2024 Ladies and Seniors - Mixed Pairs Competition
Weds 24th April 2024
Mike Tringham, our suave Captain for 2024 had, he said, booked a golf trip to Portugal long before the date was set for this event! And so he was absent for the 1st ladies and seniors day. Just so that we are clear he was away enjoying himself in the sun, whilst we shivered on the course, he sent us a few snaps! I've taken out the offensive ones!
NB Mike has a history of 'modelling' so he is striking the laying down pose for us in this one.
NB Mike has a history of 'modelling' so he is striking the laying down pose for us in this one.
But he had prepared fully in advance and given his instructions to his delegated people, including written guidance in southern English sentences. Vice Captain Ken (Our own Game of Thrones - Angel or Lord of the North) thus had plenty of time to get it all translated to northern speak.
Not our largest Ladies and Seniors day group ever, but 44 was a pretty good turn out.
A special thanks to Tina Walden and Doug Carrington for both standing in close to the day.
All turned up in good spirits to share a coffee before going out in what was to be a rather chilly morning.
Not our largest Ladies and Seniors day group ever, but 44 was a pretty good turn out.
A special thanks to Tina Walden and Doug Carrington for both standing in close to the day.
All turned up in good spirits to share a coffee before going out in what was to be a rather chilly morning.
I looked closely for some patterns in the pairs selections and then the make up of the 4 ball groupings. It certainly seemed to be the highs and lows between the genders for handicap setting. But then some kind of linking pattern with the two men in each 4 ball. The north of Watford two ( Ken and Dave H); two ex captains (Dave and Kev); the hockey mob (Simon and Roger) the stragglers (Brian and Steve Bell); the old pals (Ray and Dave Lister); the Shenfield mafia (Greg and Kevin B) etc; But how do we then explain Dennis and Gordon ??
The day's golf went pretty well as far as I know. I’m not sure if its just the impact of wokeness, or just that nothing particularly notable or funny happened, but usually I hear about something that can be related and shared. Nothing! Perhaps the men are just all getting too old and/or the ladies are getting bored with us? No, actually that’s what I heard about me at home I think!
There certainly can't have been any M25 type hold ups on the course as all were in the clubhouse pretty sharp and we headed upstairs for our food a little before the set time. All except me of course, because I’d forgotten to pick up some essential items before I left the house in the morning, and so had a quick journey home to pick them up.
The food 'played better than scratch standard' so most were quite happy.
No posing for these photos today. Could all be faking it, but they appeared to be having a good time.
The day's golf went pretty well as far as I know. I’m not sure if its just the impact of wokeness, or just that nothing particularly notable or funny happened, but usually I hear about something that can be related and shared. Nothing! Perhaps the men are just all getting too old and/or the ladies are getting bored with us? No, actually that’s what I heard about me at home I think!
There certainly can't have been any M25 type hold ups on the course as all were in the clubhouse pretty sharp and we headed upstairs for our food a little before the set time. All except me of course, because I’d forgotten to pick up some essential items before I left the house in the morning, and so had a quick journey home to pick them up.
The food 'played better than scratch standard' so most were quite happy.
No posing for these photos today. Could all be faking it, but they appeared to be having a good time.
Over lunch my thoughts about the highs and lows of the HC. pairings were confirmed by our statistician Sir Simon, who (he said) happened to be the beneficiary of the highest HC, although his shared HC with Julie (a low handicapper) wasn’t the highest.
So we came to the thanks and speeches.
Vice Captain Ken did a good job sharing Mike’s words and his own thanks etc, and then told an excellent (clean) joke with some pathos! That the joke was about a man hearing incrementally about how his world had fallen apart must have been close to home for Ken when compared to some of his recent rounds of golf (I'm told!)!
And then it was Lady Captain Delray’s turn. After the usual politeness Delray ventured into the joke territory and an excellent one it was - although it was only afterwards that we learned it was with an Irish accent! Probably getting her own back after 4 hours with Ken.
So to the winner and losers.
The man to do all the organisation and arrangements for the golf part of the day usually has the best CV of course. And so our favourite Chris Vander, after having worked out the results, did the announcing honours, with the Captains' presenting the prizes.
Nearest the Pins
Those that have spoken to Chris Wilkins about practicing for golf will know that she is a prodigious hitter of balls at the driving range. I suspect that somehow recently she managed to get Brian down there too as they both went away with NtheP prizes; in Chris’s case both ladies prizes on the 3rd and 14th. Brian took the men's 8th and as a reward for being a stand in Doug C took the 18th. Doug does of course have a major advantage over most of us, as when he stands and swings on the tee, he’s already at least a foot or two nearer the hole!
Well done to those guys and especially Chris on her double.
So we came to the thanks and speeches.
Vice Captain Ken did a good job sharing Mike’s words and his own thanks etc, and then told an excellent (clean) joke with some pathos! That the joke was about a man hearing incrementally about how his world had fallen apart must have been close to home for Ken when compared to some of his recent rounds of golf (I'm told!)!
And then it was Lady Captain Delray’s turn. After the usual politeness Delray ventured into the joke territory and an excellent one it was - although it was only afterwards that we learned it was with an Irish accent! Probably getting her own back after 4 hours with Ken.
So to the winner and losers.
The man to do all the organisation and arrangements for the golf part of the day usually has the best CV of course. And so our favourite Chris Vander, after having worked out the results, did the announcing honours, with the Captains' presenting the prizes.
Nearest the Pins
Those that have spoken to Chris Wilkins about practicing for golf will know that she is a prodigious hitter of balls at the driving range. I suspect that somehow recently she managed to get Brian down there too as they both went away with NtheP prizes; in Chris’s case both ladies prizes on the 3rd and 14th. Brian took the men's 8th and as a reward for being a stand in Doug C took the 18th. Doug does of course have a major advantage over most of us, as when he stands and swings on the tee, he’s already at least a foot or two nearer the hole!
Well done to those guys and especially Chris on her double.
Front and Back Nine Winners
After the Wilkin’s family success came the Skinner's family success.
Dave S and Sue Jarvis earned themselves the 1st for the front nine score (18 points).
Dave said he was amazed - so were we Dave- Sue must have been great partner! Dave was warned yet again about his hair style!
And Mary, partnered up with Dave H (was it a Dave’s day as well?), secured the back nine prize with an excellent score of 24 points. Dave calls himself Grumpy (saves us having to say it) but he looks quite pleased here!
Well done guys.
Well done guys.
Lady and Seniors Day - 2nd Place Winners
I met Maureen Walker on the 10th tee at the start. I didn’t recognise her at first without the plastic bag and the litter picker - but it reminded me how Maureen’s surname aptly describes how she still (amazingly in the cold and wet weather) does her job in the winter months. But golf club in hand she looked set to do a serious job that day. And so she did, with Ray Wells help of course! Their score of 40 secured them 2nd place overall.
Very well done to them both.
I met Maureen Walker on the 10th tee at the start. I didn’t recognise her at first without the plastic bag and the litter picker - but it reminded me how Maureen’s surname aptly describes how she still (amazingly in the cold and wet weather) does her job in the winter months. But golf club in hand she looked set to do a serious job that day. And so she did, with Ray Wells help of course! Their score of 40 secured them 2nd place overall.
Very well done to them both.
Lady and Seniors Day - 1st Place Winners
And so to the stars of the day.
Over lunch Roger T (and Karen P) shared that they had played with Julie Parrot and Sir Simon and mentioned how well they had played, citing two birdies in a row at one point! (Parrots repeat things don’t they?). Well that kind of form certainly led to a rather special result from the pair with a final score of 42 points to take 1st place.
It was nice to see one of our newer lady members and, I thought, one of our …well ….older senior members, come in with such a great result. Then I happened to look at the results for the last Ladies/Seniors day in 2023.
Maybe a review of highs and lows??
And so to the stars of the day.
Over lunch Roger T (and Karen P) shared that they had played with Julie Parrot and Sir Simon and mentioned how well they had played, citing two birdies in a row at one point! (Parrots repeat things don’t they?). Well that kind of form certainly led to a rather special result from the pair with a final score of 42 points to take 1st place.
It was nice to see one of our newer lady members and, I thought, one of our …well ….older senior members, come in with such a great result. Then I happened to look at the results for the last Ladies/Seniors day in 2023.
Maybe a review of highs and lows??
Seriously, a very well done Julie and Simon. Great team work.
And finally, with the puppet strings still working from a sunny clime, Gordon presented, on behalf of Mike, gifts to Delray, Ken and Chris for all their input in ensuring a successful and enjoyable day - and perhaps also to ease his pang of guilt - just a little !!
The full results table is below.
The full results table is below.