The Jeffcock Silver Jubilee Bowl aka Gone with the Wind.

There are some days when the weather is so bad you know you don’t want to play, it would be stupid to play. But you also know that it just takes one or two people to say...Don’t be silly; or It’s not that bad... and the group quietly sitting in the clubhouse will feel morally obliged to get up, dress up and play.

Saturday was one such day. The Jeffcock bogey competition is usually enjoyable; it’s quite quick because if you don’t get a net par you can just pick up. This Saturday saw high winds. I thought the good point was that at least I couldn’t do worse than -18, and being -8 after 8 holes I was thinking that was a likely score. I haven’t felt as good about a 5 at the 9th, and therefore a “0” score, for a long time.

My second half score was a bit better but it was most memorable for the shots of my partners on the final two holes.

John Nixon demonstrated the way to avoid hitting the ball out of bounds (unfortunately after doing so with his first ball) was to aim it well out of bounds and to swing around it.

Phil Holmes’s putt for par on the last was inspirational; it was with his second ball, and was hit from the middle of the fairway about 100 yards out. It shaved the hole.

Wind obviously brings out the best in some people.