be playing their approach shots from here at this time of year. Please, whoever is responsible, just stop doing this …
Men’s Golf Report
My predecessors did tell me that composing a blog at this time of year would be a challenge, and so it is! I don’t even want to mention the weather and am just relieved that we can at least play a little golf, albeit ‘carry only’ for the moment. One certainly felt envious watching golf being played in sunny conditions on TV over the weekend from Saudi Arabia and Arizona. Nice to see Graham McDowell winning a tournament after several years; it reminds me that I’m even more overdue!
A reminder that sign-up for the Alan Scott Trophy 2020 is open until 19th February and will be played on Saturday 22nd February. 62 players have already entered. It’s always a nice event where it feels like our season is finally starting.
In other pre-season activity, we’ve submitted our entries for the Surrey 5s and Kelso Hamilton 4BBB, the Surrey knockout competitions. Paul Taylor and Rob Moore are our Surrey 5s team captains this year, with our Kelso Hamilton pairs being Nigel Brown and Tom Hickey, plus Danny Gesua and Bengt Grundberg. I wish all the players well and hope to be regularly reporting on successful matches.
By the next blog we should know the four semi-finalists of the 2019/20 Winter Foursomes. Stuart Loggie and Greg Waunford-Brown have already advanced, defeating Andy Nowell and Craig De Silva; well done chaps!
The next Club Roll-up is a non-qualifying competition, this Sunday 9th February, and will be organised by Russell Gooding who’ll determine the format on the day. Please meet Russell in the Club Café from 7.30am. The draw will take place at 7.45am, with the first group teeing off at 8am (off the 10th tee). Entry is £5.
We will play the inaugural Ireland vs. Rest of the World on Saturday 14th March, a mixed event, so look out for the sign-up sheet on the board at Club Reception in the next week or two. If there’s a disproportionately high percentage of entrants claiming Irish eligibility, we’ll grant temporary citizenship to all and play Ireland A vs. Ireland B. I have in mind to award a prize for the most original and outlandish claim of Irishness and present a special green jacket to the Captain of the winning team.