Ramsey Golf Club celebrated St Patrick’s Day a little earlier last Saturday, or was it just the beginning of a very long weekend?
The traditional mixed AM AM followed by a hearty meal, a few pints of the black stuff and great music from “Remote Control” resulted in a late one for quite a few and a lie in on Mother’s Day! With both morning tee times and a 2pm shot gun start for the 90 or so who played in the competition, there was no real advantage with the course playing surprisingly well given the deluge earlier in the week. Posting early leading scores were winter specialists, Dave Simpson, Kevin Berry, Ray Jopson and Dave Littler with 89 points. The same score also posted by David Kinrade, Frank Feeney, Marc Pons Burt and Karen McGurgan, after a nice 2 on the 3rd from Frank. Looking good before lunch was Mark Corrin, Stan Ryzak, Phil Hassall and Kerry Hiblen. They had every reason to take on some of the black stuff over lunch after scoring 90 points and possibly in contention. Steady scoring with a birdie from Captain Phil on the 6th but a dodgy last three holes, dropping 2 shots on the 17th could cost them dearly with a the shotgun start still to come in the afternoon. With great weather in the afternoon and everything to play for, there were some familiar teams out there with big hitters drafted in to make the pace. Previous winners, Sean Cunningham, Ray McElhinney, Peter Collister and Paul Routledge were out for yet another success. Two bogeys on the 8th and another on the 12th meant they needed a strong finish to give them a chance but it just fell away with a whole stack of dropped shots on the closing holes and 88 points. The luck of the Irish was missing but perhaps it was the wrong day! Stu Douglas put together a familiar group of Barry Teare, Adam Greenwood and Jimmy Callow and two birdies on the 6th gave them an outward 9 of 47 points and right in the groove but a dropped shot on the 12th and a disaster on the 15th and 16th made it difficult for them to be confident of success. Stu did everything to salvage the round with a 2 on the 17th but this fell away after a bogey on the final hole. 90 points though was good scoring but the back 9 was just not enough to get 3rd place. That went to Captain Phil’s team from the morning’s play. Second place went to John Shields, Pauline Kennish, Jill and Richard Power. Jill opened the round with a 50 foot par putt on the 1st and despite an immediate disaster on the 2nd it was steady scoring on the front 9. John Shields fine recovery shot from the trees on the 11th/12th resulted in a birdie on the 11th and paring in meant 92 points was in contention. Winners by 4 shots though were Rick Lings, Paul Mercer, Gary Brown and Frank Pattison. Rick birdied the 2nd and 14th but Gary Brown’s eagle on the same hole was a real ching ching on the points tally. Great stuff and 96 points brought them the top prize.
Next Saturday, with the daffodils in bloom the Spring AM AM will see many of the same teams out in force again to battle it out.
Photo - Captain Phil Hassall, Paul Mercer, Frank Pattison and Gary Brown.
