Phoenix Members Golf Society
Friday, Sept. 14, Phoenix – Stableford
We had three teams of 3 players today so we decided to have a ‘2 out of 3’ best scores for the teams and an individual prize as well. Two players managed to score 36 points and Peter Harris had the better back nine from Richard Baldwin to claim the individual prize.
Sadly for these two players (both in the same team) they had myself as the third player and our combined best two scores could not match the team score of Clive Robinson, Colin Gregg and Bill Hewitt, who returned a score of 82 points to claim the team prize. In fact, although Richard and Peter Harris had the best two individual scores our team was third.
Tuesday’s winner Joris Goetschalkx, center, with the staff at The Relax Bar.
The team of Peter Rawling, Mukesh Thakker & Patrick Browne came a very close second with 81 points. We could only manage 74 – or should I say my two playing partners could only manage 74. Not much help from me!
Tuesday, Sept. 18, Phoenix – Stableford
We had decided to have a pairs competition today and the teams were all sorted out one week in advance. However, with two players dropping out at the death we had to abandon this idea. So it was back to a singles day.
Our winner today (as shown in the photo) was very pleasing for all the group to savour. Joris Goetschalkx, who has been working very hard at his game to get his handicap down to the acceptable level for the group, finally managed to finish on the winner’s podium with 35 points (his real score would have been 37 points, but we only allow 28 handicap).
In second place was the man himself, ‘Big’ Eamon Murtagh with 33 points and in third place was Peter Harris with 32.
You might wonder at the low scoring this week. Well I can tell you Phoenix have all three nine’s open now and the greens are up to superb condition, but very tricky and difficult to read. Most of the caddies do well to earn their money with green reading here.
Near pins today went to Eamon Murtagh (2), with the other two par three’s not being hit today so we put the prizes into the lucky draw. Winners of the lucky draw (sponsored by The Relax Bar) were newcomer Gerry Hughes, Sergio Volpi, Peter Rawling & Patrick Browne.
Two weeks ago I managed to win the Ann’s Salon voucher, kindly donated by Richard Baldwin and his lady Ann. So I went along for my free treatment and after a very close shave, hand and feet manicure, hair cut and wash (yes, and a colour), I felt a new man. All I can say is this prize is well worth winning every first Tuesday of the month.
Every second Tuesday of the month we play for the KPK Food Services voucher and every last Tuesday of the month we play for the Trattoria Italiana voucher, so if anyone would like to donate something for the third Tuesday of the month let me know.
Next week it is the Trattoria Italiana voucher we play for under Stroke Play rules.
Finally, as stated above, the greens are now very tricky at Phoenix and thanks to Paul Sharples we now have two new mickey taking statements after your first putt. The first is a “Roy Orbison” – this is when your first putt has been over hit and “It’s Over” the green. The second is “Dead Sheep”. This is because with the greens being so fast you do not quite play the stroke with confidence, hence leaving your putt well short. Of course “Dead Sheep” translates to “Still Ewe!”
