Starting in cool and cloudy conditions, with the sun breaking through occasionally after midday, it was another round played on dry, rock hard fairways with lots of extra run. It is good to see Peter Goodall return to form with a winning 41 points (19 points out, 22 points in, 1 blob and no birdies); just behind was runner-up Mike Horsthuis who had 40 points (18 points out, 22 points in, 2 birdies and a gross 74 shots); and coming in 3rd was Richard Norden on 37 points (15 out and 22 back) – so it was all decided on the front 9 holes! Sweep payout to the top 3.

In glorious sunshine, and with dry, rock-hard fairways and insufficient rain over the past few weeks to support growth of the rough, the Dukes course had few defences for our leading players. The honours today were taken by early starter Graham S. with an impressive 43 points (22 out and 23 back) and it was good to see that Graham submitted his card to WHS so that his handicap can be adjusted to reflect this excellent round. In second place Keith C. continued his recent good form with 42 points (19 out and 23 back) including birdies on the 16th and 17th holes, when he was finally ‘let through’ to play at his usual pace! Pralab and Rannesh took the final sweep prizes of 3rd and 4th places with 41 points each. Pralab recovered from an average front 9 (16 points) to record a 2-over-par back 9 (25 points) with one birdie. Rannesh was 18 points out and 23 points back, with a birdie on the 17th. Well played to all.

It was a lovely sunny Spring morning, only a light wind, and with the rough yet to grow, an excellent opportunity to post a good score. However, even with the extra bounce and run that we are getting off bone dry fairways, the Princes course was no push-over. Our winner, Ann G. with 38 points was the only one to beat the course’s previous SSSs – well played Ann. Our runner-up Keith posted 37 points and in third place was new member Mike H. The Purse payouts have been: Ann £10, Keith £7 and Mike £4.

One of the nicest things about playing yesterday was the opportunity to be able to sit down and have a drink with our playing partners on the island when it was all over – first time we’ve been able to do that for 3 months!

I hope to see many of you playing again on future Fridays.

Richard

It turned out to be a very pleasant Spring day with sunshine in the late morning/early afternoon. Because of the lack of rain over the last week or two, the fairways were dry with more run than we have had for some months and the greens were surprisingly ‘quick’. Some found the course hard going but our leaders, Alvaro and Andrew B., both scored very respectable 37 points, with Alvaro winning on countback. Sweep pay out was to the top 3: Alvaro £12, Andrew £7 and John A. £4. Well done to you all.

Although the competition was non-qualifying, 6 members chose to have their scores submitted to WHS.

For many entrants it was the first time playing the Princes course after 3 months of 2nd wave Covid 19 lockdown. Unfortunately the warm ‘shorts’ weather earlier in the week had given way to cold winds from the north under a cloudy sky and it was decidedly nippy till the sun came out briefly in the early afternoon.

Going by the scores, most found the course decidedly challenging, or was it that we hadn’t played hardly any golf for 3 months? Only 2 of the 18 players matched the course’s pre-WHS SSS of 37 points, with Peter N. the overall winner on 38 points pipping Julian J. on 37 points; sweep prize allocation was Peter £12 and Julian £6.