tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51441008742920598622024-03-14T03:40:33.178+00:00Captain's BlogJohn Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-29089663978985825722011-08-27T12:30:00.000+01:002011-08-27T19:55:25.426+01:00The Final CurtainWell, that's that then.
<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 331px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644381029224720930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn4X5AZjtcnMkJqt1jXHRNPDAqKvHdCTuK0px0C5jb7spjm1y08Db7QDNo5DN5xzRDiLmp6v3qPewbYVtNY1WMEnX-iztbWPWJqG9pIWKXfzwwmAVGJmIEwygi-l5XJ3eiLlhiangWpkDq/s400/NNL+v+Dunstanburgh+%252861%2529.JPG" />
<br />Somone asked me a tough question a couple of months ago: what have you achieved in your captain's year? I couldn't think of anything but on reflection I'm not sure it's the job of a captain at Bamburgh TO achieve anything. I saw it as more a role of continuity, to encourage and support what works and to try to encourage adaptation where necessary. I think most things work well here and I tried to support them. I've tried to push a couple of things: with Keith I've tried to make the friendly matches more popular by making many of them half day affairs; Nicky and I have tried to increase interest in mixed golf events and lastly the club is going to prepare a policy document for the golf course which will help members understand how the course is managed.
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<br />A much easier question was, have you enjoyed it?; or alternatively, will you miss it? Yes, I have enjoyed it: it has been good fun - but although I will miss the parking space I won't miss the role. One year is enough. I saw a quote from a Jeremy Clarkson car review just after I'd started being captain. I thought it was appropriate:
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<br /><em>"You don't join a club because it's convenient or because it will save you money. You join so that you can be a member. So that you can be part of a gang. And that, of course, means you are weak.</em>
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<br /><em>We see evidence of this among those who play golf. The captain of your local club, I can pretty much guarantee, is almost completely useless at his job and has very few friends. In the real world he is a halfwit, a nobody, a tragic soul with a chip on his shoulder and a family that hates him on a molecular level.</em>
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<br /><em>But by being diligent at the golf club, and organising events, he has become a somebody, a person with standing and power and respect. Let me put it this way. Captain Mainwaring would be the captain of the golf club. Wilson would just play golf."</em>
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<br />I'm looking forward to being Wilson again.
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<br />A final comment. Some things worry me: slow play; walkers across the golf course; they are a sign of selfishness that is probably an inevitable consequence of modern life. But most things don't; the club's mix of membership and its low key approach - and its location - mean we are well placed for a challenging future for golf clubs. So a final thanks to the members for their support of me and more importantly the club over the past year.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 255px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644380012114942578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7Z-HxPYLibU10YG-oN3qNOoxi1uN6_nFhiV-TsDQVjgbD7-O2lW6YrVLMbYR4bC5HKpWbUSeyuJvI5uk68Js4x1lLHUeCe4qACwVDR6MW6AD59ZAi0esEBQOOJGrsL3I-Bn8cCOTGm13/s400/Texas+Scramble+%25284%2529.JPG" />
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<br />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-28191207967235491102011-08-19T19:17:00.001+01:002011-08-28T11:12:19.110+01:00Last ThingsThe season is coming to an end at a rapid rate: twelve months ago August 2011 seemed a long way off - a year away, even - but as a number of people had predicted the last few weeks of captaincy fly by. I missed out on the McKeag competition (I had guests to play, but saw a pleasingly large number of people take part) but did get to the final competition of the Workmen's club. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643383410713901298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 218px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 275px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6wsmcobr03hryt7jWz6O0ubcj4MRVnKbm8VCuvffXRXQ3loGcXUqmLJjQdTs_ocqPcEpyxz33aJrB6PH7s70JZtVeJs7OIV_-iOV4n9vbNyrFZY3SXLyRoG2f3-y-rqHiXGkuR9BLT97/s400/Workmen%2527s+cups.JPG" border="0" />
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<br /><div>This was the captain's day, with a special "hidden hole" prize, and the Tea Caddy/Purvis Tankard competition which had been postponed last week. This meant we had to record gross, net and stableford scores. The main things I learned about the club, whose annual subscription of £5 is an even better bargain than the main club's, is that the standard of golf tends to be high, that they have good trophies and most importantly they have a prize for last place on their captain's day. Bill Robson was looking smug about this, but he hadn't taken account of my lack of ability (an 11 on the 11th and 4 points on the back 8 must surely be some sort of record) and my 24 points romped home. Of lesser importance, John Moffet and Dan Taylor won the gross and net prizes respectively.</div>
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<br /><div>On the subject of good trophies, earlier in the week I presented the prizes for the Junior championship, well organised as ever by Keith Whitfield. Despite a wet afternoon, there was a good entry and Johnny Moffet won the gross competition (the RS Rutter trophy) and Tom Hamilton the net, Alex Mackay being second in both.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643383833244634306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 254px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcl57HbyAjD75pmM7sEVfpYkSWMV3zSEazSdQAdWnc0GxapmiN7AWyYN7gZhL2yO1BYXzq2umhN3EAXWa6oZ8UgRQZkk-BLGd3SiXWw2pu9isBk1CDZKfzS08jIBs0dsik98bqyao0zbY/s400/Junior+Championship.JPG" border="0" /></div></div>
<br />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-60155934396446705902011-08-14T20:57:00.009+01:002011-08-15T12:14:53.252+01:00Royal Burgess friendly matchI've noted <a href="http://bcgccaptainsblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/friendly-vs-royal-burgess.html">before</a> that we are fortunate to have a regular friendly match with the <a href="http://www.royalburgess.co.uk/">Royal Burgess </a>Golfing Society, founded in 1735: their clubhouse reeks with the history of the game and they are also very good hosts (albeit competitive ones).
<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640838087009996402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 325px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 201px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2TLdEwc3AtTRRlWI_RRvKG7ACBS4QeWZIE9RxBPvUOvzZRjTg7AgpRywdrBHsOJfMgQem9tMM0C-UjNCgDmjMohGA8mrMu_jlp3qPCOq0-fDOpHsPlLDmIpMIp8M_RKq6liYoyu44-S-/s400/Royal+Burgess+%25285%2529.JPG" border="0" /> There were some things we did well: we all caught the bus up there. We all remembered our golf clubs and our jacket and tie. After dinner we produced (thanks to Derek and Ken) the best quantity (if not quality) of jokes, with Luigi making a characteristic appearance. And after we said farewell, the bus rocked. (The suspension wasn't great).<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640838373347473458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 346px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 182px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QDbe8nsx7-m9xoH6z2xNy6VF3gkuwlMVoMSATauaKXgJjjYl3rreW9uSvbzESLICBusdJF8kSWtN8gEBuFYSIoi9-puowZ9Q9OSOBYN2ld9CW0iDiuqiIh_Or_Ro-Nfe0yCSleBw4ulp/s400/Royal+Burgess+%25286%2529.JPG" border="0" />
<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640838780900891282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 340px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvsE46y5ExKh4Jz_OMP7cOyrT60Ox8oE6HcyUwQajBkteWzu9DpqYdkJW-pvVWDymfRtBjO845Lm0IqcuVudmb84htgWocM_3ku1DIKA-UGiakZYwFVbVnl5tKvJlOen6t4601EP3NA5D/s400/Royal+Burgess+%25284%2529.JPG" border="0" />Unfortunately, the match was a golf match and there we didn't do so well. Keith and I set off well - we were level after 2. But however much it's meant to be OK to lose to a birdie it isn't really. The half way house was after the 12th hole, and our game was wrapped up by then, but not by us. Interestingly, after a drink of <a href="http://www.crabbiesgingerbeer.co.uk/">alcoholic Crabbies</a> our game improved dramatically and had there been a bye we would have won it. Peter Hinson and Trevor Thompson did win their game, and John Cairns and Derek Wymes halved theirs, but the others lost. Although the results are roughly equal since the match started 25 odd years ago, Burgess have won the last four. Something to sort out next year...although I had thought we had a pretty good team this year.
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<br /><div>This was my last friendly match. They've been good fun - and for someone with a poor weather reputation, mostly dry - but it's not always easy to get teams for them. I've put some effort into trying to change the format to make them a bit more accessible, and most next year will be half a day and a bit more casual. In the end, 39 people played in this year's friendlies, which is good as I also wanted to make them more widely enjoyed. </div></div></div>
<br />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-27559225010556717632011-08-11T12:46:00.001+01:002011-08-15T11:27:59.862+01:00Tea caddies and coffinsA couple of things to round off the season - I had wanted all year to play in one of the Workmen's events (I would have joined this long before, but they play on a Thursday evening when I have other commitments). It's an important part of the club with a history (as a separate club) going back to 1904. So I turned up for the "Tea Caddy" competition only to find a healthy attitude to poor weather: it had rained all day and so too few people arrived to play. Hopefully I can do so next week.
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<br />The day before, I'd gone to Foxton watch the final nail in the coffin of the North Northumberland league this year as they played Alnwick. It was a drab evening but an exciting match: Alnwick needed a decent score to avoid relegation and they very nearly got one - three matches went to the 18th and they were up towards the end. But in the end Foxton won 8 - 4, so winning the league.
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<br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">(Alnwick are in a play off with Rothbury to see who is relegated; Seahouses join Division A next year, with a play off between Longhirst Hall, Foxton B and Goswick B to see who else comes up. Bizarrely the play off is a stableford comptition; Concerningly none of the three are ideal: Longhirst is in North Northumberland only if you are fairly fluid with geography and I'm not sure it's desirable to have a seven team league containing two teams from the same club. However, the North Northumberland league did agree the former and the latter has happened by default). </span></em>
<br />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-67725132582402690632011-08-06T15:49:00.010+01:002011-08-06T18:04:32.310+01:00Midsummer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ8teUFse_ihGWENBUHwjpjSKDirfgPxhXkOq47AJHtpxXGcpOzgyqQeujz_lLaVrs0wEmM90e4DXs5cvmduZUy8h0jnyOUlcXDnr-bpztA7TgDGIXzJ25YWffU5rjE-pCK-gueKN43ik/s1600/P8062929.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637781630371052914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 338px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 162px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ8teUFse_ihGWENBUHwjpjSKDirfgPxhXkOq47AJHtpxXGcpOzgyqQeujz_lLaVrs0wEmM90e4DXs5cvmduZUy8h0jnyOUlcXDnr-bpztA7TgDGIXzJ25YWffU5rjE-pCK-gueKN43ik/s400/P8062929.JPG" border="0" /></a> Saturday started well but then became a bit wet. So all a sensible golfer could do was sit inside and commiserate with people as they came in and wonder about those who went out.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637781108619556226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 331px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbt6JoA6Q__Z-wLSxYiNKka8iHf78yDoFWvnzIQJEYIzSY5bWKqDI80JuiomC9yt8fK8-W1O7Fxv0mYCr6C6WLtbcAzxUiuiQ68eNWldZIb-VB1k00FY-AFCUW8PPZDPZjTSQg4e5utSbd/s400/August+mixed+greensome+%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" />But I had had a game the evening before, the last of the summer mixed greensomes which took place on a calm sunny Friday evening of the type we'd imagined when we suggested the idea. Eleven people turned up so to keep a relatively simple structure, we had three groups of two teams each; I was a greensome team all on my own. After a bit of negotiation, it was agreed I could have two drives with the loss of one off my handicap. I liked the idea of having two drives and choosing the best one; it's a lot better than that three off the tee stuff. But in the end 34 points wasn't enough to trouble the scorers. There were, however, only two points between the other five teams, with a clear winner with 39 points - Nicky Rose and Malcolm Cresswell and second place decided on the back six -Alison Reed and Will Rose. As before all those who took part enjoyed the game and I hope they continue next year. Malcolm was kind enough to give Nicky and I a <a href="http://www.bottlelabelsforfun.co.uk/">specially labelled</a> bottle of wine as a thank you for organising them - "..the best vines avoid The Dinkie...etc.."<br /><br /><br /><div>And the day before I'd had just as challenging a match, one I'm pleased to say I won despite having to break for the weather half way round. Gil's Ruin, my Black Swan quiz team, had its first annual Crazy Golf tournament. I'm a great fan of the <a href="http://www.thebunker-seahouses.co.uk/Seahouses-Crazy-Golf">course</a> at Seahouses which I think is good training for normal putting. With these games behind me I didn't mind missing out on Saturday.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637780857003372658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPSa4kwAnbMpN4uBO4wEgKLNboKPZRnsTJPeNK8P8Bf94dFzV923-wEGO1c-A-t9R120_7E9Cxv5W_HiG5O58rNTfZHuHKIuch5TjAbejrYwfVf4SP3vvKkYGcTVab5QzXVukASNzsRCg/s400/IMG_9027.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-65107049260006162762011-08-04T15:40:00.009+01:002011-08-28T11:13:36.668+01:00Final NNL MatchThe weather was perfect and the course looked good for our final league match of the year.
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<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637034089147961762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 360px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAc4OQW4j-5cIHZxttQKXSehqWfPBrExR3Kjy4Wjv5ISpJG-NAnf9bkA6OZ6PM83r7VAC-1AH3Ack-8tGq3WqUR6aqisW27iXy1yDN7gkpomzviJiKiG_ZPIMe1CDaTYN8aNfTivRjTMTN/s400/Final+NNL+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" />As always a decent group of our supporters turned up but unusually a bunch of people came from Foxton as well: their captain had commented to me the <a href="http://bcgccaptainsblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/nnl-knock-out-foxton.html">other day</a> that he felt lonely with the number of spectators we provided so he had obviously drummed up support and some caddies for their players. It was an important match for both teams which would probably decide the league title.
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<br /><div>Unfortunately, and despite (?) the sugar rush Keith's sweets provided, we got off to a bad start. But we then started to come back and at the 14th tee vantage point all the games were close, with Chris Forrest (a welcome new addition to the team for this game) being in the lead.
<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637035283245716370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5igbcqG-jv4-CABebWcizVQS2LnTUy-bq7e0lJB-C-gsdT9_unE19plbgR8VCSXFAlCD5wUiRomKwkfWUa9wjJYI1O8dO6BJWqf62G-R0wOb-MTXEiH3a1U48naVCJxlVUjoSEn21hnc/s400/Final+NNL+%25284%2529.JPG" border="0" />They all went to the 17th or 18th, and walking down the 17th with the final game we were all square; we then lost one match and Johnny Moffet needed a good putt to halve his match and leave us with a 5 - 7 loss and a technical chance of still winning the league (rather than a 4 - 8 result which would have meant Foxton would win). And the last putt of our season duly went in for a birdie and a 5 - 7 loss. I got a lift to Alnmouth station afterwards with some of the Foxton team; they had enjoyed the close match and would have settled for a 5 - 7 loss themselves.
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<br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">2011 final putt..
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<br />It was a disappointing result - probably the week before had sealed it against us - because the team had done well for most of the year after a slow start. But at least there's been a proper fight for the league title; the two division split with home and away matches has worked well as has our team. Thanks to Peter Sanderson for being team manager and leading from the front, to regulars Mark Dawson, John Moffet, Johnny Moffet and Angus Smith and the others who took part: Colin Brown, Alex Mackay, John Cairns, John Porteous, Chris Forrest, Peter Hinson and Phil Holmes (apologies if I missed anyone out there). And thanks also to the many supporters.</div>
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<br /><em>Meanwhile, in other countries, Garrick Porteous has been </em><a href="http://www.englishgolfunion.org/news.asp?code=000100030002&recent=1&id=5021"><em>selected for England</em></a><em> in the Home Internationals played in Ireland next week; he is currently playing in the European Amateur championship in Sweden (the </em><a href="http://www.golfdata.se/liveEuro/res_lbo.asp?sLang=ENG&tk=AM1131X&tour=AM"><em>leaderboard is here</em></a><em> for the next couple of days; at time of writing he's in the top 10 after two rounds).</em></div>
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<br /><div align="left"><em>Update: he was 9th equal in the European Amateur.</em></div>
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<br /><div align="left"><em>Update 2: England won the <a href="http://www.englishgolfunion.org/news.asp?id=5048&code=000100030002&dn=1">Home Internationals</a>, and Garrick was one of only two unbeaten English players over the three days.</em></div>
<br />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-67776972196227608562011-08-02T12:13:00.008+01:002011-08-02T17:41:18.930+01:00That's golf for youActually, it’s life as well.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2GIOTAa8ZV_LVm5gzATD2lWs0Cicx-6bIrP7B74NBPtYjRe33BFlPTIGzudYHzupM8mQkZ2OEzpZeHnRqPNJsRQz-eiDLemBwnv-tGNqoTu9FJTxKHBoWae2Xm9ns-ViPXwVFz7niNUI/s1600/19+%25283%2529.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636298513379517090" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 104px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 167px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2GIOTAa8ZV_LVm5gzATD2lWs0Cicx-6bIrP7B74NBPtYjRe33BFlPTIGzudYHzupM8mQkZ2OEzpZeHnRqPNJsRQz-eiDLemBwnv-tGNqoTu9FJTxKHBoWae2Xm9ns-ViPXwVFz7niNUI/s400/19+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div>I watched the Ladies Championship final, played for the Joan Phillips trophy, and as Joan was a distant relation and had originally proposed me for membership I was honoured to present the trophy – to Lynne Johnston, who had played Nicky Rose and won 2 & 1. The match was well supported, close and exciting. Alison Lambert refereed with style and conviction.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636296833083708018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuPaLw3DXI-wUvdl3BQzHlAIHdc_W5W6exBtvBBAEbqr00Y9f4OYPXx0glEKq0_eZ6lKDtmDPhE6nd5ro0ncAbsTme80tK6CRMZ6LC97Wzmo0NLe4isL2_PG-MPt8CZtQ7I2A_G0eG_vp/s400/8th+green+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" /> It wasn’t all a bad weekend for Nicky – on Saturday, she equalled the ladies course record with a 70. And also on Saturday Peter Sanderson equalled the men’s record of 63 in the Challenge cup, although this wasn’t enough to win as there was a net 57.. But 63 is a pretty impressive result.<br /><br /><br /><div>I remember the “<a href="http://www.congu.com/Myths.htm">handicapping myths</a>” I looked at last year when <a href="http://bcgccaptainsblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/handicapping-golf.html">ruminating</a> on handicaps which confirmed that low handicappers generally win – although I continue to believe that our competitions should have a maximum allowance of 18 as a condition of entry (and in this case it wouldn’t have made any difference to the result).</div></div></div></div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-49542278283014714182011-07-30T23:59:00.012+01:002011-08-01T17:58:45.557+01:00Captain's Trip<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r1_O4Z3B45nLPaKCSQsSQps8slpiYASy37c5pRrDCewp05Vx3P6AGhrpvkr0j2_YWJN-yQ2aBzg2v2fvT3-tJQOoALhWQc_tO6WNcO7_oVxQ7ziYNmkhhg0kR1lF_qYKbYoR0pURhr1N/s1600/Captains+Trip+%25283%2529.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635286172729093458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 262px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3r1_O4Z3B45nLPaKCSQsSQps8slpiYASy37c5pRrDCewp05Vx3P6AGhrpvkr0j2_YWJN-yQ2aBzg2v2fvT3-tJQOoALhWQc_tO6WNcO7_oVxQ7ziYNmkhhg0kR1lF_qYKbYoR0pURhr1N/s400/Captains+Trip+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" /></a> You may wonder what that bright thing in the sky is. It’s the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun">sun</a>. It hasn’t put much of an appearance in for events I’ve organised this year, but after 11 months we had good weather for the Captain’s Trip to <a href="http://dunbar-golfclub.co.uk/">Dunbar</a>. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635286995955773714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 194px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSW5O4oVgd7nteJRAPChVUsyaQT7ZD6ZPur-tHcXxN9CIn1q5Y-fzeMj2MYSvb06C7igKh3IpBZfy-LkhMyGD2ZWBc5iivAzmhmrkKw3F0HiBiTSVBzKfaWySCDRDVFdVims4qLUU6Ubig/s400/Captains+Trip+%25289%2529.JPG" border="0" />It was a lovely seaside course –almost at sea level – and by starting at 3.00 we had a reasonable deal and some enjoyable golf. There were 8 groups of 4: unusually no-one cancelled: the 32 who came were the 32 who’d spotted the notice about the trip and put their names on the list. Despite that, not everyone read the notice on the first tee to see which were the nearest the pin/longest drive holes. There was some comment that there was a ball or two nearer the pin on the 3rd than John Shaw, who won: but there could be no doubt that Scott Priestley’s was the longest drive. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635287812105742738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aMXTGi_wQS_V3F8hTK5HcOKDVcQwqNsLepNhqtI7uvnLoAAqV8xG4MxXsx5nCxsaJnjUrcX-bHIB3hlhch0EH6wbXXEtVD64WAyfap8LcwlhW6l19kYY-pDT5IPRBGyUDy-DknKyox-7/s400/Captains+Trip+%25284%2529.JPG" border="0" />Most things went well – except that just as I was about to get on the bus I realised I’d left the prizes at home. Fortunately Dunbar sells little bottles of Dunbar-labelled whisky which did duty as a token. And after all, as I’ve often said when I’ve lost, it’s the taking part that counts.<br />Our group had a mixed round; I had a par at the first: John Cairns took up the challenge for the other 17 holes, and we won our fourball. But we didn’t trouble the leader board – maintained, with my gratitude, by Keith – and Ian Armstrong won with a very creditable 37 points. Ben Galbraith and Scott had 36, Scott winning best gross with a 74. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635289377785040930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 193px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0K152v4BYud4JJQgo6VSMzqbsLieg2TouaAFYgVgoPZcxkZ4IIeG-XcG3uYtR4yY7POGxkG1uFrHThiYv3nyGjpOXq5j9exFF6GzApGWJ6Alo1dv_-tV8sQ6JtZlT3x8nyUci-dWGgDb/s400/Captains+Trip.JPG" border="0" />After a drink or two Travelsure then got us home more or less in a decent state.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635288451077496754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 226px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0jdE7zxIy4kG542lV3JfQX7bFljdkdtb_ZQhfHMvILdUujA6CIGizv54nRwtFFe4Y2sYsEfKOCqejX_bXuz3P7vc2zUC3vpDJVnRE1HtKCrfzlu5uxEiiyaSYbghziYE_RhfiTpsNRTU/s400/Captains+Trip+%252820%2529.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-size:85%;"> Hey, there's almost no pictures of me on this blog. So this one can stay.</span></div></div></div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-90441292722008008022011-07-28T12:02:00.011+01:002011-08-29T23:29:46.921+01:00NNL Match 11<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634550308974848274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 368px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 169px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJadx-a-c4isBrjVWUPsO59yLUBYa-0oB4Y11aUqiB7LIs1OwOJrVZ55hv-n1PoBAekmKA3u-b0sPesJia9OX6_dhkSkRyFH6xePd-WGNJ-Ntzg6phAA01ibyP-omAmnzTLowJPHDK9wN9/s400/NNL+v+Dunstanburgh+%25284%2529.JPG" border="0" /><a href="http://www.dunstanburgh.com/">Dunstanburgh Castle</a>, at home. Just as for the <a stanburghref="http://bcgccaptainsblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/males-on-sunday.html">Mail on Sunday</a> match at the start of the season, the Dunstanburgh players were there before the home team (unusually so was I). Delay is often a good tactic but it didn't work in an ultimately disappointing evening: it was a glorious evening in terms of the weather, and the first three games went to us, but the last two were much tighter and although John Moffet and Alex Mackay took their games to the 18th green (Alex coming back after being three down after 14) that wasn't quite enough and we drew 6 - 6.
<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634550635475983362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 380px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5SkjdKmO9swK5omm4-jdLsHaud1snnA4Kt9SZrphh8i0kv3qG2G8DcH1Nk9zOo-Zha9QY4D8bmdQDE0ouvs_yWtxkD7IzfMCaIZh4Gku5Aqj2SZpvWUwReA8_vESvycZ4ya0fiQkUd1Ew/s400/NNL+v+Dunstanburgh+%252811%2529.JPG" border="0" />I don't know what it's like to play week in week out in those sorts of matches, but I know it's both exciting and tense to watch. We finished the night 4 points above Foxton who have a game in hand: next weeks match against them at home should be interesting. Interesting word, interesting.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634551259899224066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 350px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 222px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGEOJvWOUyL-D9hy000FUi295nYv4NI50n_gShMhiQ0TpRqFOB8rpmUVh20wo4PpvD2dvESxFGOfCOfQYL9CYddU1vCYWAf4KDabjzzwmzD-Xf8aj0s7_c7QO2x8BXbCa9LynnMqixqlf/s400/NNL+v+Dunstanburgh.JPG" border="0" />
<br />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-12981824411470209982011-07-26T23:52:00.006+01:002011-07-29T00:15:42.654+01:00NNL Knock-out: FoxtonThere's a nice bench by <a href="http://www.alnmouthgolfclub.com/pages.php/index.html">Foxton</a>'s 7th tee which also overlooks the 6th green and is a small step to the 9th. It meant I could watch the first part of the league knock-out match in comfort without going far yet seeming to be involved and informed. Especially as I kept getting coded texts from the vice captain keeping me updated on what was happening elsewhere (eg H+1,8; J+2,7).<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634544469703160674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYb_5x28aBUhgEfob0dHGtQwP4Lj8pxFuC745H_V5wtWRIxpwUAq3i-z9XoG2rRa1wvB_zy1cMlrhQtWZhwJJqhbXQS3M9GpY3y8GLAB7_KIQfZ7ism4Eeza3L1JS5lKMGM0TqbJqXbzhq/s400/NNL+v+Foxton+ko+%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" />And the front 9 was positive: we were 3 up at the turn. Unfortunately the rub of the green didn't quite go with us and although we won two games quite quickly (one with a chipped in eagle at the long 16th), and could have won two more, things didn't quite work out that way. A large group watched things at the 13th; a very limited number walked up the hill to see the concluding losses. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634544887930909138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 315px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyKfJhwmIT2UWSHX7qheJ4uh2UNbsZLkHKv-U5PoDnHodAJ2nWJDjTDtb3b7p0dzpGycfFCmaEyr3mWQadFm_7GVktbG-SjXHMaVDdf6uosi2mYsyjbcDArrbMxoC4TqnibYApCtUZXZd/s400/NNL+v+Foxton+ko+%25284%2529.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634545033286491586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 284px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEtwuXbsNih1_nWHSPoM5c9qUd0vukHGsMm7gEK1a00cAmJeSDsWX9zBVSQZ9WnZURiHv6oWSSUwfHx9Dw5naVgGrUsVgtQhf5rO1MyOwTTI1WjBkWE1CFygJl3kwA7iITzLLjk5m45c9/s400/NNL+v+Foxton+ko.JPG" border="0" />The good news is that Foxton were beatable; the bad news is we didn't beat them. Maybe next week.<br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Co-incidentally I'd played Foxton in the morning and found it in good condition, with strange pin positions and very fast greens. I passed on that bit of news as my first (and probably last) piece of coaching advice of the year.</div></div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-72594807764150868132011-07-24T22:40:00.004+01:002011-07-28T12:01:12.684+01:00Couves Goblets<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhES5UZ_mFEIfT3t2nQsTbttc7sIr86JB-jmFh5KmxThyphenhyphen1HH2Lo7cFs5-QlEOhN7CrqaW7oZTso2aIosf5LulePhL2GX5FqbZlDSjW1UnAzFtCC5NkHLLYuPi6jI2KlSGorN4tXggzWLq7/s1600/Couves+%25283%2529.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634355904097687986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 305px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 155px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhES5UZ_mFEIfT3t2nQsTbttc7sIr86JB-jmFh5KmxThyphenhyphen1HH2Lo7cFs5-QlEOhN7CrqaW7oZTso2aIosf5LulePhL2GX5FqbZlDSjW1UnAzFtCC5NkHLLYuPi6jI2KlSGorN4tXggzWLq7/s400/Couves+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" /></a>Yet another weekend passed without a full round of golf, but with a very enjoyable alternative: Nicky's matchmaking skills paired me with Gemma Baird in the Couves Goblets, one of the two main mixed competitions, this one a foursomes format. My luck was Gemma's misfortune, but we managed a decent first half - despite the wind - before I started finding obscure gorse bushes with my drives on the back 9.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634356188824664130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 173px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCitoowion8Je5cZSsmoDmWL-QaeLkACdJ7-ACkiQsVNlbVy5IpoyQNyXkXDE5YsI3xtNS-2MPBkpnjE0SV53zZX5oTXK9shdAz4rmDAAUnVJtouqY6ckYLmmxloG4vnzxuDR49c7YZ1Ui/s400/Couves+%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" />We did think we were watching the winners: Nicky and Will are a good combination and they put on a good exhibition until a flirtation with the practice ground at the end meant they were in second place. Despite the wind, there were a good number of entries; as I've noted earlier I hope mixed golf continues to develop at the club. Not to take over, but it's a nice complement to the usual stuff.John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-50067361706429698532011-07-24T22:33:00.007+01:002011-08-29T23:30:32.829+01:00Alnmouth Village<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXlnRKIljGmwPFxkPCQ0ihKdsuBNvvZhgLB-YAtKhihHMQDoHVAwk5o8Yre5hZY8MtRBXWpiGUNcZQ_s0UcGsjK_ZDgmA32asbJsS7pqJN14RvVC0j8w2Y94mY3bqHnjTS3IeKxaKia6V/s1600/Alnmouth+Village++%25282%2529.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634350574598883042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 338px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 208px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXlnRKIljGmwPFxkPCQ0ihKdsuBNvvZhgLB-YAtKhihHMQDoHVAwk5o8Yre5hZY8MtRBXWpiGUNcZQ_s0UcGsjK_ZDgmA32asbJsS7pqJN14RvVC0j8w2Y94mY3bqHnjTS3IeKxaKia6V/s400/Alnmouth+Village++%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.alnmouthvillagegolfclub.co.uk/">Alnmouth Village</a> hosted a charity day to raise money for <a href="http://www.stoswaldsuk.org/">St Oswald's Hospice </a>in memory of Peter Braidford; it was a Texas Scramble No doubt in recognition of the victory in the Texas Scramble the other week (did I mention that? We're wondering if we should have a board in the bar for that competition) by Keith Whitfield and myself (and a couple of others), Steve Clements, a friend of Peter's, asked us to play along with Mike Robinson for added talent.
<br />
<br />
<br /><div>I hadn't played Alnmouth Village before: I loved it. Some criticised the conditions and the wait as the holes criss-crossed but I thought it was delightfully quirky, and the view from the 7th/16th tee must be one of the best in golf. This is the second oldest links course in Britain (after Royal N Devon) and I think we're lucky to have it in the neighbourhood.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634350866890102066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 248px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEpDNELcm-oJek9S3m_HdYqQjX83-7ALR6_vPpMAhse2QcfVazE8JOm6NCpKMjqkwYJsOwJQprrbGR9x0a0LUKLXEpZ7ZXkKpexKcWsUdfsfNy6aMRD8uIYTAPCmnidZEzt4EuFu_cGj7/s400/Alnmouth+Village++%252814%2529.JPG" border="0" />We didn't win: Steve and Mike played well but Keith and I were more like our form at the Northumberland friendly than the Texas Scramble. But we did come 8th and got a bottle of wine at a packed presentation at the clubhouse. The day raised £4,500.
<br />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-29313403783690739062011-07-20T23:00:00.012+01:002011-07-22T12:44:14.919+01:00NNL Match 10<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631761182331708018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzQ_xGtVLshEYr_bfF0NUSGM0wetPsgI4_xPwOOe_4dxqsWvCMoJvRr2c4dxJmHlhgpZoXBSOdkaDs5yqtKfRZ_-tiu-pt_E22kndbyj0CPlu5YjRsGGO8EdgUVrWVuW4fJ9FyXRWwJCG/s400/IMG_8885.JPG" border="0" />The Magdalene Fields match has always been tough; in the last two away matches we've lost 7 - 5 and 11 - 1. My theory is (putting aside relative skills of the teams) that it resembles Bamburgh (slopes, green, by the sea except there aren't any islands offshore) but plays differently: the greens are a bit slower (though still true) and the rough off the fairway is a lot thicker. But what do I know? I do know the rough is thicker: my first job on arriving was to help find Phil Holmes' first (and provisional ball) on the third, followed by his partner's.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631761438054553314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 324px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 167px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggmM-MY134kZ0DNSBM_lgWWhygIPyMUY-rSM-fgXglA1lFBsrE53LY3DZI-xrUfdlFPWggzY1rLVM9zrhPle_ceQwevHUEMmSVvGL9I8N_aLeoijaa5pQLO_Zcz1VWI9Qx9Ny-1_uqoXyY/s400/IMG_8890.JPG" border="0" />Despite the distance to travel, a good crowd from Bamburgh watched a close match: two games finished quickly but the other four all went to the 18th; the lead game was particularly tight with Peter Sanderson needing to be 4 under par to get a half. The Moffets and Angus Smith all won, giving us a 7 - 5 win leading up to a crucial last two matches. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631761521537901266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 333px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 194px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqfl3_J9sbe0WEm7oakQ7mAudgfsFAPBQS6jkid6uu-0qoBOf3xGM5jer0yjsA9sw89EGZ0spnq3ZLtWHE8D1zFwKzW68KHci8TgxCnTAWi4grkm2W-vKjOdkw-DlKBN6CoBw1n1di-l4/s400/IMG_8894.JPG" border="0" />Foxton were apparently beaten 9 - 3 by Goswick; that puts us 6 points ahead although they have a game in hand. Our last match, on 3 August, is against Foxton at home.<br /><br />The next league event for us is the knock out at Foxton on Monday 25th; the league game next week is against Dunstanburgh at home.</div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632140436231275474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 355px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 202px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5cMt1EdqMxz5BI0HtTAUfhLa9G0KX2J3K4v7Ye5rUG-j6sNPw2Vma2CtsZY86cqg1jYTqGHAm2tZ5VZ6WLJt420vRK6CTZBhl9JfFsTXnUA1MGsIJt0WkJqOw9VwzMOXwIMwhMwHN_6O/s400/IMG_8886.JPG" border="0" /></div></div><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">Bunkered...</span></p>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-32824958522251462702011-07-13T23:32:00.005+01:002011-07-14T14:17:53.773+01:00NNL Match 9Vs Goswick A at home..<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxyO3a39t4Qsjqr3JzXBFdtqW1tVbpLK7m4kPgw1LzA0lqDva3tKoua09gFHOmMzvdagmGkDAR9mMlfOR96fX9AaeOnCDKX1kCXftH7uyfZQvFS8r1zEi4d0KWjck6QXMl0JlKi3-46ua/s1600/NNL+Match+9+%25287%2529.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628969865501470514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 107px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxyO3a39t4Qsjqr3JzXBFdtqW1tVbpLK7m4kPgw1LzA0lqDva3tKoua09gFHOmMzvdagmGkDAR9mMlfOR96fX9AaeOnCDKX1kCXftH7uyfZQvFS8r1zEi4d0KWjck6QXMl0JlKi3-46ua/s320/NNL+Match+9+%25287%2529.JPG" border="0" /></a>Another late arrival for me (again meeting Peter as he walked off the course but this time having won on the 18th), another glorious evening and a number of close matches, most finishing on 17 or 18. We won 8 - 4. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629195308634391010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 328px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 152px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDUGRAxCERhDlGAW9_3u_fBdLX9G1GpLAuTrkrvjfesw6pSF5PC7r7-TUFyGBDcrQ7A5uprrkozgUCYt03OTJ4amcUux51gV6v5PxAXXpkfSkajmGmZyfAyCX6qlMuTT00N24D9F-GLOj/s400/NNL+Match+9+%252814%2529.JPG" border="0" />A couple of other interesting items from the day:<br />- a well-known Dutch golf course <a href="http://www.infinitevarietygolf.com/index.html">architect</a>, a Colt specialist working for two clubs in the North East, was walking the course. He was very complimentary about how the course fitted into the environment.<br />- Garrick Porteous came second earlier today in one of UK's world amateur golf ranking events, the <a href="http://www.golfblogger.co.uk/post/henry-smart-of-banstead-downs-golf-club-wins-the-tillman-trophy-2011-888">Tillman Trophy</a> at Hunstanton.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Next match: Magdalene Fields away.</div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-39187268153953498642011-07-10T20:38:00.010+01:002011-07-14T00:00:51.016+01:00Northumberland Friendly matchSome have said that I'm not that lucky with weather - strange that - but the friendly at the <a href="http://www.thengc.co.uk/">Northumberland Club</a> was, despite the forecast, played in excellent conditions. And despite rumours earlier in the year about dubious greens, "excellent conditions" also described the course and the greens: there's a lot of work going into making them first class and it's paying off.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627832931938797858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 194px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRolB1aP-tZgEerejSxl2y_nFK5g4uc_eE44dopAtoTsVEUxhJocgLQ_nmbWYOf0p1XCpDODcI1H6p-62-OxsS84m4tfm_5fIg4rmvtXf6dDbm5KDk7PgZKoGSJYog2mShNnYIK_BhhpW1/s320/IMG_8859.JPG" border="0" />I'd like to say Keith Whitfield and I in the lead match set a good example and played well; unfortunately I can't as four down after four (despite good opening drives) isn't a good start. We held our own after that but had obviously put too much of ourselves into Bamburgh's second-most prestigous competition on Saturday (the Texas Scramble which we had won thanks to my handicap, firm direction from Keith, strategic targeting by Alan Patterson and good play from Peter Harrington) to recover.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627831507443969890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 122px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTp9EjkDlK_zg-N98FVWU0h6Nw2pkFFnPnzZ29XbUhHjIjhR30hZNPZnSUOcmFYr7LFXoHlG_Q9VbsIzODXD75f2-OyNY9fNQs9U_ONqA1XhtTG6Zd2_7NfMUXNeB-flZLgaMJMTwwuVN4/s320/IMG_8865.JPG" border="0" />At least we played quickly, and could sit on the terrace in the sun watching the other groups come in and trying to guess (accurately) their results from their body language. Mike Robinson and Steve Clements retained their unbeaten record, but we also had a couple of draws and a couple of losses. I briefly held the salver we last won in 2007 before handing it back to Giles Smallwood.<br /><div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627831866966598402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWm8jg8uzJIWepUpF-rpii-Jg2Jr51InB5NQGSze1PYCeibM4U3i3ZZXAAPrRO-SI_LPTWuuHmxhAV0iYApg5YhMzwNb-pHNOGJEMH4BTnQMtET9lSBnJUjyKBsr7yI0XRHXoWN_JKLU9/s320/IMG_8868.JPG" border="0" />I briefly wondered whether the crowds had come to watch us -no, in a weekend of sporting drama (British Grand Prix, Scottish Open) the Park also gave us the final of their Ladies Championship. As we stood on the terrace as the prizegiving took place, one of our members was heard to ask "But who's getting the Sunday lunches in?" I won't say which one.</div></div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-68224463779877164282011-07-06T22:52:00.007+01:002011-07-14T00:01:32.949+01:00NNL Match 8I arrived late at Rothbury to see Peter Sanderson finishing early - so far, so normal, but abnormally he'd lost. Obviously beating everyone on Saturday had taken its toll.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626367284584405650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 146px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUaG3XhdsOTVrzmk5bIkLF5fzZmVZoA0SWP4JbPpclvxDQ4VyfJlEutQIZ3n8JmpwJhukSerlP3LxF0FOGQbggqwCCb3M5fZuJ-CWvnB4JQEBaDiLyUbzJawBYn0sgpBvqVCbwPbMqonE/s320/IMG_8855.JPG" border="0" />But on the course all was well: the old part of the course dappled by the slowly setting sun, no wind, midges not yet stirring, most of our players leading with John Moffett having already won.<br /><br /><div>That theme continued (with some ups and downs) with only Colin Brown going to the 18th and sinking a tricky putt in front of a gallery to halve his match.</div><br /><br /><div>So overall, we won 9 - 3.</div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-69310704206654134552011-07-03T22:55:00.014+01:002011-07-04T16:46:39.924+01:00Non-playing CaptainThere's something very relaxing about not playing golf.<br /><br />It was a fantastic weekend for both the Club Championship and Lady Captain's Day and all I had to do was watch. I usually like to play in the club championship, although I usually increase my handicap by 0.2 as a result, but this time thanks to Goodwood I couldn't. However, I did get back in time to sit in the sun by the 18th and watch the competitors come in - all the way from early clubhouse leader Jonathan Cawthorn to the final group. <br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625251506834899266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 170px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBshsuXhJaVxBT0rWQlw0xbGqCHIyyfGxGZUiTlwLPjLsuz3bOpf70_Vg1bogm0UXaeR_XCgobCO5uSRkp08DhgkraUG_Hsfo65l6n0013rvBHuOM5_Phf7oU7jvig-jeZRIHxUHihLYq/s320/IMG_8848.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>One of the winning putts</em></span></div><br /><div>Watch their approach shots, their demeanour, their putts, the way they handed their cards in. And watch the competition managers deal with them.</div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625251812831663842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 194px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KXkZBrK4ROoCzEze8Z79PRlUPhGcEpPHLW-H_LG7_RXugOJQJNFAVWiWkYaOpYp6afHfcAAG1p2HuPqp0N5awFGj2UzNU4Q3GfdWeZIAL3vFx0Aexk5N-JD3OR7DY6YqYSbXOoahol5_/s320/IMG_8838.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div>It was pretty exciting - at the half way stage, only two shots separated the top five in both the gross and net competitions so the result was wide open. And in the end, only two shots separated the top three in both competions - who were the same, showing I suppose the fairness of the handicapping system.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>All three - Graham Forrest, Johnny Moffet and Peter Sanderson - had the same net score and Graham won on countback; gross, Peter was 2 shots clear at 131 to be Club Champion for the 8th time.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Then Sunday also involved sitting in the sun, this time with a Pimms at the 12th tee, with Nicky and her family and friends celebrating Lady Captain's Day, watching some high quality golf taking place in the background.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625251263844102482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 205px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcVe5IVfwSpTSU22P5VjSHIrVr20vH3t_orjRGxjyrx4uR1I2xC3D8M8IRKYIoWgxJ1sYmK2JZbdn3MX_XnoyrjJk10VbzyEjwAiYCa949PiIeE8s7SznnDXjj1eGB2J2pkbdCeg2jxlW/s320/Lady+Captains+Day+%252812%2529.JPG" border="0" /></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>The Ladies focus on what's important while the Men gossip. Or the other way round.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625250968439666578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 297px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 215px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlfSthm3a3g9zD5HuUOvLDhFA1zkma4MLuYpVhARSSQHSQXsuxlvlXxkKR3GeYA49ow05sY3VK2A65Byh8fIVqLjBSqyw4VzgxTBov7WKEbuiWXGxK_7zMn4DCL87mYWfTYeVwhB1Qtsx/s320/Lady+Captains+Day+%252811%2529.JPG" border="0" /></em></span></div><br /><div>Yes, there's a lot to be said for not playing golf.</div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-56599813549029083142011-07-02T22:56:00.005+01:002011-07-04T16:44:28.755+01:00NNL Match 7I was on the way to the <a href="http://www.goodwood.co.uk/festival-of-speed/welcome.aspx">Goodwood Festival of Speed</a> so missed the match - Rothbury v Bamburgh at home; but we won 10 - 2 which puts us in 2nd place in the league, 6 points behind Foxton. Who we play, incidentally, at Foxton on Monday 25 July in the next round of the League knock out cup.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625249090961357650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 173px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOgsDyS3_8TWC3EdydgbcqfNqx1tNPb2n1urkfBdSMKSR7bLaOCB3FLWx_xS4HVfIiMqNofdITn5Fx0R2OSk64y4bvqYsu9daSxZs9fCaSq98W7Y6TxCZC_o_0PMgmb2KMKzPpycrbovVL/s320/Track+%25286%2529.JPG" border="0" /><br />Next match: also against Rothbury, away.John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-36539646551816650602011-06-24T00:18:00.005+01:002011-07-04T16:44:45.842+01:00NNL Match 6It was cold. That, and an 11 - 1 victory, were my memories of the league match at Goswick. Especially the cold bit. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621561668159318018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMsiHJd2XJwC4TXw2Tgz7IpGtV7TzoZKeDIB-6-CYRBtCbEJHEnnqwNKR02nau_mHPD-Ncu_JJnFpIlJcQAGnNcrlquqwbqGjyRZjrfd6z9kQPX8HMHpxXsLIJllLL8-FnEyU9Bin8uqd/s320/photo.JPG" border="0" />Other memories were a major come back by Mark Dawson to halve the match having been 4 down, having to wait until the 18th to finally see John Cairns' opponent play a less than perfect short game so John could win and listening to Dick Little explain to one of the few Goswick supporters how the course used to look years ago.<br /><br />Next match: Rothbury home.John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-77648076648140394022011-06-18T18:49:00.010+01:002011-06-20T12:04:19.755+01:00Brass Monkeys<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5i_sOZpLKYxvTne3if4bzP7ZAPENi0QW8mCWqnNtLOEOEDjDYNRNx3N3aRVG8ts31xjd6uiLSdv-5l5aZIER1WjdtVy-64cRK3dn3wflnCdwWjQhHsb3DJGbpBStM1-RpXr1uTeLIJUn/s1600/IMG_8769.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620041778093190610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5i_sOZpLKYxvTne3if4bzP7ZAPENi0QW8mCWqnNtLOEOEDjDYNRNx3N3aRVG8ts31xjd6uiLSdv-5l5aZIER1WjdtVy-64cRK3dn3wflnCdwWjQhHsb3DJGbpBStM1-RpXr1uTeLIJUn/s320/IMG_8769.JPG" border="0" /></a> This year's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_monkey_(colloquial_expression)">Brass Monkeys</a> Summer trip was to <a href="http://themusselburghgolfclub.com/">Musselburgh</a> Golf Course, a good venue as it's:<br />a) the right side of the Edinburgh by-pass<br />b) mostly flat.<br />And although it had a lot of bunkers that were easy to get into, they were also quite easy to get out of - especially given the practice most of us had.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620042006091852642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAzFoxu7pfShK6dlzBbbGkJhXRG0ox3yHcZzPhmOO9QElg9MEeUog0o2xHqZMWL3dZXfNcPJqFXA9sf4H_BhDXIXrM7L1gF6n3g-ehbk24z_kURhZlufQCuQvngSU90nKxkXoA_Y3sUyh/s320/IMG_8764.JPG" border="0" /> There were two important prizes at stake: the best score for the two rounds, won by Peter Sanderson, and 8th place, giving the responsibility to organise next year's trip, won by Robert Renner (8th, not 1st, to make sure there was no malpractice).<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Keith Wright got a (n expensive) hole in one at the 16th.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620042103687100178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 117px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1JxGPASe5DcHpd3yELkrpsy83pVkVB-S6EpmYnmm2IO6JJUgeZh0qcYtQyM46TwLXspLQvxPkKI95GAvvHPd2NFuPTa5c_aitTFsSR_Pi3N8mdgrqSSlSs2mDRZ9veMvB0S6eoYzqbYA/s320/16thfway.jpg" border="0" />Helpfully, it remained dry virtually all day despite a forecast of rain all day, proving that I can attend a golf event without bad weather.John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-24561481331854734962011-06-16T14:40:00.006+01:002011-06-16T18:37:58.976+01:00NNL Match 5Vs Magdalene Fields (A).<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618813411231966770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 185px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKJLUtZfNRMNJb-uIuQS4xIi5o-GP5sjZqee6nZYHQ6X79Y3UiHctKFShew3tpq6fo9r2t4-4zicwbrXKMI_TajhsOgnIBlmITmdAPHsTyuy1_zwGUlXWJdB8WWghkh1QHPT9yK9YDNek/s320/NNL+Magdalene+Fields+%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" /><br />Everything seemed to go smoothly: the match was over by 8.30, it was warm, only one game went to the 18th (and was drawn): the others were wins. Why isn't life always like this?<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618812962793403938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 140px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuAIcMEYrAcPVmBft32MYgPp2bo_fRV3OiQsW_dIjy81GpDLMct7u95A-ZjUtKF3iaA2uilrRYl7TTbubTKq1W_hg0-CZKba1nxLsKgIgFYqthf67-5_47qPPJw7YSqOekzzzOEdDo0H6/s320/NNL+Magdalene+Fields+%252810%2529.JPG" border="0" />John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-51907390308480542882011-06-16T14:01:00.014+01:002011-06-16T19:35:26.324+01:00STRI inspectionThe <a href="http://www.stri.co.uk/golf/">STRI</a> carried out their regular inspection of the course on Wednesday. An agronomist arrived with a load of equipment to test the greens, to discuss the regular maintenance programme and to inspect the course, particularly the rough, fairways and bunkers and for the first time I sat in and indeed helped operate the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo2GPryVnaE">stimpmeter</a> to measure <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimpmeter">green speeds</a> (I had expected something pretty sophisticated from the name, but its just a metal bar down which you roll a golf ball a few times in a few places, and average the distance it rolls).<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618811896571095426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 151px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjobMT5JyImd99LdS5kQoh9Mkwx06qc76OGinQvg_NlxQzkefaKyTVRviGQkme2J2CqvfdTa6tFAP2SXlTxlroFZkA3Mzx_U5IDUd0Kfkhl-kvE65OK2gPEp9iCRW8iNG8t_HJeg_Zmyy3/s320/STRI.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p>This time he brought a new toy, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-9_(Doctor_Who)">K-9</a> like instrument that accurately measures the smoothness of the greens. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618825104782816370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 126px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVPBChGIdXVKMjF3XkZoUiEX-3TZErfVMF1zCERTcHBm-IAF-95EStphrsH4Zbja9rhAcVXQnl2c0MGC1PeUXKj4Xy0NVwGtP9TXmKPvRVuu3Ze1xGTKtscNIPwngid_9XbfKMV4OEQq8/s320/STRI+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618828365706118722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 136px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRU1qoZlAjDmYhqG-EiKSexfA9gbMCrFHUBMvtoR06KvKqNFRCPr533HEE-GPh1Hkpxs3S-yt7S9XtFEJ4Pviyz0LqG-dRX6dTgz5s3pDBxhHzn2hDlRYBsrRhQrq-CG78bLrZWNJMZfiE/s320/STRI+%25287%2529.JPG" border="0" />Of course, occasions like this usually involve a lot of people watching a few actually doing the work. </p><br /><p><br />The 18th green came in for particular attention - after the readings were taken it was cut for a second time, readings taken, then given a treatment of vibrating rollers and re-read and then brushed and re-cut with readings taken. The second cut made little difference; the rollers made it smoother and faster; brushing and re-cutting made it slower.<br /></p><br /><p>The written report will give the details of the findings - in summary, the findings were that different greens were consistent and OK but the weather had prevented the density of the grass being as good as it should be at this time of year; the planned maintenance schedule is dealing with this and other issues (like thinning out the rough). </p><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The exercise is useful, as much as for the continuity of the analysis as the day itself, but it was as good to hear a couple of visitors from Royal Birkdale (whose game we crossed a few times) say how much they enjoyed and liked the course.</span>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-64923715991992371422011-06-12T21:16:00.004+01:002011-06-12T23:25:18.664+01:00Invitation DayFriday: sunny and calm. <br /><div><br /><div>Saturday: cold, wet and windy.</div><br /><div>Sunday: sunny and (fairly) calm.<br /></div><br /><div>Spot the difference.</div><br /><br /><p>Yes, it was an important day at the golf club, Invitation Day. We had a full day of tee bookings and when, as the rain fell harder and we discussed mid-morning whether or not to play I was impressed that no-one had pulled out so far. But the weather did remind me of summer holidays at Bamburgh when I was a kid: looking up at the sky and saying isn’t it clearing up over there? And then continuing to say it, incorrectly, pretty much all day. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617462324515039426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2WRYl76GygAFstUS2xBXi2pv39Iv2vTkwnP_gMmpr8dqb7W50xHpFS_rdG7Bw5NQ-YibrVLAKdTn6oCG7IOisG1RhcBRLrIoZ45MLncFLaSAdsolIdWqk1lr4-Zv55dZvIy8wIB1wvbD/s320/Invitation+Day+%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" />And that is what I kept on saying while we waited to go out (fortunately, my fellow 1.40 tee time players decided not to play so we went off at 3.00, fortunately because it was clearing up and we actually had three holes at the end without much rain). Four groups decided not to play: eighty six did; not everyone finished but 172 people started. That says a lot about our members and guests (I’m not sure what, but a lot). And there were some good scores, with three teams, including two who played in the worst of the weather, getting 41 points.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617462452271741346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 141px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8kBukXmMeEO53bkIMwHs8ZmvqkUsU7ZvJdMolpOkl2h-iDWzhHtymSsRRAWuf-YP-zrntdU66LFLtEuGa_f4Yf9PamCbeMmqbyHQU_knaGkYRaubo-OAtyXzhA26MYcRS300MxguC-i8/s320/Invitation+Day+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" />I hope everyone who took part will look back on it as an enjoyable experience, one of those that are better looking back on: I know my guest, who had driven up from Kent, will not forget golf in the North East.</p><br /><p>Can you blame a captain for the weather? Not really. But it didn’t stop people trying. “Jonah Woodman” Trevor called me on the lovely summer’s evening on Friday as the Junior team was (just) beaten in the league knock out by Linden Hall. Hmmm.</p></div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-65494571938073086782011-06-10T16:36:00.009+01:002011-06-16T19:32:57.923+01:00NNJL vs Magdalene FieldsI hadn't managed to get to a junior league match this year, but went to watch the team play Magdalene Fields. I'm not sure either side will want to see me again as whenever I approached a group they seemed to either lose the ball or hit it out of bounds (especially, unfortunately, our team).<br /><br />Eventually that improved and the team played well (a special mention to Sam Aldred who won 6&4) but with the result being a 2 - 2 draw.<br /><br />My main question? How, when even Trevor was dressed warmly, did so many of them manage in just a t-shirt?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(A couple of years ago, Newcastle's Centre for Life <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7892733.stm">carried out a study</a> to see whether there was a genetic reason Geordies wear few clothes on a night out, but never published the results. I spoke to one of the analysts there to find out the results; they concluded there was no genetic reason, mainly because the North East comprised such an amalgam of people from various backgrounds (thanks to various invasions and incursions) that there was no unique genetic factor. They put the habit down to other factors: "adaptive not genetic". People get used to the cold; people in the North East are more overweight than the average Brit (natural insulation) and for thinner people, active metabolism keeps them warm. And lastly: peer pressure.)</span>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144100874292059862.post-82964452275960882542011-06-10T15:55:00.006+01:002011-06-10T16:34:13.883+01:00NNL Knockout Round 1<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616613449071606978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcfsLm5BgRUyFLDEWvI9yIOv4Jg7wkFd8ilj85GI9rtAyXZjpujCNEbGxz0NmjbjhqaKkSXynKMFSGTEFWqxWD7K8wJBm8w-XJfROHd0jlbAs6m3__4WrWJZTPyl-DW2nMr2San0hxeda/s320/Dunstanburgh+knockout+%25288%2529.JPG" border="0" />What a difference a week makes: last week we lost a close but disappointing league match against Dunstanburgh, this week we won (5-0) the first round of the knock-out against them. <br /><div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616613619545478738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwivC52B0i_YYBUIWq5f64K7S8RaqVZiP6Xexo6y_odsaGoS9RHEiA-gK6cDG8f0FvTded7hlGZ3W7jXie1yfp-0so5Xurq3_pjENABzexkFUsh97ulj3vx6J4OJzhvbrTe7-U-54AfdXL/s320/Dunstanburgh+knockout.JPG" border="0" />It could have been home advantage; it could have been the M&S shrimp sweets Keith fed our team. It could even have been ability. Whatever the reason we're through to the second round which also happens to be the quarter final.<br /><br /><br /><div>The evening started with a hailstorm (what do you do if the green is covered in<a href="http://www.barryrhodes.com/2010/01/playing-golf-in-bad-weather-conditions.html"> hailstones</a>?), passed through showers clouds and the odd rainbow and finished well.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616613272864084098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 178px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_rCvQMPT9SBCrvy1oI8RQHCsDSUarFeled6VZ1FdBdledfphyi1sJlDUyX7NszVLDemhzG5DlxpYI7X1jNLNZYnkE9BluZg7TAt2bcTJuqC0LsO1c5VM8BInJIEUtJB4aUqhDRJ9JF_9/s320/Dunstanburgh+knockout+%25283%2529.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div>John Woodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17415849943890861631noreply@blogger.com0