Travellers Rest Golf Group
Monday, March 27, Pattavia – Stableford
1st Trevor Oliver (14) 33pts
2nd Richard Talbot (16) 32pts
3rd Alan Gibb (09) 32pts
On an uncharacteristically wet and sultry Monday morning the TRGG visited Century Pattavia golf course. The benefit of playing in milder temperatures was offset by the difficulties associated with trying to judge two paced greens.
Aberdeen’s very own Alan Gibb continued his recent renaissance with 32 points and 3rd place. Well “to cut a long story short” (Alan has never said this!) he was rather unfortunate to be beaten into 2nd place by yours truly, as a result of the scribe’s magnificent back-9. However, the hack’s dream of making the headlines as opposed to writing them were scuppered by Trevor Oliver. This Taunton born Tom Jones impersonator scored an impressive 33 points and did just enough to take the day’s top prize. Quite apt really as the day’s weather had certainly reminded him of the “green green grass of home”.
Wednesday, March 29, Phoenix – Stableford
1st Keith Evans (17) 41pts
2nd Trevor Oliver (14) 35pts
3rd Billy Allen (19) 35pts
Being as this was the last Wednesday of the month it meant that this was another round of the Ferdinand Cup. The winner of the day would receive a tankard, a shirt, free beer, a free round of golf and an entry into the finals day at the end of the year.
This is proving to be a popular event and many were hoping to bring their ‘A game’ out on the right occasion. No one was prepared for the torrential rain that resulted in an hour and a half wait, but in a way it built up the tension. It certainly didn’t affect co-owner Billy Allen whose fine round of 35 was good enough to take third spot.
Billy was in fact piped into second by Trevor Oliver who, playing with 3 Welsh boyos, quickly abandoned Perth and became Welsh again. His back-9 was better than Billy’s so he took the 2nd prize.
No one however came anywhere near the winner of the day, Keith Evans, whose 41 points left the rest of the field way behind. Keith used to work as a film extra in the seventies and his biggest role was playing Ernie Wise’s stuntman. Sadly for Keith his part was taken away from him when they found his legs to be too short and hairy. Physical disabilities aside, this was a wonderful round of golf and deserved to win the day.
Thursday, March 30, Green Valley – Stableford
1st Oddie Oliver (14) 38pts
2nd Alan Gibb (09) 37pts
3rd Garry Blackborne (07) 33pts
On Thursday the TRGG visited Green Valley where Garry Blackborne scored an impressive 33 points and this was good enough for third place. After 3rd on Monday at Cenuri Pattavia, Alan Gibbs’ good form continued and his 37 points resulted in 2nd spot. However, the day once again belonged to the multi-national Trevor Oliver. Having already been Australian and Welsh in the same week, things became complicated after Trevor consumed a rather delicious Black Forest Gateau. He now claimed to be more German than the other nationalities, revealing his middle name to be Oddie. The authenticity of this diatribe may be questioned but his 38 points cannot be at it gave him his 2nd win of the week.
Friday, March 31, Plutaluang – Stableford
1st Nathan Sheridan (24) 41pts
2nd Ted Senior (17) 36pts
3rd Ken Aihara (05) 36pts
Friday’s visit to Plutaluang was very much a day for the Sheridan family with father Jim playing alongside sons James and Nathan. James had been present for two weeks and despite odd sparks of genius he had yet to get anywhere the podium.
He had claimed earlier in the week that today would be the day that a Sheridan would reach the summit. How right he was, but sadly for James it wasn’t him but his younger brother Nathan who managed to win the day. The youthful looking Nathan produced a fine round of 41 points and this was way ahead the rest of the field.
Ken Aihara scored 36 points and this was good enough for 3rd place but he was just beaten by Ted Senior by virtue of Ted’s better back-9.
Saturday, April 1, Pleasant Valley – Stableford
1st Keith Evans (15) 40pts
2nd Paul Burrows (08) 38pts
3rd Billy Allen (19) 37pts
Saturday was more like a magical mystery tour as the TRGG set out for Mountain Shadow. On arrival the golf course was like a ghost town and the society was told that there was no golf for another hour and a half as for some strange reason they didn’t do bookings on a Saturday before 11.00am. This was even more remarkable as they had taken the booking for 10.00am the previous week.
Not to be thwarted, Billy Allen sprung into action and with red hot mobile in one hand, and steaming coffee plus 2 lit Benson and Hedges in the other hand, he set about finding a viable alternative. Before you could say “why 2 cigarettes Billy?” the society were driving through the gates at Pleasant Valley.
Considering the morning mayhem, the scores produced by the group were pretty remarkable. Billy continued his fine form on the course to shoot a very good 37 points and this was good enough for 3rd place. Debutant Paul Burrows also had a fine day and his 38 points took second spot. However, for the second time in a week Keith Evans topped the podium with a round of 40 points.
Previously Keith had gone through 15 rounds of golf without achieving any success, yet this week his new success has coincided with conjunctivitis in both eyes. The effect of this has been twofold: Firstly Keith now looks a hideous mess and secondly he can’t see very well. His new found form has been as a result of remarkable guess work and good fortune, and brings new meaning to the term keeping your eye on the ball.
