SOS Golf - ANZAC Day 2020

Not often that ANZAC Day falls on a Saturday but I am sure many SOS members were out on their footpaths at dawn to participate in remembering those that have given up their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today.

The Last Post

The War Memorial - Kings Park

ANZAC day 2020

Saturday 25 April 2020 - 'Fellowship Day' stapleford competition on the Tuart course

Oh, what might have been!  This was the day scheduled for the 2020 annual competition against a team from the WA Blind Golfers Association. 

Instead, we endure the 5th week of deferred competition due to the continuing need to practice social isolation to keep the COVID-19 virus at bay!

The 2019 competition was held on 27 April last year and the Cup won convincingly by the SOS team 6:3 so, unless the event can be rescheduled for later this year, we get to keep the cup for a while longer!

To refresh memories of that day 12 months ago, Max cleaned up the individual score competition with an impressive 41 stapleford points and 2 birdies and a jovial BBQ & prize giving ceremony was held afterwards at Perry Lakes.

Max wins with 41 points - 6 ahead of 2nd place!

Extract from 27 April 2019 blog:  "What a beautiful day - the sun shone, the birds sang, and the West Australian Blind Golfers Association had come to play.

There's quite a history to this fixture, going back to the 1980's, when SOS first became involved with what was then the WABGC through the auspices of Ron Anderson and Syd Harper. Over the years the honours have been pretty equally shared, SOS having won the trophy back in 2018.

The WABGA turned up with a team of nine golfers, so SOS assembled our very best(?) to take them on, and quite a challenge it turned out to be."

These photos record the mix of SOS and WABGA competitors on the day! 

It would appear that some have got taller in the last year and some may have shrunk a bit!

What else is happening?

So, how is everyone faring with the rules of self isolation, social distancing and keeping up-wind of the virus?  Send in any interesting photos or commentary of your self isolation antics to amuse your fellow members!

Also, make sure that you are up-to-date on all the rules so you do not inadvertently present a target for the contagion authorities, as this chook is about to find out!

The gentlemen below has found a solution which may catch on!

And I hear that new rules may soon be available for the senior members of the club!

Meanwhile, in the last week there have been several email communications from the management of the Wembley Golf Resort which you may find of interest.  These emails have been forwarded to all SOS members for your information.

One concerns the appointment of a new Operations Manager, Jason Roach and also deals with the conditions under which the Town of Cambridge are now allowing limited use of some of the golf course facilities.

Another deals with an invitation to participate in a free demonstration of golf teaching aids and an assessment of your golf clubs.

So, if you wish to sharpen up your game and spend some money on equipment upgrades, please give the Pro Shop a call, they will be only too pleased to assist!

Lets play!
Wembley are now allowing 2 players per group!

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP, ROUND ONE - OLD COURSE

Dear Diary

Twenty eight days now since the last round of SOS, and the sun still comes up every morning. How does that happen?

Beautiful golfing weather, the fairways are mown and the greens are just waiting.

While in the shed, the clubs slowly rust in frustration.

Social isolation has got knobs. I wouldn't care which group Glen put me into. I'd even play with you know who.

Just this once.

Here's something you can try while you're playing with yourself (whoops!)

Meanwhile we gather the Malaysian prime minister has asked wives to refrain from nagging their husbands during this difficult period.

Perhaps we need Scottie to show similar leadership.

So, how did you go in the first round of the club championship on the old course? A birdie on the fifth? Did you nudge the Golden Hole on the sixteenth? A par on the last?

That well-earned beer in the bar while you waited for the final group to come in?

And cap it all off with a ball in the raffle?

Ah, what could have been. I'm imaging that first drive, just to the right of the big tree, with enough roll to get back on to the fairway, while my partner is deep in the trees to the right.

Get out the three wood. We're going for the top of the hill. Remind myself not to hit too hard. Lovely shot, stays in the middle. Meanwhile my partner's hit a tree, bounced back into trouble, and ended up just chipping out into the rough.

Third shot, I think about a bump and run onto the green, but feeling confident, a nice little pitch with the wedge, beautiful elevation, lands on the top tier, and trickles down to stop three inches from the hole. A tap in birdie, while my partner records an eight. Feeling better already.

Now to get inside the Nearest the Pin on the second....

But it's just fantasy. All we can do is be ready when the day comes.

Polish the clubs, darn the socks, clean out the golf bag and find that divot remover.

The day will come. Have no doubt. And we will be there.

Until then...

...who's been sneaking off for a quick nine holes at the Claremont par 3...

...or the "we never closed" Maylands...

Ex-SOS stalwarts spotted at Lake Claremont last week...

...or re purposed the front lawn as a buffalo-lawned green (adds a little randomised uncertainty to that final putt)?

Social distancing? No problem. No-one ever wants to play with me anyway.

Now we can acknowledge the foresight of those for whom "social distancing" has always been part of their approach to golf

Together with those rarely seen members who take the instruction to "stay home" to heart

But let's not "quarantine" those new shirts for too long.

So, let's not forget our friends - we're all still out there:

And don't worry, we'll all be back together again soon.

In the meantime:

In these difficult times, we all need a good laugh. Watch this and try not to smile...

Easter Blog- the Phantom Menace

Well, well, well, who could've predicted this eh? 

No golf for the masses, but onwards and upwards,,,, we shall not be deprived,,,,, you WILL still get a Phantom Blog to keep you informed, in touch and hopefully amused (if not bemused)

But first a few words from our beloved leader, The El Presidente himself, 4D! 

"I trust that you are all keeping well, self isolated and not going too stir crazy without your weekly SOS golf outings. What a way for me to take the reins from Derek, first week in - we close the club !!! (so far this job is far easier than Derek made out).

While we have all been parked up the committee has continued to communicate and we have had our first virtual meeting (more in the Blog about that debacle), and I would like to give you a brief update on the actions to date and the very fluid plans we have behind the scenes.

In the best interests of the health of our members, on Tuesday 24 March the Committee approved to cancel bookings until further notice, including for play on Saturday 28th March. Glen Pope advised Wembley Golf Course of the committee’s decision and obtained credit of the fees paid in advance. Later that morning Wembley Golf Club advised that the Town of Cambridge had closed the course and related facilities until further notice."

So the question is,,,,, is it open or not? I believe the Tuart Course has reopened but limited in it's play, and conditions,,,,, further communique will follow.

But since i've brought up the topic of communication,,,,,, rumours abounded about the

FIRST EVER VIRTUAL COMMITTEE MEETING!

I think it'd be fair to say it didn't quite go as planned,,,,, 

-first it was on Whattsapp, but not everybody could join

-then it was a merged Iphone call 

-then Stiff and The WeatherMan tried to join on Whattsapp,,,,,, can you imagine the chaos and frustration????? Hehehhheee

-then random phonecalls, and more merging, then text messaging!!!!! 

Blimey i hear you say,,,,, what a shamozzle (insert a better descriptor if you chose as per the BlogMeister's normal vernacular!)

The final straw was soon to be illustrated by a perfectly engineered Blond Moment, as presented by Stiff, who after checking realised that she had given The Committee the wrong phone number!!!!!! 

Anyway, i believe it all got sorted in the end, and i'm told the next meeting will be on:-

Zoom??
Whatsapp??
Skype??
FaceTime??
Imerge??
Microsoft Teams??

Look out for updates,,,,,,,, 



What have the rest of us been up to to help alleviate the isolation

The Treasurer is continuing to practice to make damn sure the Garcia's and Mickelson's are kept firmly at bay,,,,,


tough read that on the carpet Treasurer,,,, ;-)

Whereas Wifey and the BlogMeister suffered the effects of isolation,,,,, 

went slightly bonkers,,,,,

and had an Easter Egg Battle of the Pool,,,,,

unfortunately though both 'ships' floated, they quickly succumbed to the afternoon tsunami.

Others decided to eat their way through it!

No names mentioned here,,,,, but you know who you are!!

And some just went, pun intended,

"bat-shite crazy"

HOPEFULLY WE MIGHT ALL GET A BIT OF ACTION NEXT WEEK.

ROCK ON PEOPLE AND STAY SAFE!!!

SOS - 4 April week 2 of suspended play

WEEK 2 OF SUSPENDED PLAY !

The good news is that golf courses in Australia are back playing golf, at least in Canberra and NSW where authorities have approved play subject to strict social distancing rules! However, many courses have stayed close and you can be assured the Town of Cambridge, which owns the Wembley Golf Resort¹, are most unlikely to follow suit. It would be a brave bureaucrat that exposed the town ratepayers to potential litigation if members of the public contracted the virus from picking up their balls!

State of Play

While there has been no activity on the course, you can be assured your committee has been working hard behind the scenes on a variety of issues effecting the club.

A flurry of emails were exchanged between committee members leading to a decision on Wednesday, 24 March, to suspend play. Glen was able to obtain a credit of booking fees for those that had paid for the round scheduled for 28 March. The following day the Town of Cambridge formally closed the golf course, and essentially all the facilities!


Caption Competition

Included in the scholarly dialogue exchanged between committee members on the virus issue was the profound statement 'You cannot play golf if you are dead!'

 This weeks golf ball prize goes to the first to identify the SOS committee member who made this historic and prophetic observation. Only open to members who did not receive the email in question.

Last weeks competition sought a caption for this photo of Steph and Kerry.

Congratulations to Greg, who submitted the only entry, with:

"How can you drink that stuff, where can I spit it "

When not playing golf ?

Presumably members have experienced a level of withdrawal now that Saturday cannot be devoted to pursuing the small round ball. No venue for idle banter, gossip or exaggerated accounts of midweek golf triumphs?

To keep some level of information flowing on the activities of members during this period of suspended play, please feel free to forward to the blog master any photos, videos and brief accounts of interest. Lewd, blasphemous, libelous and sexually inappropriate material will probably be published, so keep it in good taste!

Has anyone started to build a chipping, bunker or putting practice area in their back yard?

The following video demonstrates Bernie's talent knows no bounds!!
Click on link and be surprised !

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7948neeplxrbgdm/VID-20200403-WA0000.mp4?dl=0
  

Has everyone been successful with buying what you need at the supermarkets? With Easter on its way the supply and demand equation leaves a lot to be desired.

And how are you maintaining your fitness during these uncertain times?

Tales of the Weekend Golfer

Meanwhile, over in the USA . . .

Keep well and keep your social distance at a respectable length, particularly when downwind!

💃  😪  💣  💤   💨