Yet again the senior members of the club awoke to a damp cold Tuesday and wondered if their competition would be called off. Not a bit of it. The hardy bunch who had gathered in the clubhouse, peered anxiously out of the window, but were ready to take to the links. One or two either didn’t start or didn’t complete the course and since the buggy ban was still in force the total completing the round was down to 23.

This positivity was rewarded as they played through the cold and the showers over the first few holes, blowing on their fingers, and cursing the rain. What a delight it was then to see the sun emerge from behind the clouds and to feel the temperature rise allowing them to play in more ambient conditions. Half of the contingent was able to make the most of the weather and course conditions scoring 30 or more points.

Among those were Tony Ranoe, Keith Hubbard and Ray Ford. Ahead of them was Mick Seal, still nursing a sore back but able to complete the course this week equalling John Voysey’s score of 31. Ross James and David Rees were able to go one better completing their rounds in 32.

Languishing at the bottom end this week were Adrian Palmer and Des Stone with Bob Wiseman and Bob Howse just keeping clear in front of them. Idwal couldn’t maintain last week’s standard, but he did avoid putting his ball over the fence. He finished up one point behind Derek Jones who scored 27, two down on last week.

Alan Yates and Stan Hudson were in the ‘could do better group’ just one behind Mick Whale, Robin Hagley and John Stevenson all on 30. Jim Moffatt played well getting round in 36, but he was nudged into fourth place by David Henry with a better back nine.

That left the top two. Scoring a superb 37 was Jim Martin, but his score was surpassed by Derek Cole’s magnificent effort enabling him to sign for a score of 42 points. Neither of these managed a two. That honour went to Derek Jones and David Rees on the sixth and Robin Hagley and Alan Yates on the 17th. Tony Ranoe was delighted to receive this week’s raffle prize. He said he will come again next week.

Gareth grabs gargantuan glory

Having had his first taste of Trotting last week, young recently-retired Gareth Davies (previously known as (1), but now renamed Gareth due to the ‘other’ Gareth having a middle initial we now use) had his second outing to try out his newly-acquired (and rather inflated) handicap of 26. The cringingly cold ‘lazy breeze’ - it went straight through you rather than going around you - didn’t bother him, and not content with coming fourth last time and getting his money back, he took the course by the scruff of the neck and showed it who was boss (apart from the blob on the first) and also showed his experienced sin-binned playing partners how to win and win well by getting an indecently high score of 34 off the 15 hole course - although he’d only managed seven after six holes! Plus he bagged himself a two on the par 3 18th to take a third share of the pot so he’s got the entrance fee for the next five weeks - there’s only six weeks of the season remaining!

One of Gareth’s playing partners - the recently-holidayed Richard Davies - matched his effort on the last to earn 30p, as well as Big Allen Watts who got his two on the sixth for his entry fee back, but Gareth’s other playing partner (Derek, the Golfing Cole) had to make do with being two-less despite a tidy score of 25. The Chicken Arranger had a poor start with three blobs, then notched a birdie and was best in the three ball after nine, then lapsed to three more blobs to just miss out on the booby, Stan managed ninth with his third score of 23 and Phil Carpenter played his annual trot and spookily matched his 26 points from November 4, 2016, and ended up in the same position - sixth. The BAD boys (Brian, Allen and Des) hecked their way round the course with a couple of good hips and knees between the three of them and Brian got a mention on the result sheet for fourth place after his 27 points (with a better back last hole over Des in fifth). Charlie and the Davids had decent front 9s with Pushing David (Rees) birdieing the fifth and eighth for four pointers and Carrying David (Lamb) finishing strongly and having high hopes of success until being shot down in flames upon hearing of Gareth’s huge total, although his 30 points gave him outright runner-up position, 90p into his envelope and a cut of three down to 24. Alan Yates was the best of the last group and helped himself to bronze position for his 29 points and he’s 60p richer, but one shot poorer next time out. Of his playing companions, The editor ended up with 22 off his reduced handicap of 20, Meurig went one better with 23, but Bart did enough to earn himself the booby prize after not quite getting a score into the 20s, but two extra shots and 30p in his pocket is his reward.

Fifteen of the 38 players have now played five times or more, but the Booker Prize leader is still Neil on a ‘best five scores’ of 146 (lowest score of 27) , Steve C on 139 (lowest 25), Richard on 130 (lowest 23) and David Lamb now up to 127 (lowest 19), but still lurking on four cards are Ken, Derek B, Derek C, Allen, Stan, Charlie, David Evans and David Rees, with the current holder Des on 116 after five cards, but with scores of 17 and 19, as his lowest two.

Secretary of note

Fifteen sets of clubs wandered off down the fairways accompanied by their owners in the latest episode of the Rabbits Winter League soap-opera (including new member and Rabbit guest Jonathan Goldsmith who managed to repeat his 27 points from his first Sunday venture), writes Warren Hacker, our links reporter, who was unavoidably unavailable due to having to offer extra searching expertise for the Twickenham TMO’s office as they had lost a white stick the day before.

Robin, Shaun and our current leader Grant led the way, but ninth was the best any of them could manage. In the second group we had newly-returned Wyndham, fit-again Ian J and Tom and one of them managed to get the silver position, although they all got in the top half.

The middle group consisted of guest Jonathan, secretary Peter and Half A Dozen Dave (who now needs two more to get eight cards in). Decent front nines to start with, but how would they finish?

The fourth group saw acting captain Steve W (now the only 100%er in the section), Chris S and John B. 19, 15 and 16 were their starts, but they all finished within a point of each other ‘down the field’.

The final group saw Phil, Mark and Dark-Horse Mike hit away and one of them had ‘issues’ with his putter (four putting!) and ended up having his name read out first (in reverse order).

Twice the second shot was dropped - both on the 17th hole - so the twos pot was shared by Tom and Mike. Mark managed to end up sixth with 34, Wyndham’s 35 left him fifth and Mike was fourth on 36. Bronze went to Dave with his 37 points, one behind Tom who got his money back for his 38. Top Rabbit this week was our Peter who exceeded his usual efforts on the front nine for a ‘best of the day 21’ and backed it up with 18 more to take the money (his prize was a tenner and a couple of coins!). Well played that man.

Peter’s efforts now leave him fifth in the ‘best of eight’ Winter League on 271, behind Mark (275), Ian J on 278 and Grant on 279, but then there is something of a gap to new leader Mike on 298. Can he maintain this lead in the coming weeks?

Dave was the big climber in the eclectic table (up 6 to 51), with other gains from Shaun and Peter (both up 3 to 50 and 58), John B up 1 to 58, Chris up 2 to 57 and Tom leaping up 4 to take the lead on 59. It is very close at the top now though.

What will happen next week? Keep watching.