Match Report Heysham Golf Club 2016
A quick look back to last year’s Heysham report tells me that ‘the sun shone from start to finish’ and , whilst the sun did shine for most of the day this year, I suspect it was considerably warmer last year compared to this. This year’s opening Parrots Golf Society day felt more like the winter conditions that those at Fleetwood have been playing in since about November time (even Mike Barnes on occasion) than the supposed middle of Spring. However, more about the weather later!
For the opening day of the year, fifteen competitors arrived for the morning 9 holes with Luke Palmer planning to arrive at lunchtime for the afternoon 18 holes.
Some good scores were produced in the morning, which although cold to start, showed some promise of warming up towards the end of the game. Most notably, two scores of 18 points were produced from that aforementioned Fleetwood stable, by Jim Clayton and Geoff Moyle, who, had it not been for his trusty 7 wood letting him down on the last, could have had a comfortable 20 points. However, such is life in golf, and Geoff was pipped by a fine round of 19 points by that interloper from across the river Wyre at Knott End, Trevor Middleton. So, well done to Trevor for taking the morning spoils.
Back to the weather. Just as the last our boys were getting into the clubhouse, that promisingly fine weather suddenly took a turn for the worse and the heavens opened with some heavy rain showers. Thank goodness for that we all thought, as it looked likely that these showers would pass over whilst we were having some well earned lunch.
Now, since Martin Greenaway had been in the only three-ball of the morning and walking on his own with the two buggy boys to boot, it seemed fair to promise my old mate that he’d be in a four-ball in the afternoon right? But wait, Luke was turning up in the afternoon, 16 players, 4 four-ball, no problem! So the draw was made and as chance would have it old Luke was drawn in the last group with Martin, Pete Whiteside and Mossy.......... but where was he? Following a mobile phone call with him, he was bloody 20 minutes away, that’s where!
Three groups had teed off, with the last about to do so when the man in black strode down to the 1st tee to join his group just in time. Phew! A big sigh of relief from the handicap secretary who was halfway down the first!
Anyhow, back to the weather again. Having set off in ‘cool’ but dry conditions for the afternoon, having already had a bit of sun, wind and rain in the morning, enter hail! Yes, all four groups found themselves putting out on an almost completely white ‘green’ early on, due to it being covered in hail. Thankfully, these conditions didn’t last and the hail melted away. In fact much of the rest of the round was played out in cool sunshine. No more weather reports, I promise.
But who won? Well defending champion, yours truly, had a round to forget, so no need to go into the details of my round thankfully, as I came last of 16 with just 24 points. However, there were seven scores in the 30’s. Two of which were 33 points each for Martin Greenaway and Trevor Middleton who were vying for 2nd place. But with a resounding 18 point back 9 to Martin’s 14 points, it was Trevor who took 2nd place on the first card play-off of the year, to add to his morning win.
But who won? Well, for some strange reason in the Parrots society, it seems traditional for a newbie to win first time out, and so it proved today. John Cottam (one of those cock-eyed left handers!) had been to Portugal this year, having recently started playing again, and came dead last. So what a turnaround in fortunes for him today. John scored an unbeaten 36 points, including an excellent birdie 3 on the 8th to take the first win of the year. Congratulations to John. To coin a Geoff Moyle special ‘just think how good he’d be if he played right handed!’
Now, as handicap secretary, when I play with most people in the society, I’m often moaned to about their handicap being too low. However, refreshingly, John insisted all the way round to me that he wanted to get his handicap down. Well, it gives me great pleasure to grant John his wish within the following handicap changes!!
John Cottam 23 to 21
Martin Greenaway 9 to 8 (insult to CPO injury, sorry mate!)
Mike Barnes 12 to 13
So the 2016 season is well and truly underway. The early leaderboard will be posted to the website in due course. If you’ve forgotten the web address over the long winter it is www.parrotsgolf.co.uk
Next up on the tour is Clitheroe, which we have visited before. Clitheroe is the home of the single seater buggy. However, I have been asked to advise everyone that sadly the club only have two of these buggies, and one has been booked by another society playing on the same day and the other by Bill Pye, so there are no others available. Mike has asked me to advise anyone looking for buggies this year to book directly with the clubs as early as possible in order to ensure the availability of buggies.
That’s it, see you in two weeks time at Clitheroe, when hopefully Spring will have finally sprung!
Glenn
