Salute the Services Golf Day Report
Have you ever felt nervous or stressed on the first tee? Have you ever struggled to sleep as you review your last round and that miserable putt on the 16th? You know that downhill wobbler that you saw roll six feet past the hole.
Well, on Monday 12th June we had a wonderful day’s golf in near idyllic weather with 48 stalwart Roehampton Club Members competing for the beautiful Spitfire Individual and the Inter-Services trophy.
And we learnt a great deal about stress and trauma … this year we were raising money for the PTSD RESOLUTION charity which provides unique counselling and therapy to members of all the Services who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I use the word unique here as this is the case for PTSD RESOLUTION. Using a 60-strong team of trained counsellors throughout the UK, they provide near immediate help and support for PTSD sufferers. I know that as a Service person I was told and encouraged to be strong and resilient and, essentially, to press on with a manly stiff upper lip. Sadly, that often over-used and needlessly harmful view of stress has caused a large number of Service people to become mentally and physically seriously ill.
This is a very good cause and one that the Roehampton Club players more than rose to the challenge to support.
The weather was excellent for 98% of the time … the 2% being an imminent thunderstorm that prevented a few players from playing their last hole. As you can imagine they all stated that they would have achieved either an eagle or a birdie and thus their scores should be significantly improved.
And we did have some remarkable scores. Lorna Robey was a long-time leader in the Clubhouse with 41 points, until Douglas Millar took the Clubhouse lead with 43 points. David Moss must have felt that his drive close to the far bunker on the 16th would ensure him the Longest Drive award but – sadly, that was not to be the case …
The final tally gave the following excellent results:
Winning Service: The ROYAL NAVY (please note capitals here as the RAF have won far too often over the last few years)
Nearest the Pin on the 13th: David Paterson (no more than 9 inches from another hole in one)
Nearest the Pin in 2 on the 4th: Raj Vara
Longest Drive on the 16th: Shaun Feldon (a massive shot, arrow straight leaving him a wedge to the green. (He also made three significant gifts for the auction)
and the overall individual winner of the Spitfire Trophy for 2023 was: RAJ VARA with 45 points.
VERY WELL DONE, RAJ.
A final note
We had two talks from PTSD Resolution during lunch – Charlie Highett is the CEO (unpaid, I may add) who briefed us on their objectives and methods and Jonathan Thomson (a former Royal Marine with whom I served for a number of years and who commanded the Special Boat Squadron – SBS – during the Falkland War and was rather good at that … completing his service as a Brigadier) on his fourth astonishingly demanding bike adventure in aid of PTSD RESOLUTION starting at the end of June and involving 750 miles of gruelling riding around the north of Scotland with three others, all of whom have experienced PTSD.
Roehampton Club Members proved – again – to be wonderfully generous in bidding for various auction items in aid of PTSD Resolution and showing marked enthusiasm for the aims of the charity. Many asked for the details of Jonathan’s Just Giving page – which is : www.justgiving.com/page/jonathan-thomson-6
I am incredibly thankful and grateful to all who played and participated so enthusiastically and generously in this year’s Salute the Services event – including Louis and Matt who were administrative stars and the catering staff who gave us such an enjoyable meal.
As soon as I know the overall sum raised for PTSD Resolution – which Marc Newey has pledged to double as a chosen Club Charity – I will let you know.
In the meantime, thank you … and now for the Salute the Services 2024!
Duncan Christie-Miller, Salute the Services event organiser