Captain Mark’s Drive-In – April 2017 (the golf part!)

We had a top couple of days of weather to enjoy seeing both Joe’s year draw to a close, and welcome in Mark as Surrey National Golf Club Captain 2017/2018.  Together with Mark’s vice, Dom, the three of them were welcoming teams as they arrived for Saturday’s Texas Scramble. 

As per, usual mumblings about handicaps/selected holes/bad backs/knees/hangovers etc etc (take your pick)… we all took care of a bacon buttie and a hot drink then headed out to our tees.

I was originally going to be away this weekend, but was very pleased to find a last minute spot in with the Pistol’s lads, Steve Bracey, Dan and Crockett.  Most of the Pistols were still hanging from their annual St George’s Golf Day on Friday which led inevitably into the night.  We started in the B slot on 16 and opened up with a steady par.  Dan knows the Pistols lot but hasnt been a member long but is a very steady player off of 7.   Helped by his good golf, Crockett swooped in with some steady approach irons when needed and after Steve and I got some of our drives out the way we we eventually came to our 16th hole (the 14th) having evenly spread the drives and managed a closing pair of birdies to finish with a total of 11 – Steve holing the birdie on the last hole on the last putt – and we returned a decent score of nett 57.1.  

It was up there, however we were just pipped on countback on the last 6 holes by the often dangerous fourball of Mattie Jaggs, Al Savill, Senor Ritchie Blake and Matt Strong.

We played behind more of the Pistols – GeePee, Charlie, Badger and Young Sam.  Despite some moaning about putts not dropping for them on their first nine, it all clicked for them on the back9 going on an impressive run of birdies and an eagle. 

See Mick – I do say nice things about the Pistols!

Good play all round but special note to Al Savs who took his own drive on the 14th, and then smashed a 3wood on to the green to finish just an inch away from an albatross.  No doubt that that tap-in eagle made the difference on countback.  Well done you lot.

A bit of a slow round, not a great surprise given the day but in the decent weather it wasn’t much of an issue.  3 groups on the 5th tee and par5’s for example – but due of course to the scramble format of teams sticking one up safe and then all going for greens in two.  Less of an issue in the colder weather of the Turkey trott scramble, but I think next year we ask all teams to allow groups behind to play up before finishing the hole.

All in, a cracking day of fun, social golf.

Putt out and Drive In

As is tradition, the outgoing captain putt’s out from a position set by the new captain, and the new captain then drives off the 1st.  Mark set Joe a tough putt across the ‘dip’ on the 18th green.  With several shouts to remind Joe that we have never had a 4putt, he was the happiest man in the club to hit a great first putt to about 12feet to setup the inevitable lag putt and his best 3putt of the year!  £1 in the pot Joe!

Onto the first, and as the pay-n-players kindly stepped aside, Mark stood up and prepared to hit his drive.  Jerry had unfortunately duffed his a few years ago, so Brian C was reminding everyone “43 yards… he has to beat 43 yards“.  Joe mumbled something about a siren being let off on the backswing, but the offending wielder of said horn wasn’t in sight… or was he?  At the top of the backswing a devious Mr Graham Adams had sneaked down the path, and fired it off.  Mark did pretty well to make half decent contact and secure a 174 yard drive just off the left side of the fairway.  Good job Mr Weddon and well done Mr Adams.

So a new golfing year, new Captain…

Firstly, thank you Joe for your efforts as Captain this past year.  Thanks mate.  I hope the whole of the club shows Mark the same level of support and enouragement in his year of Captainship together with his vice, Dom.

And it didn’t take long for the ribbing to start.  It took Graham Adams until 7am on Saturday to take photographic evidence of parking in Winkle’s spot.