It was definitely a soggy end to the season when Abbey Panels GC, Nuneaton visited Stonebridge Golf Centre for our usual final match of the season.
The first group teed off in a fine drizzle that soon turned to heavy rain, sadly things quickly took a turn for the worst, by the time they had played the sixth hole.
The final fourball were on the third tee when the heavens opened. The tail end of the first named storm of the winter, Storm Austen hit us with its full ferocity, with gale force winds and driving rain, the greens quickly flooding up. One unfortunate member while putting out watched helplessly as his trolley with its wind fuelled umbrella went sailing majestically into the adjacent pond!
It did not take much longer for the match to be abandoned, something that in our 38 years as a society had never happened before. Back in the clubhouse, Stonebridge kindly transferred our green fees to next year’s booking which was very much appreciated …thank you Stonebridge.
This match apart, what a wonderful year for golfers it has been. Not so much for the greens staff who must have struggled to cope with the dry weather and high temperatures, but cope they did, well done to you all.
We started in March with our first venue at Stratford Oaks. The course, which despite their overrunning course maintenance, was in excellent condition. We played several courses in Leicestershire including a full day at Beedles Lake. Moving into Worcestershire saw us at Bromsgrove GC, and in the West Midlands we played Aston Wood for the first time. In Warwickshire we played Stoneleigh Deer Park and Rugby, then, one of the highlights of the season, our Charity Day at Oakridge, where several of our society are members.
This year with 50 players competing, £1,350 was raised for Myton Hospice in Coventry with the Nice & Slicey Golf Society retaining the trophy won by them last year. We did join them in their own Charity Day at Gaudet Luce but needless to say never bothered to trouble the prize table. It was much the same for our team in the Midlands Golfer magazine Society Championship at Great Barr.
In 2027 our charity day will be on Friday 25th June, once again at Oakridge, if any society would like to enter a team of four players you can contact our society secretary on djwhiteuk@hotmail,co,uk for full details.
The only thing remaining for us is our Christmas 9-hole Texas Scramble at Bramcote Waters in Nuneaton, followed by dinner and prize presentation, always a fun day. Now we can look forward to a new season where I have already secured a booking at a new course, we just have to wait until next March which right now seems so far away!
Thanks to Abbey Panels GS organiser David White for the words and image
