Aldwickbury Park Early Birds

Perfect conditions this morning, slightly hazy sunshine with a little bit of a chill became warm sunshine with a cooling breeze as the round progressed. The course was in good condition but the greens were definitely causing difficulties for some.  The highlight of the round for me today was playing with Andy. After 5 holes I'd only putted a couple of times more than he'd blobbed holes. It got better after hole 5 where he tripled his points tally with a 2 pointer on 6. The wheels really came off on the front 9 and his trolley decided to join in with the wheel coming off on the 9th hole. Andy managed 8 on the front 9, his record of 12 points for a round was starting to look less likely. His woes continued on the back 9 with Andy scoring 10 points with 3 blobs, 2 one pointers and 4 two pointers. 7 blobs over all Andy! Andy is having a bad run since losing on day 2 at Greetham Valley and today I'd like to say that he was having bad luck, but sadly that would be untrue, he just...

  I fine spring morning in April, bluebells in flower and 0no rain to contend with but a light north-westerly wind to remind us that winter is only just behind us. Of course everything is starting to grow and that means the rough will start to become a factor soon so we must make hay.... No real stories to report this week except to comment that I personally struggled to avoid trees this weekend on the first 4 holes. From the off, slicing just into the trees on the right of the 1st and having to play out sideways, it was a struggle. Thankfully it didn't continue for the entire round but it definitely set the tone for my round.  Only 11 players this week due to holidays, families and illness.  The advent of spring brings back white tees and no more preferred lies. Most of the bunkers are back in play with a few still needing a little work. The extra yardage definitely created a few problems and the bunkers were a feature of my group and it would seem perhaps the group in f...

  The Lakes Course at Greetham Valley 2nd April 2022 (10:30am ish tee off) Before we get into Day 2 there are a few items of administration to not from the previous evening's proceedings.  Paul Gardner, known for such creative past wonders such as the virtual golf round of the great lockdown, came up with the idea of a sweepstake on the eve of the away weekend. The premise was that each player would receive ticket with the name of a random player from the starting line up for the JJ Cup and the players holding the tickets with the name of the winner or second place in the cup would receive a share (60% for first, 40% for second) of the prize fund for the sweepstake.  Paul had initially proposed he would pre-draw the tickets but decided that it would be fun for each player to draw their own tickets at the evening dinner on Day 1.  A typically creative and it would seem confusing concept which attracted the expected barrage of questions and comments at the dinner. We d...

The Valley Course at Greetham Valley 1st April 2022 (midday tee off) The report for this year's JJ Cup must open with this little number courtesy of Mr Reynolds   After a two year wait we gathered together  At Greetham Valley and prayed for good weather All geared up and ready to go The first tee shot proves to many a foe Duncan's on the tee, listen out for woosh Four shots later, what's he doing in that bush? We're off and running and the sun is shining  Smiles on faces and scores start rising  Suddenly there's a chilling breeze And hail from the heavens like frozen peas It doesn't last long the sun is back out Smiles back on faces, golfers devout More hail, sun and snow but ok for our health Until the blizzard from hell freezes bones on the 12th  Sideways snow and freezing wind A shanked ball here another thinned Shivering like an Arctic junkie Freezing balls just like a brass monkey Naturally the scores were very low And lower than Andy's score - oh no! S...