Dartmouth Golf Club

Last Wednesday saw the second biggest competition of the year held at Dartmouth Golf and Country Club writes John Garner.

Organised by David Townsend and George Reeve, the Movember Greensome attracted 84 players to take part in a shotgun start.

This time, fortunately, the weather held and the competition flowed smoothly and finished ahead of schedule.

An event like this takes a lot of organising by a lot of people, so thanks must go to Jilly Weldon for the poster, Fiona Hughes for her generous sponsorship, Ian Smith, Nigel Way for his meal vouchers, Bob Kendricks for the same, Sylvia and Mary, Jamie Waugh for the courtesy of the course and Terry Wilson for always being there.

Thanks also go to Steve Fishburn for putting out the markers and the pro shop for their support, Charles Large and his team and Claire for her tireless commitment, plus Tony Andrew for the photo of club members who have shone brightly again in raising £1,250 for prostate and testicular cancer, a magnificent effort for a small club.

As for the competition, the prizes in the men’s section went down to nine but only the first five can be printed.

In fifth were Gordon Kidd and Chris Ed­dows 34, fourth Lou Easter and Barry O’Shea 35, third Bruce and Steve Blackie 36, second a rejuvenated Bob Cottam and George Dinsdale 36, and in first place Paul Brown and Andy Birss 37.

They played ex­tremely well, though it does help to have the Mighty Birss man on your team; it’s a great boost to your confidence when you walk 70yards past everyone else’s drive for your second shot.

Once having been put there, Paul brown was swinging with ease and grace and most of the holes they were on in two, no mean feat in that wind.

In the ladies’ section fifth Jill Porter and Bar­bara Parkin, fourth Ge­raldine Sedgebeer and Katherine Holmes, third Sylvia Shalders and Juliette Lambert, second Jan Cousins and Mary Thompson, and first Tina Scanlan and Alison White.

Saturday’s mixed circus fell victim to the weather again; 15 players started, but as they walked past the hedge on the 13th, they en­tered a different world.

A gale-force eight wind and horizontal rain sent them scurrying back to the clubhouse, that is except for the first six.

John Wood, Graham White and Ed Mitchell stayed out to complete the course and they won the back nine with 29.

However, the last group in, indeed the very last man in, was none other than Mike Whitelaw, who won again with his team of Jack Kirby and Chris Mushens, scoring 39 points to win the front nine and 67 points overall.

That evening the annual prize giving was held.

The black tie event hosted by the captain Kevin Eighteen, ably assisted by and soon to be vice-captain Shaun Guy, and was a great success.

The prize winners are too numerous to mention, but all enjoyed a sumptuous meal followed by a disco to party well into the night.

Kevin must be congratulated on volunteering to be captain for the second year running, an onerous task but one that he has been very successful at and made a little sweeter when David Thomp­son presented him with a bottle of bubbly.