The deserved winner of the Wednesday mid-week sweep was Roger Rojas on count back from Richard Smith 37 points. CSS for the competition remained at SSS. Results…

Wednesday was St Servatius day. St Servatius is a member of a trio known as the Ice Saints. The others are St Mamertus and St Pancras. Their chilly collective name comes from the traditional belief that their days, 11, 12 and 13 May, bring cold weather and the last frost of the year. Some gardeners in France will not plant until the Ice Saints have gone. They are well known in Germany, Poland, Austria and Switzerland.

Who’d have thought that with the warm sunny conditions! For gardeners – it should now be safe to put plants out and avoid a frost…

The Ladies produced a 137-117 win. Report…

Ladies

With 2 ladies playing to the SSS and a small field of eight ladies, the CSS was reduced by one to 68, denying the handicap secretary the chance of reducing any handicaps! Joan Mulchay edged out Caroline Stilwell on the back nine to win May’s monthly medal. It was also good to see a number of fair weather golfers making a return to the course – hope we see more of you now ladies. Results…

Men

The wind provided challenge but there were some very good scores with Jon Cooper 62, Ed Henery 63 and Paul Green 65. Well done indeed to Jon for such a consistent round culminating with a birdie at 18. He earns a -1 ESR bring him down to 9.5. CSS was SSS 67. Results…

In the associated Grand Medal Trophy, Paul Grand has a very assailable lead on 214 of two from Charlie Whiteman. R3 Leader board…

The returning officer has declared the total number of net shots and the winner by a two shot swing is Gina Jillett on 75 from WL party member Richard Smith with Richard Owen third recording a 14 shot swing from last Wednesday. Results…

Following the sounding of the klaxon due to local lighting, some candidates returned to their constituency early. The number of spoilt cards was one with potential winner Kate Emanuel DQ for not signing card. Constitutionally, with no overall control, CONGU procedures swung into action with the declaration of an abandoned competition for handicapping purposes with CSS=SSS and a reduction only round – coincidentally, no handicap cuts were recorded.

In the related midweek referendum, Richard Owen now leads Liam Bridger by 6. R3 Leader board…

The weather forecast had been toying with us during the week on the likelihood of a wet Sunday, but in the end it could have been a lot worse and the initial rain showers were at least warm. The greens could certainly do with some rain to soften them up and make them a little receptive to the incoming golf ball.

The ladies’ domination of two weeks ago was short-lived with normal service resumed today and the men taking the first three places. With a 3 point cushion Andrej Moxnes took 1st place on 40 points from Russell Bryan and Roger Rojas both on 37 points. Val Riziotis was first placed lady and one point behind on 36 points. Results…

Despite Peter Harrington’s reminder in his weekly missive, we again had a player DQ’d for not signing his card.  And remember to check handicaps with quite a number of changes occurring today.

The rain forecast for morning/lunch duly arrived making for difficult conditions for the Bogey competition.

The emphatic winner was Richard Owen with a personal best gross of 77 and 5-up. Well done Richard – and a handicap reduction! Shaun Feldon sported a new handicap and was 2^nd on 2-up. Colin Pizzey and Ed Henery followed all-square and best lady Cheryl 1-down. Results…

The overall balance of play was such that CSS was elevated from SSS one-up to two-up.

A chilly wind and the overnight rain seemed to dampen most people’s scores such that the CSS went up by 2. However, conditions didn’t bother Graham Terry who was the clear winner on 42 points, earning himself a 1.4 reduction in handicap. In second place, as she was last week, was Tenesi Karakaneva on 37 points and who after many weeks of playing to her handicap has finally achieved a handicap reduction of 1 shot. Results…

Breezy early Spring conditions greeted 18 competitors in three tee times through the day.

A count-back separated 36s from Richard Owen and Toby Hunt in favour of Richard with Mike Shabani 3rd on 34 points. Ladies’ performance was good with Gina piping ‘birthday girl’ Cheryl to 5th place on 32 points. Handicap Secretary Paul Grand bucked statistical trends and scored relatively heavily (20) on the more difficult back 9. Results…

In what is probably a first the ladies occupied the first four places in today’s competition. One of the first mixed events of the 2015 calendar on Duke’s where the ladies’ SSS has increased to 73 meaning there is no longer a shot allowance in favour of the men. Although a goodly number of the usual contenders in the men’s section were absent due to club commitments elsewhere…. watch out chaps this could be the year that the ladies prevail in the mixed competitions.

But good try from Peter Osgood who entered his stableford score rather than gross score, to record 71 points, which in reality was 32!

The winner was Caroline Stilwell with 39 points earning her a 1.2 handicap reduction, followed by six people on 36 points with Tenesi Karakaneva in 2nd place and Sheena Harrington in 3rd and Lia Donath in 4th. Nigel Gaymond was 5th and the first placed man. Results…