Arriving at Dartmouth G&CC, subsequent to a ferry crossing and passing through a very busy Dartmouth on another fine sunny day, it was no surprise driving down to the clubhouse to see the familiar straw coloured hard, dry fairway. How all courses desperately need substantial amounts of rain to recover to the green and lush fairways more familiar to us living in the south west. Entering the clubhouse and recognising a number of faces from past encounters, particularly Ian Smith and Rex Parry, immediate past President and current President, both staying on site with their wives, colleagues and friends of Tudor Joseph, past Captain at Churston GC. For those who may know Tudor, I have only recently discovered he has been very unwell recently but I’m pleased to report he is making steady progress in his recovery.
After a plentiful supply of sandwiches and chips the selected matches of four sat in their groups prior to play, always nice to become accquainted with ones opponents before battle commences. The course,,as previously mentioned, very dry and hard with bad shots sometimes rewarded and good ones occasionally punished. Courses must vary one would suppose as to how greens are managed in drought conditions, a nightmare one would suppose for head greenkeepers. Dartmouth greens were very variable in appearance but generally putted well, Terry Farkin, course manager, working very hard to produce the best conditions possible I’m sure.
Playing number two, with friend and Devon President Lew Easter, we were eventually to realise good fortune, the warning lowering skies did produce what has become a general necessity, rain! Initially not too much of a problem as soft mizzle later to become quite heavy drizzle. A couple of groups decided to walk in, either results already determined or friendly weather based halves. As ever several matches could have drifted either way and the match eventually decided by the final game,, a win for Devon overall, just !A very enjoyable 3 course meal with the main course a very good carvery and a wide choice of vegetables followed by, strawberries and Devonshire clotted cream. A couple of brief speeches and we wished our guests safe journeys home.
Malcolm Jordain
