Match Play Final and Ambrose Pairs

Match Play Final and Ambrose Pairs - so much excitement for one day. 

But what a beautiful day to play it - and the Final went right down to the wire, but more of that later. 

Glen very kindly volunteered to drop out so everyone had a pair. And Frances brought a big bag of lemons, too. 

So that's a fruit joke, right?

Birthday greetings for Paul on Monday - not a big one, apparently, but Happy Birthday just the same. 

And a shout out for Ron and Rita, slowly recuperating from a couple of medical procedures, but looking forward to catching up with us all again soon. 

The issue of caddies came up this week - apparently in the long and distant past people in the club would often use a caddy, but it hasn't happened much recently. Your committee will have a chat about it soon, and the membership can decide their attitude to it at the AGM. 

You'll be aware there will be a change in many of the rules at the start of 2019 - the aim is to make them easier to understand, and less intimidating for new players. One that will interest our players is that your committee will be able to approve players having the option of dropping a ball in the vicinity of where the ball is lost or out of bounds (including the nearest fairway area) under a two-stroke penalty.  

For the rest of us not playing in the final, a nice relaxing game of Ambrose Pairs, where all your shots are played from the fairway, and no-one ever has to play out of the bunker. Just like real golf. 

Many thanks to Max and Jack for sponsoring today's competition. So - how did we go?

There was a bit of readjustment with the novelties, when it was realised that nearest the pin in two didn't really work when the game is Ambrose. But this is how it ended up:



Longest drive on the tenth - Jan, beaten by Gim. 

Longest drive on the seventeenth, for handicap of 15+ - Richard Yeo, Greg and Derek, all finally beaten (but not by very much) by Richard Osborne.

Nearest the pin on the third - Richard Yeo, Richard Osborne, both beaten by John.

Nearest the pin on the ninth - Paul (pretty close, but the putt ended up right on the lip on the other side of the hole facing back down his line. How did it miss!!)



And the Golden Hole - yes, yes, yes - won by Peter Baird. Only $18, but a win is a win. 



Which leaves the Ambrose Pairs:

Lollies to Rob and Richard Yeo, with 73.5

Then John and Stephanie on 72.5

Ian and Vickie on 70.75 (don't you hate those takeaways with decimals)

Peter and Kerry on 68.25

Earle and Colin on 68

Then three groups all with the same gross score, who had to be separated by countback and handicap

Derek and Paul on 66.25

Max and Gim, also on 66.25

and finally, the ultimate brother and sister combo take out the prize:

Frances and Richard Osborne with 65.5!

Thanks Max and Jack, very thoughtful

Which leaves just the main event. 

Going down to the wire, with a see-sawing tournament by two highly competitive golfers, both a credit to the club and the game

Greg, winner of the Match Play final on the eighteenth hole. 

I think your name's on here a couple of times already..

And the proud holder of the Match Play plate

Anyone got a spare mantlepiece?

Next week, first round of the Spring Cup - a two week tournament of stroke play, so bring your best game with you.