| Date: | 26th June 2007 |
| Venue: | New Zealand G.C. |
OTGS Summer Meeting at New Zealand GC on Tuesday 26th June Report from Tony Monteuuis
A splendid array of OT golfing talent arrived at New Zealand GC bright and early (in the most-part) ready to brave the elements at the end of an exceptionally wet month. The 36 of us were rewarded with a bright, breezy day but no rain - which seemed like a miracle at the time.
This year we experimented with a new format for the day. There was a medal round in the morning for all of us and after lunch most of us played a foursomes Stableford event although our Halford Hewitt contenders extended their medal golf to 36 holes by continuing with their own ball in the afternoon. This meant that our Hewitt contenders played in "trial" conditions as a form guide for our Hewitt Captain, Nick Kemp, and it was really good to have so many of our better golfers with us on the day.
The course was in lovely condition even though the wet weather had inevitably meant that the greens would be grassy and slow. The heather was vigorous and the wayward shot was punished with a vengeance.
The medal in the morning contained much good golf. The Jackson Bowl (handicap) was retained by John Falkner with an identical score to that with which he won last year. The cynics wondered if it was indeed last year’s card that he had submitted, but in truth it was another fine round of 79 off 13 and his winning score of net 66 was just good enough to snatch 1st prize. Simon Langdale and Jonathan Davie had net 67s with Simon shading Jonathan into third place on countback. Indeed Simon’s score of 82 – 15 = 67 would have been even better but for a dismal first couple of holes. David Golding-Wood’s 89 – 21 = 68 was his first competitive medal round under 90 in his life so he was very happy in fourth place.
The giants who played in the 36 hole scratch medal for the Wood Bowl showed us some very good golf with Richard Partridge winning with a 71 in the morning and a 70 in the afternoon. Other good scores included Christo Lloyd’s afternoon 69 (what on earth had he been up to the previous night that resulted in an 82 in the morning?). Lewis Sturdy in his first OTGS event scored a very good 70 after lunch and we very much look forward to seeing Lewis in OTGS colours more often once his studies in the States are completed.
The afternoon foursomes event was as ever great fun. The septuagenarian pair of Gracey and Langdale did the business with a very good round which yielded them 40 points. Perhaps two such fierce competitors were too generously treated with a "weight for age" allowance which permitted them to play off the yellow tees! Jonathan Davie and David Golding-Wood took second place with an excellent 38 points.
The following took part (* = making his debut in OTGS golf) : Christopher Berkeley, Robin Berkeley, Oliver Boreham, Tony Buckland, Geoff Clay, Adrian Cooper (the Captain), John Crisp, Richard Dalzell, Jonathan Davie, Duncan Ellis, John Falkner, David Golding-Wood, Richard Gracey, Mike Hall, Tim Jenkins, Colin Jones, Nick Kemp, Chris Knight, Simon Langdale, Richard Lea, Christo Lloyd, Ian Mackintosh, Rupert Mathieu, Philip Meredith, Tony Monteuuis, Peter Morris, Tom Munro, Jo Oliver*, Richard Partridge, David Reich, Matthew Revell*, John St.Leger Parsons, Jonathan Steed, Lewis Sturdy*, Stephen Stowell and Neil Williamson.