Match Report Pikefold Golf Club 2016
As Jimmy Tarbuck (or Tarbrush if you’re a fan of Porridge) used to say on ‘Winner Takes All’ in the 70’s and 80’s, there was a ‘difference of opinion’ today amongst the golfers who arrived at Pike Fold for Round 3 of the Parrots 2016 golf season. The weather forecast for the day had a definite suggestion of some heavy rain over Manchester, and so there were some who favoured playing the 18 holes straight off in order to avoid two drenching during the day.
These were Mike, Geoff Moyle and myself, in truth probably influenced by the fact we had just completed a 500 mile tour of Norfolk and Lincolnshire in the previous 3 days, along with Jim Clayton, and were a little ‘golfed out’. As it happens what rain there was through the day was of the drizzly variety and so didn’t hamper the golf too badly.
So three players played just 18 holes whilst the other 8 hardy souls, joined by Warren in the afternoon, went ahead and completed the full 27 holes as scheduled.
These disjointed arrangements have made it difficult for me to give an accurate report of proceedings other than the threeball I played in, where I blew a 6 shot lead at the halfway stage to be beaten by Geoff Moyle on the last hole by one point. 31 pts and 32 pts respectively. I think I was lulled into a false sense of security by the cunning ex-fireman, as after nine holes he professed he was going all out for the lowest Parrots score ever, only to return a 22 pt back nine!
But enough of the also rans. The morning nine holes, completed by the eight 27 holers was won by Mark Thomas with a steady 17 pts, a level of scoring he was to continue into the afternoon.
In stark contrast to Clitheroe where 11 of 15 scored less than the buffer zone, at Pike Fold, which has a lot of ponds but being a newish course is fairly open, half the field scored above the buffer zone. Cue some hefty handicap reductions!
Lowest of these was a creditable 33 from Frank Healey, followed by very good 36 pts each from Kev Gerard and the seventy something year old Paul Greenaway, who shows he can still do it from time to time!
But it needed another card playoff to separate the 38 pts each scored by Warren Murphy and John Cottam for second place, with Warren taking it courtesy of a better last 3! So well done to Warren as runner-up.
But one point ahead, following up his morning win to completed that very rare double of morning and afternoon winner was Mark Thomas with 39 pts. So congratulations to Mark on being the winner of Round 3 of the Parrots season.
Although I didn’t see mark’s round myself, I’ve heard a lot about it from his playing partners demanding a hefty slice off Mark’s handicap! And as it happens, the handicap system obligeth, as Mark’s handicap takes a three shot tumble, as the following table shows together with the other changes as a result of the high scoring at Pike Fold :-
Mark Thomas 21 to 18
Warren Murphy 20 to 18
John Cottam 20 to 18
Paul Greenaway 24 to 22
Kev Gerard 12 to 11
The updated leaderboard has already been posted to the website by Phil, and unfortunately makes for embarrassing reading for your organiser and handicap secretary.
John Cottam is undeniably taking the competition apart at the top of the leaderboard, gamely followed by Stuart. But the embarrassment is caused by myself and Mike occupying 3rd and 4th places courtesy of the fact we’re the only other two players that have completed 3 rounds! As the season goes on, we expect a hugh slide down the table of Blackpool FC proportions. The next best contender to the runaway train that is John Cottam is Kev Gerard with a respectable 36 and 37 pts in his first two games.
Next up on the tour is Bentham, see you there.
Glenn
