After a very wet Saturday, there was a good turn out to play on a rather “muddy” golf course for the Christmas Hamper.

The winner, with a very good score of 40 points was Gurpul Sekhon with Jim Fogarty in second place with 36 points with a better back nine from Julian Ratnage who came third. Men ceded 2 shots to the Ladies and the best lady was Lia Donath with 33 points. Results…

Ladies

Report by Jayne Maxwell

Thank you everyone for supporting me on my first day as Lady Captain and what a beautiful day it was. The sky was blue, the sun was shining and the frost on the ground made for a very pretty scene even though it was difficult to see and find golf balls!

The game format was the best score on Par 5’s, the best two scores on Par 4’s and the best three scores on Par 3’s. There was a large turnout and it was a fun event.

The winning team on the day was Doreen Dolby, Jini Beacham, Jayne Maxwell and Michele Mair who had 85 points. Results…

Many thanks to everyone who played. The next team event is on Sunday 4th January.

Men

A frosty start greeted competitors, with many NRing early in the round with lost balls.

Back office staff in the Handicap Secretary’s office mulled over the results, fortified by the wine, there were 3 glorious 65s. On a count back, Graeme Syme took the (ginger) biscuit from Jim Fogarty and Gary Flounders. Results…

CSS was unchanged from SSS 68. Men’s handicap list…

Ladies

Now we know what motivates Sheena when playing golf: champagne!! For the second year running, Sheena has upped her game to win the Champagne Chase with 35 stableford points. Michele Mair was 2 points behind in 2nd place and Di Jackett a further point behind in 3rd. Results…

The winter mats were in play on some holes and the summer grass tees on others. However, a calculation of the course yardage showed the length had not been decreased by more than 100 yards from the measured course and hence the SSS remained unaltered and this was a Qualifying round. The CSS increased by 2 (34 points equivalent). Ladies handicap list…

Men

A sparkling round of 42 points off the yellow tees from Toby Hunt earned top champagne prize, two ahead of an effervescent Gurpal Sekhon. Players off the yellow tees ceded a shot from handicap, being designated ‘NV’ in the results. A bubbly Chris Genasi emerged from the sediment to win the surprise prize. Results…

The four nearest the pins were won as below with corking tee-shots:

NTP 1 Toby Hunt

NTP 3 Kerry Sargeant

NTP 10 Michele Mair

NTP 13 Toby Hunt

Kerry Sargeant uncorked a jeroboam drive from the back tee cellar to win longest drive at the 16th.

As indicated on the results sheet, CSS computed to a specific gravity of 37. Men’s handicap list…

Ladies

Though 11 ladies set out, none played more than 5 holes due to the adverse weather conditions so the competition was abandoned. Results…

Dowling Cup
Winner: Janet Fox (423 aggregate)
2nd: Susan Smith (425 aggregate)

Men

The day started freezing with competitors treating recently fallen snow as optionally casual water or loose impediments, particularly on greens where numerous ‘paths’ became evident. As conditions warmed up, persistent driving rain set in causing less hardy competitors back to the clubhouse.

Conditions eventually ameliorated and some good scores returned – most notably from a couple of Smiths; Ian being victorious on 35 points, one ahead of Rick. Indeed, Ian single-handedly prevented a reduction only round. Results…

In the associated Duke’s Eclectic competition, Ian unsurprisingly takes the early lead on net 72, 8 ahead of Peter Harrington. R1 Leader board…

Lee Eden maintains his lead in the Winter Competition just one ahead of Ian. R2 Leader board…

Ladies

The winner of the first Winter Competition of 2008 / 09 was Lia Donath with an excellent score of 36 pts which also gives her the lead in this year’s Prince’s Eclectic. Di Jackett was in 2nd place with 34 pts & is also 2nd in the Eclectic. Results…

The CSS remained at 71 and there were no changes to playing handicaps. Ladies handicap list…

Lia also leads the pack in the cumulative Prince’s Eclectic competition after 2 rounds. R1 Leader board…

Men

Both Julian Ratnage and Gary Flounders stood on the 10th tee with 23 points in the bag – the former with more in reserve having ‘blobbed’ the 9th. Julian held on over the back 9 to emerge the winner a point ahead of Gary with 42 points. Lee Eden finished a creditable 3rd with 40, despite marker only awarding 39. Results…

Playing over a mixed bag of tees, CSS was unchanged from the yellow tees SSS 38 points giving rise to no fewer than 11 playing handicap changes as indicated on the result sheet. Men’s handicap list…

The competition doubled as the opening round for the Prince’s Eclectic in which Paul Appleton takes the early lead on 71, 3 ahead of Messrs. Winter, Meyer, Morris, Sargeant and Syme. R1 Leader board…

With wintry weather forecast for tomorrow, keen competitors will no doubt be looking for birdies on possible short mat/temp greens combos to open their Duke’s Eclectic account.

The Men’s Winter Competition starts this Sunday and to get everyone in the right spirit Peter Harrington has produced a note to remind us how the competition works. Notice…

Ladies

The first of our Winter Team Events was played on Sunday 9th November on Dukes.

The game format was 6 – 6 – 6 – the best score counting on the first 6, best 2 on second 6 and best 3 on the final 6 holes. It was a fun event with a great turn out of ladies.

The strongest team on the day was Veronica Mitchell, Christine Brazier, Ros Lake and Di Jackett who had 72 points. Results…

Thanks to all the ladies who played.

The next team event will take place on Sunday 7th December

Men

An exceptional back nine 38 gained Toby Hunt the monthly medal on a count back from an increasingly confident Peter Harrington, both recording net 69. Nigel Marsh finished 3rd, 3 behind. Results…

The mix of play was such as to increase CSS 1 to 71 from SSS. Unusually, no changes in playing handicaps resulted. Men’s handicap list…

Osman Chaudry hit the course running after a break from golf to emerge the winner with 38 points, one ahead of Kerry Sargeant, Ole Leon-Martin and John Morris. Results…

Kerry seemed to have things in the bag standing on the 18th tee – 2 under par for the back 9 when a loose drive caught the ditch near road. Best lady was captain Di Jackett a point further behind in a competition where men conceded a shot to the ladies.

CSS was 36 pts vs 37 SSS. Men’s handicap list…

Last Sunday the ground condition was pretty mucky and we introduced ‘winter rules’ for the Lissaman Cup. We took an early decision to confirm ‘for the Club playing at Richmond Park’ the adoption of Winter Rules for the foreseeable future and the weather over the last few days has only confirmed the full need for winter rules to be available.

I’m sure that you all have a well read copy of the new ‘Rules of Golf’ book with the revised rules that came into effect on 1st Jan 2008!! Well, just in case you missed the subtlety, the R&A decided to vary ever so slightly the general procedures for ‘winter rules’ and for obtaining ‘relief for an embedded ball’. The following link is an extract of the rules that are now in force – and there is no prize for spotting the difference with former rules. Winter Rules…