Senior Men’s Golf Report
I cannot begin any review of senior golf without acknowledging the immense gratitude which seniors owe to Tristan McIllroy for his contribution to our regular golf and special events. His calm helpfulness has been reassuring to those of us who have shared organisational responsibility. Good luck Tristan. And to Louis Laville who will have to take on greater responsibility.
We lost our regular use of the course on Wednesday of this week as the Ladies’ Autumn Meeting was played on both Tuesday and Wednesday. But in the last two weeks we have played two major Senior competitions for the August Grail on 31st August and for the Autumn Medal on 7th September.
I reported on the August Grail in the last edition of the Recorder when the winner, Alan Thurlow, scored 46 points as did the runner up, David Moss. This was in a field of 57 golfers. As a matter of interest, I looked back to see what the level of entries in the Grail has been since March and I am pleased to report that we average more than 50 entrants each time. This reflects the popularity of senior golf at Roehampton Club. The only downside of this is that, with these numbers, it is not feasible to close the competition and present the prizes with most golfers remaining. One compensation is that we usually get the winner photographed with the trophy to be published in the next edition of the Recorder.
The Autumn Medal was played this year on a course without the usually punishing rough and, after rain, with the greens proving more receptive than the hard surfaces prevailing in June and July. Not surprisingly, there was some great scoring among the 47 entrants. Playing a round well below his handicap of 11, Suresh Vara came in with gross 71, nett 60, a quite astonishing result. One of Suresh’s playing partners on the day, Bengt Grundberg scored a nett 63, a total which on any other day would have been the likely winner. Also worthy of mention were Francis de Freitas who scored a nett 66, Rocky Mowat who scored a nett 67 and the best gross scorer (apart from Suresh) Roy Martin who carded a gross 75.
We are approaching the end of the competition season. 20 of our 23 interclub matches have been completed. The senior team has now edged ahead after our win in the home match against Richmond on Monday. We have recorded ten wins, nine losses with one match halved. I look forward to more seniors joining the team next year.
With regard to our internal club competitions, some summer knockouts have been completed and the remaining competitions are in their final stages. In the senior scratch tournament, Roy Martin beat Greg Waunford-Brown in the final. The Seriously Seniors competition has been won by Hassan Dajani who beat David Bouch in the final. The Ockleshaw trophy will be decided between Hassan Dajani and Mel Davies and the Ockleshaw Plate and the Super Seniors are at the semi-final stage. All results can be viewed on Intelligent Golf.
Finally, I should report on the Seniors Summer Eclectic. David Moss is currently leading on nett 48, followed by Suresh Vara 49, Hassan Dajani and Ev Schenk 50 and David Bouch 51. Scoring has been so good this summer that it is difficult to imagine dramatic changes before the competition closes at the end of September.
As the summer competitions are completed, so arrangements will be made for the winter competitions, the Colum Sharkey knockout, and the Winter Foursomes. Details will be announced in due course.
We will be offering a variety of formats for our Wednesdays up to Christmas. I invite all seniors to sign up as they are advertised on IG. I would also invite you to put in your diaries that the December Grail will be held on 14th December and our traditional Christmas 9 holes and lunch will be on 21st December.
Douglas Millar, Men’s Seniors’ Golf Chairman