A.T, Goes Home (victorious...again!)

Morley Hayes the venueas the form trio, Tuckwell Snr, Hefter (in a delightful ping combination!) and Hepburn (after midweek Royal Guernsey outing) started the 4 hour countdown to World Cup time. A.T striking first blood with an unlikely par on hole one after a 10 yard tee shot. Heppers countered: an approach pitching inches from the hole and duly converted on 3. Hefter was motoring nicely before a spot of gardening, being awkwardly placed in a ditch a full swing resulted in an azalea being propelled greenward and the ball remaining stationary. A.T had brought his monkey with him, for the second time on 4: ball arrowing treebound was repelled back short of a ditch and a par recorded. Heppers with a can of pimms aboard trailed by 3 at the turn, mainly due to some sand trouble. With the G&T kicking in Heppers began his assault with a golden ferret out the sand on 13, followed up with some monkey business of his own: turning in disgust as a launcher from the 14th tee, viciously heading towards the depth of Morley forest came whizzing back, pin ball style, into view whilst searching for a reload, and a par was miraculously made. The match was delicately poised standing on 18: Hefter with a one shot lead (32) and two shots, from Hepburn (31) with a strong back 9 and Tuckwell (31). Hefter dispatched a drive into the rough and ignored calls from his experienced playing partners ‘to get it back into play’, opted for the over, under, round, through and across 3 wood from deep rough sitting down and persevered with it again. . . again. . .and again before making his way pointless to the clubhouse. Heppers could only double, leaving the way clear for A.T to strike the early initiative!

Tuckwell Jnr, an ‘all white’ Meadows, Hall and Daft were aiming to keep the balls on the island. 2 waterbound efforts on 1 ended the challenge of 2. Meadows intent on retrieving his was sent packing by a territorial maternal coot and decided to let it be. Tuckwell with re-modelled swing and calmer temperament started solidly but another pond plunger on 5 saw his challenge derailed. Daft was struggling on the short stuff due to a cracked putter insert. A little treat was left on 6, ‘pimms o clock’ from the generous Hepburn. Meadows was finding his form; showing remarkable restraint reaching for the 4 iron each time on the tee with the 3 wood calling his name. Meadows led comfortably by 2 at the turn. Tuckwell began to find some consistency but too many shots into the heavy rough eventually costing dear. Hall with one eye on the football faded with a personal best in sight. Meadows remained consistent until a couple of right angles on 17 but hit a huge 4 iron - 8 iron combo to the last for a satisfying 3 point finish. The quartet exited the playing arena with not a soul on the course bar a couple of enthusiastic Chinese!

There it was, Tuckwell Snr (33) in disbelief at another shot gone and third win of the season from a return to form Hepburn (32) and a collarless Ping shirted, Ping belted, Parnevikesque styled Hefter (32). Meadows (31) firing a solid performance.