Stableford, VC's Choice

Well, that was fun.

You don't fool us, Greg. You're still playing off the blokes' tees.

We played Stableford, with own choice of three clubs and a putter. And, surprise, surprise, very little difference from the usual Stableford scores.

You have good days....and then you have bad days

Plus the added advantage that there was no dithering over which club to use. Forget whether it's a six iron or a seven. Or maybe even an eight? No, probably a six after all?

We offered to caddy for him, but he still won't play...

Just hit it, and see where it goes.



And talking of a fast game, do you sometimes wonder if you're not taking long enough over that putt? Watch how the pro's do it:

Does the new layout still do your head in? Are you having conversations about how you hit into the trees on the thirteenth, that's the old thirteenth, what is it now, the fifth, no the new fourth, you know the one I mean, that long one?

And at long last they've got the handicaps for the girls sorted out on that one. You know, the old thirteenth. It's index five, like it should always have been.

Last week's caption competition brought a flurry of entries - the golf ball went to Jeanie for this one:

You know what they say about men with Big Feet... - They have BIG SHOES! 

And now, here's the picture for this week. Captions to Derek by Friday, please. A golf ball for the funniest.

Now down to business - the novelties.

	NOVELTY	HOLE	CONTENDERS	WINNER
	NTP in 2	6	John	Shelley
	LD	9	Rob, John	Max
	NTP in 3	11	John	Peter
	NTP	18	Rob	Kerry
	Golden Hole		No winner

A very disappointed John, who'd hoped to get his name on all four markers, only to put his drive into the water on the ninth, I mean the eighteenth.

But the competition winner this week. And last week. And runner up a couple of weeks earlier...

Whatever he's on, I want some too..

	PLAYER	SCORE	BIRDIES
	Max	24
	Vickie	26
	Greg	28
	Stephanie	28
	Lynne	30
	Kerry	30
	John	30
	Richard Y	31
	Derek	32
	Paul	32
	Richard O	33
	Ian	33
	Earle	34	13
	Shelley	34	15
	Jeanie	34
	Keith	34	12
	Frances	35
	Peter	35	16
	Rob	39	18

Malcolm shows us the money

Next week, Par Bisque on the Old Course. A game that always seem to favour the higher handicappers. If you've forgotten how it works, here's a summary:

Normally, when using handicaps, golfers allocate their handicap strokes according to the handicap on the scorecard. If you have four strokes to use, you will use them on the Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 handicap holes.

Poms v Aussies. Who's your money on?

But in Bisque Par, it is up to the golfer to decide on which holes to use his or her handicap strokes. Even better, you don't have to elect to use a stroke on a given hole until after you've completed that hole (but before teeing off on the next).

Also, you can use as many strokes as you like on a given hole. So let's say you play the par-4 No. 3 hole and it's a disaster, you score a 9. But you have 13 total handicap strokes to use. You can use six of those strokes on No. 3 (you must announce the decision before teeing off on the next hole) and, there you go, you've turned a 9 into a net birdie.

But: Once you've used all your available strokes, that's it. You're done using strokes for the round. So you have to make wise decisions about where to use your strokes. (Maybe a single disaster hole isn't the best place, and you should save your strokes for more critical holes in the round.)