BUDE AND NORTH CORNWALL v RND VETERANS

We arrived at Bude on a gloriously sunny day, with a gentle breeze needing only an extra club or two. There were lots of bad backs being reported, but it was Wayne Gaish (aka Stanley Tucci) who took the walking wounded award, with a bad back and plantar fasciitis. He had about 5 metres of blue tape holding him together.

As this was our first match of the year, there was great excitement in the clubhouse, especially for our first four pairings who were members of the Emerton-Court squad. They had the added pressure of completing scorecards, as well as playing their match.

I noticed the golf tops of the Bude team had a badge of some sort on the sleeve. The team is sponsored by a local business. The funeral director A. W. Bryant. Hilarious. Dave Smith thought it was the Average White Band, when he first saw it.

The practice putting green was frighteningly fast, but we soon got used to it. I was out first with Alan Coles, but despite us having 40 Stableford points, we could only manage a half. Andrew Sutherland and Wayne Gaish won 1 up, as did Tim Keehner and Michael Saunders. In the fourth match Pat McGuckin and Dave Smith put up a fight but lost 2&1. The Emerton-Court half of the team had put us 1 up. Could the other guys get us over the line away from home?

Dale Hurrell and George Fenton were soundly beaten 4&3. Dale played most of the match on his own after George's back went. Another one to add to the list. Neil Crossman and Tom Stirzaker had the biggest win of the day, 5&3. Our penultimate pair was Chris Taylor and Rick Jones. It was Rick’s first match, and his first visit to Bude. They lost 2&1, so the match was all square. Steve Pryor and Martin Roche were our last pair. They won 1 up, so the overall match result was 4½ to 3½ in favour of RND.

The after-match meal was the first one for the new Bude chef, so the Bude Captain was slightly nervous, but the food was excellent.

Gerry Latham won the nearest-the-pin competition for Bude. Dale Hurrell was the closest for RND, but as he was the only person to beat me, and he left for home before his pudding, I may keep it for my Captain's raffle.

We were all winners on the day, borne out by the conversations and laughter in the clubhouse. The course and the weather were perfect. Bring on the return leg on 9th April.

Gary Fisher

Vets Captain

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