With 2 Rounds to play, the destiny of the TGS 2010 Claret Mug has been blown wide open.
With 4 scores to count, rounds on the board could be crucial.
J. Horsburgh - 139 points
Rounds of 43 - 33 - 32 - 31. No stranger to the final day shake up and a definite rider for the final 2 fixtures. With the weakest score fairly solid there may be little chance to make huge advances on his current points score especially off his new mark of 13.
R. Daft - 133 points
Rounds of 42 - 37 - 27 - 27. Another usually in the final 4 but yet to land the covetted Claret Mug. Now in the handicappers grasp off a mark of 8, but a definite in the final 2 rounds should see his lowest scores surpassed.
S. Tuckwell - 126 points
Rounds of 35 - 34- 30 - 27. Always there or thereabouts, due to playing in every round! but unable to post the big score due to the low handicappers mark. Confident of beating the 27 and 30 point mark but unlikely to do so by 13 to equally Horsey's current lead.
A. Pike - 119 points
Rounds of: 38 - 30 - 26 - 25. The 'ironman' cannot be written off, with the capability to score big and has done previously at both Horsley and Cotgrave. Plenty of shots to play with and 2010 Tour winner at Cotgrave already.
Waiting in the Wings...
M. Hoenigmann - 104 points (3 rounds)
Rounds of 35 - 35 - 34. In poll position before Sunday, but with only a final appearance at the climax at Cotgrave a score will be needed. A man who thrives on pressure and a definite most improved, this is well with within the grasp although there is no room for error.
Something a little bit special required, with attendance not guaranteed...
J. Brown - 95 points - 3 rounds of 38 - 30 - 27
A. Rotton - 92 points - 3 rounds of 32 - 31 - 29
N. Thacker 89 points - 3 rounds of 34 - 28 - 27
R. Chubb - 88 points - 3 rounds of 35 - 28 - 25
M. Hefter - 88 points - 3 rounds of 32 - 30 - 26
S. Harris - 88 points - 3 rounds of 32 - 29 - 27
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
The Destiny of 2010
Jay Makes it a 3 Horse Race
A first time visit to the surrounds of Oakmere Park saw a fivesome take full advantage of the low attendance, to post some large scores.
Tuckers and Meds hit the range an hour early keen to make sure the advantage was not lost and was joined by Daft. Horsey couldn't afford such liberties having hot-footed it from Chatsworth with caravan in tow before de-connecting and arriving straight on the tee.
Meds, Pike and Daft opened up with Meds straight into birdie-birdie-nett birdie form, despite being hit by Horsey's approach (2nd shot) to the first - and a par 5 nonetheless! Pike found no such fortune with difficulty on the baize attributing to a slow start.
Daft, determined not miss out, opened with 2 birdies in his first 4 holes to be sitting pretty. A high standard of consolidation meant a superb level par front 9 despite 2 balls lost - albeit from firing off the wrong tee and be reprimanded by a group of lady members - and 23 points.
Meadows kept in the hunt with a very respectable 20 points, whilst a final flurry left Pike 4 further back.
A further birdie nett eagle for Daft on 11 was backed up with 2 more nett birdies over the next 3 holes. 38 points after 16 led the decision to blow it and only be reduced 1 shot or go big and be cut 2. 3 points over the final 2 left Dafty on a very ominous 42 points yet single figures! Gross 77, 4 over par - you can't complain!
Meds opened with 6 points in the opening 2 holes after the turn and finished strongly after a mid 9 wobble for a handicap reducing 37 points. Pike started strongly, nearly getting back to level 2's, before finishing safely with a very respectable 30 points.
A 2 ball for Tuckers and Horsey was very relaxed, Horsey with his first outing since Cleeve Hill, in July, nearly opened with eagle after Meds' size 10's stopped an arrowed approach to the 1st. Birdie it was. It was nearly back to back as the birdie putt on 2 finished inches short. Further 3 points on 3 and 6 meant 17 points had already been accumulated. A couple of severe hills curtailed the scoring slightly but 21 points was very impressive. Tuckers started slopily, with 4 points after 3, mainly thanks to a lost ball, but parred in to finish 3 behind Horsey.
Tuckers once again paid the price with another errant drive and lost another ball on 11, but immediately responded firing into 2 feet, on 13, for a tap in birdie. A further birdie followed on 17, before a birdie effort on 18 narrowly missed, but with every cloud - 35 points and just below the radar!
Usually given some stick for his metronomic tap and run play, Horsey was finding some excellent distance, inspired by his recent gambling exploits, finding himself relishing the par 5s. Having negotiated 4 safely, 1 under par gross, there was one final one to navigate up 18. 3 immaculate shots, left himself 3 foot from the pin and smiles all round, until it was relayed that he had to sink that for the win. But with ball of steel he duly obliged to finish with a gross 81, 2 under for the par 5s - and a monstrous 43 points. This was all amongst the turmoil of finding his best white Pringle Knitwear in the bottom of the bag with the remnents of a 4 year old banana spread all over it.
Game on for the Final 2 Rounds
Horsley Lodge - 26th September - 1.30 tee off
Cotgrave Masters - 17th October - 1.00 tee off
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Hot off the Press
Chubb confesses...
'Also played at Breadsall Priory heathland course saturday- near death experience on the buggy- nearly rolled it over Avis Brown (Doc's mum) and Ants Mrs (Docs bro's fiance), after losing control in the wet. Rotton dived clear from the buggy as it careered widly down the slope. Span it about 3 times. Calamity Chubb strikes again!'
Chubb 1/6/10
Costa Del Cotgrave
While Framey, Dafty and 15 other hardy Keyworth members headed to Ibiza Town for the formers stag (it's all very quiet boys, you've been back a week, there must have been some incidents...) Tuckers, Vinny and Duffin hit Cotgrave Masters in 80 degree Mediterannean heat.
.Thursday, 6 May 2010
Anyone for Bondhay?
Monday, 3 May 2010
Brown Victorious Amidst Handicap Protection
A bit of a merry-go-round saw A.T. withdraw, back prevention, after 14 days straight and a 5 day golf trip to follow. Dessaur fell foul of alcohol poisoning while Hall was finalising the last details of a big money transfer back to Bridgford.
Having exchanged the customary pleasantries in the Pro-shop and dealing with a few handicap chunterings McLoughlin immediately had some explaining to do – driving the first. Phoenix had the wire wool on the irons midweek but scrubbed off a bit too much accuracy in the early stages before a nice net eagle up 6 lowered the pressure gauge.
Ever steady Bremner, was the mark of consistency any blip instantly followed by a 3 pointer. While Daft, still smarting off his mark of 10, produced a mixed bag. McLoughlin finished the front 9 firmly in charge, birdie, par, par, birdie – 2 under, 14 points – a total of 22 – with a blob. No you can’t be off more than 8.
With thoughts of a potentially hazardous first round handicap axe, the back 9 scores dipped below the front 9 highs, with only 2 nett birdies registered between the group in the first 7 holes. In danger of the round petering out and squandering the chance of a solid opening, Bremner, inspired by yesterdays Canaries promotion party, finished 17 and 18 with 6 points. McLouglin finished nett birdie. Daft saved the best ‘til last with birdie and 4 points.
A dangerous looking quartet consisting of reigning champion, Chubb. 2010 early favourite, Doc Brown, the returning Rotton - and 2008 Champion, Meadows set off full of promise. Although, Meadows was fighting through the pain barrier after a late night car park altercation left some bruised ribs but no clear details on the hows and whys!
A cagey start from the usual free scoring Chubb was merely a lull, as he became only the six man on the TGS circuit to register a 5 pointer. A drive, 5 iron, 8 footer – accomplishing the feat on the 469 yard Par 5 9th - Eagle with a shot. Meadows’ nett eagle insignificant!
Rotton, under the watchful eye of Meadows, was careful not to score too freely with the 18 handicap considered favourable. Four front 9 3 pointers were balanced with 3 1’s and a blob. It was left to the Doc to turn the screw; a rare 3 putt on the first was the only blemish in a one over gross front 9.
The pain got the better of Meds, who having easily surpassed the TGS all time low, opted out of the majority of the back 9 – not being drawn into a big hitting contest and careful not to let Rotton escape his attention. Rotton hit the coolers after 24 points after 12 holes – fearing the promised 5 shot handicap cull.
Likewise Chubb, who with 33 points through 16 must have been eying up 40 points, with 2 tameable par 5s to finish. A tepid, yet ideal finish, assured the 6 handicap would not be reduced! Richard – are you sure you played them to your full potential…
Brown, more than happy off his low single figure mark, consolidated on his excellent front 9 to shoot a top draw 4 over, gross 77 - and with it a handsome 38 points.
Tuckwell, Thacker, Ball and Radford set off on the back 9, with Thacker regretting the final pint / chaser.
Thacker battling some inner turmoil tried every available cure but couldn’t shake an increasingly pounding headache. An approach to a foot on 13 briefly lifting the gloom. Radford, having wintered well on the Wii, hit some nice shots but couldn’t capitalise on the greens.
Ball appeared to be working on, a not conducive to good scoring formula of:Shots to green = number of putts taken.
Eye for the cup not as sharp as the eye for goal!
Although the spread went belly up on 17, with those who went high, as a snaking 25 footer found the back of the cup for birdie and a single putt – yes single putt!
Thacker was 2 ahead of the group ready to tackle the shorter front 9. 2 fantastic shanks coupled with a drilling headache left the resident pro with only one choice: Get the driver out and smash it as close to the green as possible. This yielded 3 birdies in 3 holes but could only mask the growing fatigue.
Tuckers 30 yard pitch to the 8th, which found the sand, 6 foot in front of him, summed up proceedings, so it was left to Ball and Radford to fly the flag. A cracking start and finish to the 9 saw Radford amass a healthy 20 points, 3 shy of last years opening effort, but excellent nonetheless.
Calypso time for Ball, who was seeing it like a football and giving his single figure partners a lesson in how to strike it. Four 3 pointers on the homeward stretch not bad for the annual outing!
Are we nearly there yet...
Horsburgh Jnr, Hefter, Hoenee and step-dad, Riddell, made up the final 4, starting on the front 9. Hefter had a tale two nines – securing the worst opening and best back of the day. Always finish in style Stats, a bit of class. You may look back on this when you’re in poll position coming down the Masters stretch in October!
Horsey, fresh from a 1 hole Friday victory, over Phoenix started with a tidy nett birdie, before a wobble, then recovery. Riddell was all about the 2s determined to get one over on Michael after being defeated in their last outing at Bondhay. But, hemust have stared in disbelief as a regulation par equated to nett eagle on the opener courtesy of it being stroke 10! Not usually a word associated with Hoenne – consistency – but consistent it was. Could 18 holes be strung together?
Horsey kept accumulating: a one pointer always followed by a 3 for a steady start, although the 2009 Runner-Up would always view it as a missed opportunity. Riddell was clinging to Hoenigmann’s coat tails, and could only watch on as his nett birdie was surpassed with nett eagle up 12. With the 18th to play Hoenne held a 2 point lead and his competitive instinct was not about to let it disappear. Nett birdie securing bragging rights until next time!
With the field split it meant a well timed gathering into the 19th, although there was only chance for one with barkeep heading back for his Sunday snap rather than add an extra £100 takings – although it did look like a rowdy lot…
With the scores all accounted for it was the Doctor, Jay Brown (38) who claimed the opening honours, and the pot, with a 3 shot victory over the ‘Handicap Protectors’ of Chubb (35 B9:17), Bremner (35 B9:16) Ball (35 B9:15) and McLoughlin (35 B9:13) Hoenigmann (34) another to finish impressively.
A select few swung back via the Jolly’s, while the others retired home thinking of what could have been.
With potentially the closest run tour to date, it will certainly go down to the wire. Brown stamped some early season authority but as ever with the best 5 out of 8 rounds to go forward, will everyone be able to fulfil the quota?
