The 2025 Southern Swing
The Southern Swing got underway on Friday last week with 28 people heading south. With the weather on the warm side, it was with keen anticipation of a good weekend ahead with our southern friends and neighbours.
The agreed mustering point of Bill Richardson's Transport World cafe worked well for all bar 2 people. Heading down from Alex, Bob and Bus were so absorbed in conversation they missed the turning at Raes Junction, headed on to Beaumont and ended up on the wrong side of the Clutha river. They made it to Otatara just in time.
Now we all know the last time we played in the Invercargill inter-club down south we got absolutely pantsed 11.5 to 0.5. Things could only improve, but could we bring the trophy home ?
A much - improved performance saw us go down 6 matches to 5 with the rest being halved. So we left the trophy down south but rest assured in 2026 when we're playing on home soil, it's coming back to Balmacewen.
The Invercragill Golf Club course at Otatara is a gem and is a real test of golf. With the greens running at 12 on the stimp meter, and a westerly wind blowing in from the ocean, scoring was tough. Getting the ball close to the hole was tough. You'd chip on and think you'd hit a good shot but then the ball would run 12 feet past the hole.
In the clubhouse afterwards we were treated to some amazing food and hospitality. Fresh blue cod, paua patties, crayfish with an amazing mayonnaise sauce and whitebait patties kept on apperaring from the kitchen and it was good food. But with dinner ahead at Thomas Green's in Gore we had to leave.
Thank you to the folks at Otatara for their amazing hospitality, it was a great day out and a great start to the 2025 Southern Swing.
By the time we got to the restaurant in Gore some new tour members had been discovered. Kevin Bushwell was our new friend from Alex, Geoff Langley came from somewhere, Brent Pornall has a nice ring to it, Blake Heinous was announced and Mohammed Nikou played some good golf. hmmmmm.
The sheriff got to work although the sheriff's hat found a new home at one point.
This picture has that end of night probably time for bed look about it don't you think.
Saturday dawned bright and sunny and the short trip to Riversdale, or was it Riverside, or Riverton, or Riverslake ? Anyway somewhere up the valley starting with river. We managed to squeeze people, golf bags and trundlers on to the brand new Richie's transport bus.
I really enjoyed the Riversdale golf challenge. With lots of trees and doglegs, it helps if you can shape the ball both ways and execute a draw or a fade. Not that I can but the challenge is there. And Alastair doesn't have the monopoly on racy individual golf carts. Check out this little hot number.
Strange things happened at Riversdale. Nick Nicolson played a match and he was the one giving shots !! I can never remember that happening. Bolty played his match and he wasn't a happy bunny. Giving away a million shots to a man scoring pars or bogeys didn't make for a fun day out. He had a face like thunder.
Our match went down to the wire and Kallum had a chance to take home the chocolates. The chocolates were shared.
Once again we received some amazing hospitality and the food was amazing.
Now we have another moment of tension and controversy to reveal. There was a lot of washing up to be done and to settle on who did it we challenged the locals to a 4 man boat race with the losers doing the dishes. Now the rules of a boat race are simple and straightforward enough. Each person takes their turn downing 12 ounces of beer starting after the previous person has finished. AFTER being the operative word.
Let's be honest it's not even close and a camera never lies. Our second leg in the boat race went early !!
Even though we won the boat race we helped with the dishes :}
After festivities finished once again we managed to load up the Richie's bus though Lloyd's driver came to grief with the shaft snapping in half.
So that was Saturday.
Finally we made the 45 minute journey from Gore to Heriot for Sunday golf. Now Heriot is a true country course.
As can be seen, the golf course is a shared experience with the locals. Another fun day out.
We had a magnificent meal and I think we've all put on a few kilos after the food we have been offered. Finally we awarded the tour prize for golfer of the trip. The recipient gets to take Old Woody home and it can be on display for the whole year - if allowed.
And our winner of the 2025 Southern Swing was ...
I love the picture of the kid in the background looking on wondering what this nonsense is all about. Who knows what lessons in life are being formed.
With 104 stableford points accumulated over 3 days, Jamie was our deserved winner and is seen receiving the trophy from Phil - our 2024 winner.
A lot of work went into organising this trip from golf, to transport, to accommodation to restaurants .... Thanks to Jamie for his work and his connections with his southern friends, to Warren for organising the van. A huge thanks to John Marsh for the other van. Thanks to Lloyd for organising the Heriot day out. To our 2 van drivers and lastly thanks to everyone who came along and made for a great 3 days.
Ideas are in the pipeline for a 2026 3 day end of season tour. In addition we'll be hosting Invercargill for the annual rematch. Lots to look forward to.