Dartmouth Golf Club
men’s section
Much milder weather greeted the 33 players that turned up for the midweek circus writes John Garner.
It was quite refreshing not to get trussed up like a turkey and so to be able to swing freely.
The course is still looking good, only two mats are down and there are no temporary greens, but it is very slippery, as I found out as I went down like a sack of spuds leaving the sixth green.
Fortunately no damage was done, but it was a timely reminder to be very careful as many people have not been so lucky and have had broken bones.
As for the golf there is only one comment needed, brilliant. Lee Marels has not swung a club in earnest for 11 months, he’s been too busy fishing and looking after his newborn baby girl.
With the cobwebs dusted off his clubs Lee teed off and soon proved he’d lost nothing, shooting a gross 68 which included four birdies, scoring 20 on the front and 20 on the back to win with 40 points playing off scratch, very impressive.
The loudest boo of the year rang out around the clubhouse when he that cannot play golf claimed the back nine with 21 points.
When asked how he got on, his normal retort is: ‘what’s it got to do with you?’ or words to that effect, but this time it was ‘very nicely thank you’ as he walked away with a £33 Brucie bonus!
The front nine was shared between Brian Mushens and Richard Ward with a very good score of 22, the twos were Lee Marels, Gary Bonser, Brian Mushens, Barry O’Shea all on the third. Mark Collins and the man himself Steve Owen on the 18th.
Foggy, soggy and boggy.
That’s what greeted the players for the Saturday mixed circus, not conditions that you would want to play in, but for the third time in a row John Garner had played well, scoring 21 points on the front nine, and 37 overall.
This was enough, everyone thought, to win, but not if your name is Kevin Matthew.
He was first out and first in, scoring 22 points on the front, 22 on the back and 44 overall to completely defy the logic of golf; there just wasn’t a 44 out there.
It does help, though, when you birdie the first for four points with a 40ft putt from off the green went straight in.
A slight blip on the fourth, when he was on for three and four-putted from 17 feet for a point, but other than that a faultless round well played.
Rob Knight had a good result too, one we all want, the only two and no shot reduction, nice one.
The midweek circus was well attended, with everyone eager to get some fresh air and exercise after the Christmas bingeing.
Mark Collins, Chris Eddows, John Garner and Vaughan Wood shared the front nine with 19 points, Andy Birss, Mark Lord and Paul Durrant shared the back nine with 18 points and Chris Eddows won overall with 35.
It’s always nice to see up and coming young golfers to Dartmouth and Mario Aresti’s grandson Ben Nice made an appearance and showed his potential, scoring 42 points which included a two on the 18th; look out when he is 18!
To complete this opening report for 2018 New Years Day saw the captain’s drive in at Dartmouth the outgoing men’s captain Sean Guy handed over to the new captain Kevin Matthews, while the outgoing ladies’ captain Chris Mushens handed over to the new ladies’ captain Chris Mayer and is seen presenting her cheque for over £5,600 to Rowcroft Hospice.
For the fourth year running the perennial Mike Whitelaw holds the reins as captain for the seniors, but this year has a vice-captain of Paul Dunkerley so he will finally be able to stand down at the end of the year, the new junior captain with be Sam Knight, who I am sure will be ably assisted in his duties by his Grandad Rob Knight.
The men’s captain’s charity is the Torbay Hospital Intensive Care Unit, while the ladies’ captain’s charity will be Dartmouth Caring.
If Dartmouth’s past performance of fundraising for the Captain’s charities is anything to go by both these charities will benefit greatly.