Chubb Victorious After the Inquisition

An informal gathering, with Rushcliffe not taking societies, saw 15 hardy souls spontaneously arrive to brave the elements for an impromptu 3.30 tee off... A dodgy kebab accounted for Dessaur with Thacker walking the hills of Derbyshire.

3.30 also appeared to the time when 20 members turned up and a thousand eyes burned from the clubhouse at those ‘not from round ‘ere.’

Never was such pressure to dispatch from the first with so much disdain building, members matches hastily arranged and medal tees faked in order to pull rank. Tuckwell held firm agreeing on an alternating system with all safely off by 4.15.

Brown Jnr, Chubb, Horsburgh Jnr and the most decorated manager in Tollerton FC history, Jenkinson, were entrusted with flying the flag and didn’t disappoint, Brown launching one up the left centre of the fairway followed by Chubb with a squally shower set. Not a problem for Brown who stormed to 2 under through 4.

Chubb clung to the coat tails as Svenko set his tone 2 blobs, net birdie and nett eagle in the opening 4. Horsburgh was consistent, unfortunately all aboard the bogey train. Brown three putted out of nowhere on the downhill 5th, but closed out a splendid 9 holes in 1 over, 34 gross and 20 points.

Chubb was in contention before 3 one pointers slowed the end of his 9. Jenko, just thankful for some time out the house, enjoyed the company but kept the points accumulating. Horsey stayed in touch with some customary straight hitting. Brown by 4.

The quartet set the standard for a profitable back 9, Horsey closing out his final 5 holes with 13 welcome points, a birdie nett eagle on the feature elevated 14th the highlight. Brown kept up the momentum with another 3 points up 10 but once again was thwarted by the par 3’s and joined Horsey’s bogey train at platform 13 departing at 17.

Chubb sensed an opening and stepped on the gass with 4 ‘3’ pointers in 6 holes, including self proclaimed excellence when sinking a birdie 2 on the short 11th – ‘that was a brilliant putt!’ - to much amusement.

Jenkinson hit his second 4 pointer of the round on 16 with the pin precariously placed. Chubb drew level with Brown on 16 and edged one ahead on 17 before closing out with a text book birdie up 18.

With the crowds building McLoughlin, Buttress, Doc Brown and Hoenigmann remained rock solid and all delivered. Hoenigmann casting Tuckwell a wary glance to be paired with a big hitting trio. Buttress birdied 2 amid the usual clamouring for a handicap increase that fell on deaf ears. Hoenigmann was put totally off his swing being first man to arrive due to a miscalculation in the arrival time.

The Doc had a strong mid 9 showing of 4’s and 3’s but a couple of no scores prevented further advances. McLoughlin got off to the usual free flowing start with Horsburgh once again the target! It was bumper points for Buttress as a further 3 nett birdies sealed a large 20 point, gross 37, front 9 and a 3 shot advantage.

McLoughlin maintained the only form through the turn and was sitting pretty through 14. Buttress, after the Lord Mayor’s Show, imploded - sighting ‘tiredness’ as the reason, with McLoughlin suffering a similar fate but with no reason offered. Hoenigmann created the loudest excitement of the back 9 after an approach from the elevated 14th rolled inches past the cup but stone dead for a cast iron 2 for 4 points.

Brown showed no sign of tiredness and powered through the final 7 holes in level par and for 16 satisfying points, a birdie up the last leaving a sweet taste made even more palatable by stealing the group spoils, by a shot.

Frame, Daft, Radford and 2008 Champion Meadows, fresh from a morning round at Stanton all got one away. Frame bringing his monkey to chuck his ball back in bounds after being barracked from the patio. Daft was quickly into his stride with a nett birdie on 2 followed by an exquisite birdie on the tricky downhill 5th.

Frame matched the 3 point haul through 2 and 3 before losing his way slightly, as the sun burst through. Radford’s highlights were nett birdies on 3 and 9 in a solid opening. Hype, fatigue, pressure from the members accounted for Meadows who uncharacteristically struggled, carting the ball along way – but way out of town, with the reload the shot of preference. Daft by 2.

A rare lift for Meadows on 10, saw him accumulate nearly half of his front 9 score as Radford found the terrain hard going but kept the no pointers to a minimum. Frame peaked around amen corner with more 3 pointers but a routine mixed bag down the straight curtailed any thoughts of challenging for honours.

It was left to Daft to go it alone in the quest for glory. Level par through the first 4 holes saw a sizeable 11 points accumulated, another 3 points up 15 left the Hucknall Wizard on 31 points with 3 to play. It looked like the dream had ended with a costly chip on 17, but bounce back ability ensured another birdie finish up the last.

Bremner, Round 1 winner and previous Rushcliffe winner, Hefter and Tuckwell Jnr kept the crowds at bay and opened in the best of the weather but still in full wets. Bremner a great up and down for a 3 point start. Hefter unfortunately set the tone for his round with some heavy approaches and 3 putts but bounced back with 2 pars and 6 points.

A 3 putt from Tuckwell on 5, after an arrow like tee shot was his only blemish in an otherwise steady opening. Bremner had a mid 9 wobble but finished as he started the 9 with 3 points. Tuckwell led by 1 as Hefter rued 4 no scores.


Layers were shed as the sun beat down on the 10th but with the wind still making conditions tricky. Tuckwell missed birdie by a fraction on 12 but capitalised on 13 after racing the initial putt past, as Hefter set himself a target of 5 birdies in the final 8 holes… Tree trouble halted Bremner’s push up 13 but back to back net birdies on 15 and 16 reignited the charge.

Hefter hit the 2 point train only halted by a nett birdie on 15 with a stone dead approach. Tuckwell wobbled down the stretch, with a couple of 90 degree efforts that thankfully didn’t prove catastrophic thanks to some clutch putts. Separated by one up heart attack hill Tuckwell sealed the group win after Bremner’s downhill birdie effort defied gravity and pulled up short.

A full house in the bar was made one more as the Rushcliffe Lady Captain sauntered over and all eyes disappeared in to the bottom of the pint glasses. Horsburgh, having already fended off a multitude of on course questions from members was fearing the worst, although was wisely not wearing his white trainers. However the Lady Captain was touting for members and was obviously impressed by the fine golf and camaraderie or simply by Hoenigmann!

A re-run of the October Away Weekend saw a carbon copy finish with Daft (36) and Chubb (36) tied - both inseparable with a back 9 total of 20 points and back 6 of 13 points. But it was Chubb who stole the win with a back 3 finish off 6 to Daft’s 5. A potential handicap revision was more of a worry than collecting the spoils. Tuckwell (34 B9:18) pipped Brown Jnr (34 B9:14) with Bremner (33) finishing well.