Golf Forums - Wales 2014

Wales 2014 Day 1

Easy drive to The Vale resort in Wales on the Friday morning, just a 3 hr blast up the M4, we had time to look around, have some food, hit a few balls on the range and check in before the other guys started to arrive.

We all had a drink and piece of Mr Knights birthday cake (no candles, don’t think we could fit the required amount onto cake), before getting our game faces on ready for the Red v Blue tournament to begin.

4 v 4 each member of team plays all the other team over the 4 rounds, we made our way to first tee, a Par 3 about 165 yrds with trees both sides, a few went left and a few went right, with a couple of us feeling straight at the green was the way to go.

4 and a bit hours later a bit battered and a fair few golf balls lighter (except Mr Langford who lost none) we got back to the safety of the bar, this for most was a tough track, lots of water and OB to penalise a wayward shot, scoring was a mixed bag of between 9 – 32 pts,  distressed by the thought we had to play it again tomorrow afternoon,  after playing the harder course in the morning, we sank a few beers before getting ready for dinner.

A few drinks after dinner, highlights being Mr Langford demonstrating an uncanny ability to fall asleep mid conversation and Mr Channing proving boys do not grow up as he banged on Gary & Peter’s room door as we passed on way to bed then ran down the corridor.

:-)

 

Day 2 Sat

Kevin turned out to be the perfect roommate for me, slept like the dead so did not seem to mind my weird nocturnal habits of getting up and reading at 5am then getting up in general at 6 and going off for a wander around the hotel and golf course (if he did mind he was to much of a gentleman to complain). Everyone managed to get down for the 7.30 breakfast, a good buffet spread provided.

We were playing 36 holes today so felt that buggies were the wisest course of action, off we drove to our first look at the National course, a long course of 6600 yards off the yellows and it had been wet all week so the course was boggy in places making it play long. It was another ball eating monster of a course (8 of mine) with only Mike and Paul putting in a reasonable showing score wise.

A break for a beer and some food before heading off to the Lake course again for our afternoon round, I was sitting in my buggy by the tee when my opponent for the afternoon (Kevin) launched his buggy at mine (supposedly pressed the wrong peddle), obviously in some effort to knobble me for our match, there appeared to be no damage, although if I had lost clearly this would have been the cause.

The course was just as tough for most of us as on the first day, but Mr Langford put in a sterling 35 pointer (could have been even better if a few putts had gone in), by the time we had finished we only had time for a quick drink before getting ready for dinner.  The Hotel was showing the Froch v Groves fight in the bar so we got to see that before a few drinks in the quieter bar by reception.

The matchplay scores had been worked out it was all square going into the final round on Sunday!

can you give me some lessons

 

Day 3 Final Pairings

Everybody made it down on time to breakfast again ready for the deciding matchplay, as it was all square it looked like the game between Paul & Mike could be the important one as they had both played the most consistent golf all weekend. The overall individual trophy looked like it would be Paul’ s as he had a nine point lead, the par 3 comp looked to be Mike’s by a distance so only the team award still in the balance.

Back to the National course again, a fair bit busier today but after the sun on sat it had also dried out a bit so should be a bit shorter. Buggies for the more knackered of the group but most of us walked it. Again scoring was hard, with only me and Dave improving our score from the day before (not a big achievement in my case), Blues were up in all the games at the turn, Dave’s more consistent play had me stuffed being 5 up with 6 to play, when I hit a few good shots to surprisingly win 4 holes on the bounce to take it to 17 just 1 down, alas excitement got to me and I blasted 2 drives into the trees on the right to leave him a easy win. The other pairing in our group also looked all over with Kevin (blue) looking in control 2 up, 2 to play when he sliced 2 drives into a dodgy area, with Pete looking happy the balls were lost, Kevin luckily trod on his first ball and smashed a fantastic shot at the green for the win.

Reds feeling deflated headed up to the 18th to find both blues ahead had succumbed to the power of Gary & Paul so the scores were still all square, in Ryder Cup style the holders keep the trophy in case of a draw, so victory to the reds (Paul, Gary, Pete & me). Paul won the individual, Mike the Par 3.

A very good weekend, great venue, great weather. Thanks to Mike for putting it all together.

A thanks to all the guys for their donation to my charity game at the end of the month, much appreciated.