Roy Roberts - John Devereux - Brian Rice - Peter Dunstan As is the most recent plan, everyone agreed to travel a day earlier to facilitate  more agreeable travelling time for our first match on tour to Shropshire, in this case five minutes to our first venue, Chesterton Valley GC. Such were the weather conditions, and the forecasts, that several players questioned the possibility of any golf at all. We did however proceed to our accommodation, Patshull Park, Hotel and Golf Club, with a little trepidation but some optimism. At dinner, 'phones were constantly examined for the latest weather predictions. Thereafter time in the bar and 'several' … [Read more...]

Driving to Honiton Golf Club we experienced several squally showers, threatening but also very welcome for greenstaff desperate for growth particularly fairways for many courses. Selfishly this was all the rain we received until after most, if not all, had finished playing. There is always a warm welcome from Honiton and today was no different, President of the club Max Pipe willingly standing in for the Captain, away currently on his brother's  'stag do'. Max informed us that the course, some 800 feet above sea level, was generally in good condition, later confirmed by Chris the Oxfordshire Captain. As always friendship and acquaintance … [Read more...]

    Brian Rice’s first match as Captain, against Warwickshire at Yelverton, offered mixed fortunes. On the positive side was the weather, the course and the dinner which were all excellent. On the negative side was the result of which there is more later. Unfortunately, Warwickshire were only able to bring eleven players with them and this meant that we provided five players to ensure that a full match took place. This has happened several times in the recent past and thought needs to be given to how to rectify this but that’s for another time. Brian Rice, playing with the Yelverton Captain, Bryan Gullick, started … [Read more...]

  Returning to GHQ the previous evening after a satisfying victory at Littlehampton there often follows a lively discussion between fellow team mates and much leg pulling. On this occasion the mood continued for some with their attention drawn to some football match being played in Manchester. So with iphones, tablets and other devices providing visual attention, conversation and drinking was carried out in small groups! So to day two and our new venue Romsey Golf Club, to most a new experience. I for one most relieved to discover that my previously booked buggy was available, Romsey is, for want of a better description, … [Read more...]

The biennial tour to Sussex and Hampshire was a first in the sense that our resourceful Vice Captain, Brian Rice, pre booked eight rooms at the Premier Inn Chichester for an extra night! Hence sixteen players all took up his offer and arrived the day prior to our matchday, obviously to bond carry out a random test of local ales and wine. The hotel, not able or suitable to provide appropriate victualling to our exacting requirements, required the scouting party to provide an alternative. Once more the upcoming duo of Rice/Heaman triumphed, Frankie & Benny's a stones throw away. Furthermore when seated our Vice Captain elect, Graham, … [Read more...]

Ben Lynch - Matt Miller - Lewis Beer - Mike Doyle   Arriving at our venue, the British version of Pebble Beach according to Peter Alliss I think, it was obviously going to be a very fine day, light winds and blue sky Thurlestone, a pleasure in waiting. It is easy to not appreciate the golf course when presented with the ever changing seascape. The course was in excellent condition with the greens running well and in good condition for relatively early season. A warm welcome always assured returning to the club after some time was keenly anticipated to contest our young opponents. Unfortunately Grahame Moore, the boys manager, was … [Read more...]

Captain v Vice-Captain 11th April 2019 result sheet (2)   Once again our venue Exeter G&CC, so convenient in terms of location and available facilities. This annual in-house match, mostly about fun and leg-pulling, is nevertheless played in a genuinely competitive manner. With the almost compulsory reserves, some at very late notice, making up complete teams of twelve matches everyone looked forward to the ever improving Exeter golf course. Forty eight Captains therefore looking forward to enjoying not only the golf course but also the marvellous Spring weather. The golf course as usual in good order even though still early in … [Read more...]

The final match of the matchplay season for both counties was at the Long Sutton Golf Club, once again a new experience for most of us Devon men. On a very pleasant warm sunny day the course, as everywhere hard and running, proved to be quite tricky. Thanks to our opponents volunteering guidance and information, there is a ditch meandering throughout much of the course, we managed to avoid many of the pitfalls awaiting the naïve golfer. If one were to play the course again, on many holes the driver would stay in the bag. The course requires and benefits from strategic play and knowledge, the greens having recently received its maintenance … [Read more...]

Paul Smale - Ian Cornwell - Tony Davis - Ben Lynch Arriving at Torquay Golf Club it was immediately obvious how the recent rainfall has 'greened' up the golf course, a very welcome sight. For those players who have not payed Torquay fairly recently there are some fairly dramatic changes to the course, possibly the most significant is the eighteenth. What was a strong par 4 finishing hole is now a par 3 of around 160 yards, we played forward of this on yellow tees. Other changes deeper in the course include the eighth hole also becoming a par 3, previously a par 4. Apparently the course is still in transitional state and other changes are in … [Read more...]

Lew Easter - Harrison King - George Holland - Ben Lynch This rearranged match from a rain soaked course in April this year could not have provided a greater extreme, brown fairways hard and running. With much needed rain forecast later in the day and the weekend I'm sure many of us will welcome it with some relief. The current condition however provided some spectacular driving distances from our young opponents, for example Craig Passmore, on the long 10th hit an enormous drive  into the light breeze and took a wedge to the green. The club, now under the guidance of Jon Langmead and Jodie Bee, is looking very positively toward the future. … [Read more...]