RND VETERANS v TAVISTOCK SENIORS

Monday 5th May 2025

Despite the glorious weather, the day didn't start very well. The Tavistock Triathlon was taking place, which delayed our visitors, due to road diversions. Then we got the news that there would be no steak and ale pie. The butcher was trying it on, so Royston told him to go forth and multiply. These things come in threes. As I was about to tee-off, Chris Taylor told me he'd broken his 5-iron warming up, which had me worried, as my irons are from the 1900s.

We were playing the first leg of the Commoners Cup. We thought we'd lost the trophy, but all we had to do was look in the trophy cabinet. Well done Pat McGuckin, last year’s match winning captain.

I went into the club shop to get the nearest-the-pin paraphernalia. The World Championship snooker final was being played later that day, so keen snooker player Secretary Phil had provided pink and black balls as markers.

I was captain for our loss at home to Bude a month ago. Our only loss from 6 matches. The pressure was on me and the team to get back on track.

My partner Dave Hudson and I were out first, and we played steady golf. Our opponents faded away after the first few holes, giving us a 5&4 win.

Making his match debut for the year, Jeremy Horn and his partner Chris Taylor (without his 5 iron) managed to get a hard-fought half.

This result was repeated by our third pair of Mick Scambler and Ragaii Loka.

Bar buddies Brian and Bryan were out next. Having agreed to make up the team less than a week previously. They fought it out, for a win on the last hole. Brian has since cracked a rib and is out of action. Get well soon Brian.

Alan Coles and Ron Juniper were comfortable 5&4 winners. Alan said Ron didn’t get any pars, but he got some useful bogies, which usually won the hole.

Bob McDermott and Martin Roche won home and away last year against Tavistock and were happy to partner each other again. They lost 1 down.

So, two comfortable wins, and 4 very close matches. A narrow 4-2 victory. We will need to play well at Tavistock to retain the Commoners Cup. Gulp.

Nearest the pin was on the 5th hole. Tavistock Captain Chris was about 20 feet above the hole, and nearly holed it for a two, my ball had lipped out and was about 6 inches from the hole. I wasn’t going to put my name down as we were first out, but Chris insisted. No-one from Tavistock managed to get closer than Chris so we were able to handover bottles of wine to each other.

During the brief speeches, Chris mentioned VE Day, and said he was one week old at the time. He asked if anyone remembered VE Day. Ron was 9 and Bryan was 8. Bryan vividly remembered his father taking him to the square that marks the centre of Bournemouth to see the lights being turned on. These weren’t any special lights, like we see today; they were the normal streetlights. Lights that Bryan had never seen before that night. Remarkable.

Gary Fisher

Vets Captain

Return to News Page

Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.