Spring Meeting 2010 at Hillside, Formby and West Lancs                        Report from Geoff Clay

The casual suggestion by our revered ,on Secretary that I might ‘help’ with the Meeting cleverly concealed the instruction to run the whole thing.

A logistical and IT nightmare followed that blew my computer, left my wife speechless (not in admiration) and the dog bewildered. Three golf courses, all Championship standard, each with varying terms of engagement; one hotel, with endless variety of room options but insufficient for the expected entrants none of whom wished to share rooms (did they learn nothing at School); B and Bs to sort; dinners, and Jonathan Hubbard’s diet sheets, to arrange; 34 entrants none of whom wished to pair with or play against the same person twice; and, finally, the requirement to guarantee good weather after the ‘worst winter in living memory…’

With the unsolicited aid, advice and interference from the Hon Sec, the meeting passed without too many disasters apart from the occasional deliberate mistake…often not spotted. Despite the long safari to get to the venues from the Suburban South , everyone appeared to have enjoyed themselves (and so they jolly well ought with those three magnificent courses on the menu!!)

We played at three of the very best of the golf courses on that extraordinary Lancashire golfing coast line; Hillside, Formby and finally West Lancashire.

The weather was fine but testing. All the courses, after a miserable Spring, were beautiful and in surprisingly good condition… we arrived at Formby early on a clear, cloudless morning to find a Christmas card scene: a vista white with frost but with a grim prospect of a late start and rock-hard greens but, in fact, we were off on time and the frost quickly receded before our eyes and from under our feet.

Hillside Golf Club Wednesday March 10th

27 turned up: a record for a Roll-up on the Wednesday afternoon of any Spring Meeting.

Six of us had wisely arrived on the Tuesday evening. We dined well, if not eccentrically, with a convivial retsina-fuelled supper at a local Greek Taverna. Our eminent wine–man, Ian Mackintosh, eschewed the retsina, and even a cheerful, young Greek pinot grigio, selecting instead, in tones of wisdom, ‘your finest Chardonnay’. The charming waitress proffered a splendid little number a Tunisian chardonnay: ‘Ali Baba’,. The great man was not seen to make many notes…. but admitted to Googling it later!

We six played in the morning, rather poorly, unaccountably, and the rest in the afternoon after their long journey.

The course was excellent and justified its claim as having one of the best back nines in the UK; scenically stunning and a thoroughly good test. Lunch was of the sandwich variety which we appeared to have paid for twice…. a small blip. Note: Emails have followed with threats of litigation but she, in the office, is rather nice, so who cares….if any recovery takes place it will go into the OTGS Special Fund.

Supper at the Royal Hotel

That evening everyone bedded in to the Royal Hotel except for the 6 staying at local Band Bs. We had a convivial supper preceded and, later, followed by time at the bar….too much time? (were we really like that when we were their age…..?)

Arrived at 7.30 to a course bathed in brilliant sunlight, dressed in frost and magically beautiful. The green keeper was excellent, waved us on and the first games teed off close to the allotted time of 8.00am. After only a couple of holes the last vestiges of the frost had gone and the course played beautifully.

33 played in the morning foursomes for the Presidents Prize which was won by Bryn Hodder and the Ayatollah, Richard Stocks, with 35 points, followed, on 34 points, by Martin Yates and David Ham on count-back from Johnnie Spurling, our Hewitt Captain, and Richard Procter..

The afternoon three ball stableford singles kicked of at 12.30 with the inclusion of Mike Coates to bring the numbers up to 34. The final games were tight on light but with clear skies everyone got in before headlights were required.

The winner of the Captains Prize was Jonathan Hubbard with an excellent 36 points ahead of Chris Knight on 35 and David Ham ( again!) on 34. .

We re-convened at West Lancashire Golf Club by a bus supplied by ‘Let’s Travel with Balmoral’, with the gracious permission of Her Majesty.

Dinner was preceded by the AGM at which we said good bye and sincere thanks to our Captain, Colin Vokins after an excellent term of office and welcomed our new Captain, Francis Sumner. There was debate. Decisions were taken. Future policy established. Serious matters resolved and future venues agreed. All of which, as ever, will be shrouded and lost in the mists of time…. and our Hon Sec will continue to run the shop excellently and exactly as he wishes….and quite right!

Richard Stocks, our Keeper of Sweaters and Ties, had a field day and sold much stock to all and sundry…..some even before their sell-by date.

Good food and company followed with entertainment from that comedic duo of Richard Stocks and Martin Yates. The Club and its staff could not have been more accommodating. Indeed having fixed a price for the meal to include some wine, they nevertheless continued to supply extra bottle after bottle to the tables at no extra charge.

HM bus duly shipped us home in good spirits close to 11.00pm and to the bar for a further night cap or three.

A marvellous challenging golf course, less well known than its illustrious neighbours, but for many representing the truest links course on this coast line. We were treated like privileged guests; the Course to ourselves, with start times on the 1^st and 10^th, an official starter and pins set to competitive perfection…..if you did not mind three putting most of the time.

The morning saw the major competition of the year for the Scratch and Handicap trophies. A testing ‘breeze’ to make us honest. Lots of stories of near misses, unlucky bounces and incidents of gross negligence but both trophies were won by Richard Partridge with the excellent gross score of 76 playing from an interesting 5 handicap. Second Gross with 78 to John Spurling from, on count back Jonathan Hubbard. Richard Proctor also won the Net with a 71 .Second: William Marle with 74 Third: Jonathan Hubbard 75.

The premier Event, the Forward Yellow Tees Stableford, was won convincingly by our recently deposed Captain Colin Vokins with net 76….did anyone else play in it, we ask ourselves…rumour suggests that only Mike Coates competed against him…..

William Marle, ably supported by Ian Mackintosh, with 76 and 77 won for School House, the House Cup.

Richard Proctor had to leave early. At prize-giving his thanks were delivered by the Hon Sec from the winner’s handwritten note…. his generous donation was not deposited behind the bar to pay for the celebration drinks…..an innocent oversight….or did he leave early to avoid matters…

The afternoon saw a number of wounded retirees heading south. The rest mixed and matched for an afternoon of fun foursomes, enjoyed by all especially the organiser in the excellent company of the Brothers Berkeley with not a punch landed by either of them… though points were awarded for effort. Pint tankards were won with only 32 points (good lunch?) by David Ham (not again?) and David Golding Wood. The half pint tankards with 30 points went to John Spurling and the Hon Sec. Finally, and to the delight of all, well to himself anyway, a prize for third place, with three replacement golf balls, to the organiser and his former Head of House, Robin Berkeley; a truly excellent end to the proceedings.

Prize giving followed, with thanks to all and then the long haul home, weary but, hopefully, content.

Mills , Lark, Clay R and G, Sumner, Berkeley R and C, Vokins, Hawkins, Steed, Saggers, Stocks, Proctor, Howie, Turrell, Spurling, Hodder, Dudley, Stowell, Evans, Hubbard J, Yates, Monteuuis, Knight, Ham, Marle, Cooper, Hubbard G, Crisp, Mackintosh, Golding Wood, Coates.

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