{"id":620,"date":"2014-02-23T21:23:27","date_gmt":"2014-02-23T21:23:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/?p=620"},"modified":"2014-12-22T06:31:21","modified_gmt":"2014-12-22T06:31:21","slug":"clevedon-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/?p=620","title":{"rendered":"Clevedon 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

Friday, 21st February 2014<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"clevedon-2014\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Captain’s Ramblings:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following January\u2019s wash-out at Cottrell Park (now re-scheduled for May, by the way), the inaugural match of the 2014 season took place at Clevedon on 21st February.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Numbers were slightly depleted, probably because of half-term holidays, with 24 hardy souls trying their luck by the shores of the Severn estuary.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
As it turned out, conditions were remarkably favourable. There was a moderate breeze, and the odd sharp shower, including one of hail endured by a few of the later groups. Most of the fairways were reasonably firm, and the greens, on the whole, were fair and true, the course holding up extremely well overall given the recent biblical rainfall. One or two holes presented a stiff test. The 8th – \u2018The Castle Hole\u2019 \u2013 with a steep drop and a 160-yard carry against the wind off the tee, with trouble either side, was a differentiator. Some mastered it with ease, and others suffered the fate of having to dig around in the undergrowth and struggled to make points. The par-3 14th, also with its steep drop, proved an interesting exercise in club selection in the swirling breeze.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
After the customary (and excellent) bacon rolls and coffee, Jon Ager got proceedings underway as incoming captain, with a sneaky drive straight down the middle, whilst no-one was watching (Simon and Brendan will confirm that it was legitimate!) To Jon\u2019s great relief, this provided an adequate challenge for the bottle of whisky, with Stuart Perry and John Essom vying for the prize in the early stages, eventually won by Manny Virdi.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
From the third group out, Tony Griffiths was unsurpassed, providing the solitary name on the score sheet for \u2018Nearest the Pin\u2019 on the innocuous looking 3rd hole, obviously finding his range early in the round.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Adie Shilston claimed the best aggregate score across the 3 par-3s with 8 points – the equivalent of a creditable 2 \u2018net birdies\u2019 and a \u2018net par\u2019.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u2018Longest drive\u2019 had to wait until the 5th group out to be decided, with Jon Ager setting a conquerable early marker (with some arboreal assistance). With mutterings from a few about the absence of demarcation between fairway and rough at its furthest extent, Stuart Perry and Adie Shilston unequivocally whistled past in subsequent groups. But the prize was eventually secured by Alan Jones, in his first outing with the Nomads \u2013 congratulations, and welcome, Alan!<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
In a departure from the usual protocol, the \u2018division\u2019 prizes – top player in each \u2018division\u2019 NOT in the overall top three – were decided along handicap lines this time, with the six players with the lowest handicaps challenging for \u2018Group 1\u2019 and so on. Prizes, and congratulations on creditable performances, went to:<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u2018Group 1\u2019 (Handicaps 0 \u2013 15.4):\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Manny Virdi (36 pts)<\/em><\/div>\n
\u2018Group 2\u2019 (Handicaps 15.5 \u2013 17.4):\u00a0\u00a0 Adie Shilston (36 pts)<\/em><\/div>\n
\u2018Group 3\u2019 (Handicaps 17.5 \u2013 22.0):\u00a0\u00a0 Mike Simpson (34 pts)<\/em><\/div>\n
\u2018Group 4\u2019 (Handicaps 22.1 \u2013 28):\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jed Wrench (with 3 players in this \u2018group\u2019 tied on 29 pts, the prize was awarded to Jed, as highest handicapper in the competition \u2013 NOT for his sartorial display!)<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
With the overall average score for the day being just over 29 pts, the three main prizes deservedly went to three players who had clearly mastered the tricky conditions. Andy Alexander secured his first \u2018podium\u2019 finish in 3rd place with 37 pts, narrowly defeated by Mark Gardiner, in 2nd on \u2018countback\u2019 who, as far and away the lowest handicapper of the day, produced another fine performance, with a gross 77, including an eagle 3 on the tricky 16th over the water. But John Essom romped to victory, and first prize, on 39pts with an imperious 24pts on the back nine, surpassing a good few players\u2019 scores over the entire round!<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The day\u2019s festivities were rounded off with the usual banter over a beverage or two, during which James Farley\u2019s shot of the day was revealed \u2013 a putt from well off the green leaning over a barbed-wire fence with the ball lodged just in-bounds underneath it, which rolled obliging into the hole.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
A hearty meal of Chicken and Ham Pie, and fruit crumble were consumed with alacrity, before the formalities were wrapped up with the distribution of prizes, including the monthly raffle which was won by Alan Jones \u2013 a lucrative first outing, Alan!<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Jon finally reminded everyone that next month\u2019s outing was at Forest Hills on 28th March. Jon said that he hoped as many people as possible would attend, in honour of Ben Green, a much loved friend and former member who passed away suddenly in 2012.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Jon and Darren will shortly be issuing invitations to the Newton Cup, to be held at Woodspring Golf Club, Long Ashton on Friday 25th April 2014.<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
See you next time!<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Scores:<\/strong><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
1<\/td>\nJohn Essom<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 39<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nAndy Alexander<\/td>\nScotland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 37<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nMark Gardiner<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 37<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nAdie Shilston<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 36<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nManny Virdi<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 36<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nDarren Williams<\/td>\nWales<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nMike Simpson<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nJames Farley<\/td>\nIreland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 31<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nDerek Freeman-Jones<\/td>\nWales<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nDarren Collier<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nGed Wrench<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nStuart Perry<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nTony Griffiths<\/td>\nWales<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 29<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nChris Pulfree<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nDave Curtis<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16<\/td>\nGary O’Connell<\/td>\nScotland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17<\/td>\nSimon Howlett<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18<\/td>\nSteve Graham<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 26<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19<\/td>\nAlan Jones<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20<\/td>\nJon Ager<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
21<\/td>\nJitesh Mistry<\/td>\nIndia<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
22<\/td>\nMark Graham<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
23<\/td>\nBrendan Turbitt<\/td>\nIreland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
24<\/td>\nSteve Standbridge<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Friday, 21st February 2014 Captain’s Ramblings: Following January\u2019s wash-out at Cottrell Park (now re-scheduled for May, by the way), the inaugural match of the 2014 season took place at Clevedon on 21st February. Numbers were slightly depleted, probably because of half-term holidays, with 24 hardy souls trying their luck by the shores of the Severn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-22"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/620","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=620"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/620\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":761,"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/620\/revisions\/761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=620"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=620"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nomadsgolf.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=620"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}