Tidy Up From Last Week
Big Apology To Bolty
After all the fanfare and hoopla leading up to the event, I forgot to record Bolty's birthday shout in last week's pages. Apologies for that. It was indeed a marvellous event and the whisky flowed freely and the song was sung with gusto.
Many happy returns Trevor.
Friday Skins
What A Great Event That Was ...
With our place closed hosting a charity event, 8 of us assembled out in Waldronville at the lovely Island Park Golf Club. In gorgeous conditions with a course in magnificent state, we headed out to do our best.
I'm delighted to report that one man won a total of 8 skins with that person being ME !! A birdie on the first hole and a par up the difficult ninth did the trick. The unwon skin money was returned.
Skins this week at Balmacewen but we'll be playing the back nine as the front nine is unavailable. Bring your best game and your 10 bucks, the weather looks to be set fair.
Saturday Shenanigans...
There's a sub-competition emerging on a Saturday between Jamie's group and the group that I and Eddie invariably find ourselves in. Nothing too complicated. You take the best stableford score from the group on each hole and compare that to the best score from the other group and play it as a match.
Here's the thing. Jamie's group has won the last 3 events and are looking for a fourpeat this Saturday. I'll tell you now it's not going to happen.
You wouldn't think a 12 oz beer could taste so good and bring so much joy. It will this Saturday !!
BOOM !!
The MetService had issued a SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH for Dunedin, Clutha and Otago starting at 2:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon. Not just any old thunderstorm watch, a severe one. So it was with a tiny bit of nervousness that we headed out at the usual time at half past midday. Many had brought waterproofs, and one irons just in case. I was told it wasn't going to happen, that bad weather never comes to Dunedin. Really ?
The weather all afternoon was gorgeous apart from one distant loud bang we collectively heard from the distant hills with about 6 holes left to play. The skies were darkening at that point but it all seemed a bit distant. In the end we were fine, more than fine.
In the sixes 30 points won the first set. That was team Derek, Geoff, Neil and David B. Fun was had in the second six when one group thought they had it in the bag with 44 points. Normally a winning score by a country mile. Little did the team captain realise another hand was still in the air. Derek had been on a birdie festival and the same team who nudged the first set cleaned up the second with 45 points. As tends to happen the final six score is almost always less than the middle six score and once again that proved to be the case. The 44 point team finally got some money taking out the last set with 52 points with that team being Vaughn, Alastair and Murray Cooper. 2 oldies and a youngster !
Now the Race to Waitahuna is getting a bit spicy !! It's all hotting up at the top with Bolty, Alastair and Geoff Laney all in contention with 4 rounds to go. They're all looking over their shoulder wondering what the others are up to. But to show there is no animosity between the contestants, this photo emerged.
Thankfully Geoff Laney wasn't part of this making a threesome. As the picture shows, one participant in this photo was keener than the other. Alastair reported back from the snog that Bolty's whiskers were all a bit prickly.
Seriously boys, play your best golf over the next 4 weeks and I'm sure a worthy winner will emerge.
That's How You Play Golf
I had the pleasure yesterday of playing alongside Derek Todd. Playing off a 1 handicap it's not easy. But Derek made it look easy. Starting on hole 10 Derek notched up his first birdie of the day. He then backed that birdie up with 5 more. He birdied three holes in a row; 17, 18 and 1. He missed out hole 2 though he did have a sliding 4 footer that only just sneaked past. He birdied three before finally getting a 2 from the back of the green on the par 3 seventh. A couple of 3 putts spoiled the day late on in the round but even so, a 68 off the stick was great fun to watch and admire. With Duncan Croudis in the field, the trip to Balclutha is normally a formality. Not so this week, 6 birdies is hard to beat though Duncan did have 4.
Let us also record that pro-shop Mike eagled hole 16 with a two, then birdied 17 then double bogied 18. Hmm
A Man On A Mission
Nobody has ever won three Blue Jackets in a row but one man has won three out of the last four.
He's now just 2 points behind our leader Bolty in the 2026 Race To Waitahuna and there are 4 rounds left to play. With 41 points in the bag and shooting 84 off the stick he's in the mood.
That's 4 Blue Jackets for the year.
And Finally .....
Timmsy celebrated his 63rd birthday ( 21 three times over ) and we all helped him celebrate. Thanks for the shout and many happy returns for the day.
Bolty won the raffle - again !
Great to see Sandy join us for a drink after golf.
Remember it's tee-timers on Monday morning for those who can make it. We'll be repairing fairways with sand / seed so you'll need a bucket and a scoop.
Remember also we're putting up the practice net tomorrow morning at 9:00 am so the more the merrier to that event. Apparently the new net is heavy.
And that's another week done and dusted.