SENIORS AWAY TRIP - BREADSALL PRIORY 2024

22 optimistic Burghley seniors set off on Monday 30th September to beautiful Breadsall, near Derby, to enjoy its fine Marriott Hotel hospitality and two excellent golf courses, last visited by the Seniors in 2017, under the captaincy of Alan Gray.

 

The hospitality and food and drink were indeed fine, and the staff were most obliging, but sadly the weather didn’t play ball. Day one was a total washout, both courses closed; day two saw the Moorland course opened but with restrictions (no bunkers, no buggies). Seven teams of three set off in pouring rain, which became lighter rain and a freezing north-easterly half-gale, but everyone finished and some reported surprisingly reasonable scores. I enjoyed the company, but I can’t say I enjoyed the golf.

                                         The Old Fossil Trophy Winners with - 79Pts

                                                       Alan Kinch, Janet Duff & David Devlin

                                                    

                                                                            2nd with - 78 Pts

                                                  Joan Hickman, Peter Hickman & Paul Coates

                                                                      3rd with - 71 Pts

                                         Bob Pimlott, Anne Harrison-Smith & Gorge Clayton-Jones

Janet Devlin won the 6th hole NTP by a whisker from Marilyn, and the Hickmans together topped up their wine cellar with the other three NTP prizes. I’m not sure who won the picture quiz, but the chocolates were awarded and shared out.

 

On Wednesday, our planned outing on the Priory course was scuppered by its closure again, but four hardy survivors from Tuesday had a fourball on the Moorland in mostly dry but chilly conditions.

 

It’s a lovely venue, or would be in good weather. I had visited to check it out in July, and it poured with rain that day. If you’re thinking of booking a holiday in England, check with me first, then don’t pick the same dates as I do!

 

Pip

SENIORS AWAY MATCH AGAINST RUTLAND WATER 10th Sept 2024 - RESULT L 6 - 2

A cloudy Autumnal day greeted us at Rutland Water, blowing a gale and with rain threatened for lunchtime. One of the few advantages of being Captain is going out first and being in before the rain, which caught the latter half of the field.
Mark and I had won 4 & 3 versus RW at Burghley, so we had high hopes. A few short-ish putts were missed, we were 2 down after 12 but fought back to be all square with four to play. Sadly we were too incompetent or too tired to survive the long 15th and par 5 sixteenth uphill into the gale, and went down with a whimper on the 17th.
Congrats to Chris and Tim, our only winning pair, and to Tim who took the NTP wine on the 12th. One day I'm going to hit that green, maybe on a less windy occasion.
The last two pairs secured halved matches, so our overall result was almost a tie, as we won 5½-2½ at home.
The meal of chicken followed by bread & butter pudding was excellent and good value for £16.

Pip

SENIORS AWAY MATCH AGAINST GIRTON 30th Aug 2024 - RESULT W 41/2 - 31/2

Early morning in Girton, chilly but sunny. By lunchtime it was as warm as you'd want it to be, perfect golfing conditions. Keith and I had a close battle against acting Captain Charles and Phil, all square after nine, then Charles carved a wild drive off the tenth which was saved from going into a bunker on the previous hole by striking David Court's backside (admittedly not a small target). Holes continued to be halved, Keith and I both missed gettable putts to win a hole, and the 18th tee saw us dormie one down. Fortunately your Captain rose to the challenge and, with a shot, had two putts to win the hole and secure a half.

Of more interest were the fine wins by our second, third, fifth and seventh pairs, to secure a 4½ to 3½ win- OUR FIRST WIN of the season AWAY FROM HOME

Nearest the pin, on 6, pipping me, was Vernon from Girton, and nearest the pin in two on the long 11th was Garth from Girton.

Fish'n'chips followed. Thanks to all who travelled, especially Mike McCarthy en route to an appointment at the Spire Hospital and Mark also en route to see Janet at Addenbrookes again. At least they missed my dodgy jokes of the day.

It's one of my two favourite away courses, I'll definitely be back next year.

Pip

SENIORS MATCH AWAY AGAINST MIDDLETON HALL 28th Aug 2024 RESULT L 8 - 0

A humid morning turned into a scorcher by halfway. Sadly my and Richard's putts only scorched the grass on their way downhill to finish miles past, then miss the return. Tee to green we were respectable,  all square after 8, but a par, par, birdie blitz by captain Ian and then annoying use of shots by Peter saw us lose, just when we were getting to grips with the greens.Allegedly.

Sadly nobody came to the rescue and we had our first whitewash of the season to add to a 2-4 loss to MHGC at Burghley. 

After a posh rack of lamb, Club owner Dave added a bonus dessert - DIY creme brulee - and thankfully nobody was injured in the pyrotechnics.

Thanks to all our team who made the journey today. It's a tricky course;  in ten or twenty years time, assuming I  get selected, I might get some local knowledge to score better.

Pip 

SENIORS MATCH AWAY AGAINST TOFT 21st Aug 2024 - RESULT L 51/2 - 1/2

A bright, blustery, not over-warm summer's day greeted us at Toft, and as usual we were faced with a team with mostly 20+ handicappers and a couple in the 30s, meaning we were giving away most of the shots on a course whose slope rating in my view does not reflect its higher difficulty. Seniors Captain Barry Streets, receiving 13 shots, celebrated his birthday by sinking far too many 8 - 12 foot putts, so in spite of playing near our handicaps, Tim and I were stuffed 4 & 2. Other defeats followed until David Jackson and Richard Cook saved the embarrassment of a whitewash by gaining a half.
However the course was in good condition, save for the fairways needing a haircut, and the steak pie dinner afterwards was excellent.
It's worth going to Toft, if only to enjoy Mark Jackson trying to sell you a bargain.

Pip

SENIORS AWAY MATCH AGAINST St NEOTS 1st Aug 2024 - RESULT L 7 - 1

Well, this was a disappointing result. As they say, a game of two halves, but unfortunately, two halved matches and six losses, two of them on the last hole.
The threatened thunder and lightning didn't materialise and conditions were ideal, the course was in great condition, the wind was minimal. Rob and I had a see-saw game against acting Captain Martin and "young" Tim who played superbly tee to green but had a few putting problems. Your Captain, not a fan of early starts, took a while to turn up but made a contribution by winning the first three of the four par 3s. Somehow we managed to be dormie three, only to see Martin hole a downhill ten footer to keep the match alive then Tim parred 17 and 18 to get St N a halved match. A half when you're dormie three feels like a loss, I can tell you.
I know handicaps are supposed to reflect playing ability at all levels, but in fourball format, St Neots receiving 116 shots in total from the lowest handicappers (all Burghley men) and our team players receiving only 46, makes it very hard to call it a level playing field.
Nearest the pins were the evergreen Pete H from Burghley and the 27 handicap bandit Jim Mynott for St Neots.
A one course meal of pork chop nicely cooked, and a couple of dodgy jokes, rounded off the day.

My personal thanks to those team members ( Pete H, Alan, Richard, Mike B and Phil) who turned out both yesterday and today, in warm to hot conditions, as the selection options were limited. Perhaps next year we can avoid a "two matches in two days" scenario.

Pip

SENIORS HOME MATCH AGAINST MIDDLETON HALL 31st July 2024 - RESULT L 4 - 2

With temperatures in the high 20s (over 80°F in old money) our friendly against Middleton Hall saw our unbeaten home record disappear. Leading off, with myself, Clive P played his best Front 9 in living memory, simply put he was outstanding and MH Captain Ian Lowry was nonplussed. A 4/3 win with MH winning only 1 hole, the 14th. Sadly this was our only victory of the day despite very good performances from Phil H and George C-J and Mike Barton and Richard Martin gaining creditable halves. Peter H and Charles C did remarkably well to only lose 2 and 1 against some outstanding driving from MH Vice C Mark Platts, who hit a 314 yard drive on the 5th! But Michael E and Alan K and Stephen R and Michael M fell to excellent well below handicap play from their opponents. The Course played well, our most supportive ladies ran an excellent Halfway House, Lunch was as ever of a high standard as was the friendly and efficient service. A big thank you to Patrick who organised nearest the pin, won by Chris Billam of MH, and Sam for his patience and understanding. Middleton Hall were full of praise for the course condition, reception they received from our players and the quality of lunch. Burghley Park is their most favoured Away Fixture. Thank you to all who played.

Paul Vice Captain