This years Mini Masters has to be the closest we have had, 4 shots separating 1st - 6th there was also a good battle for the wooden spoon between 3 players.
It started early Monday morning meeting at 7:30 in wait of our 1:45hr drive up to Silloth-on-Solway golf club.
Once arriving the course looked something special, living up to being a open qualifier course it was very hard for all of us high handicappers. Once the groups and sweepstake was drawn it was down to business.
Craig was drawn in the 1st group so fortunately as Champ he got to tee off 1st, Paul decided to announce the group on to the tee which made me even more nervous than I already was. Luckily I hit a fairly decent drive just in the light rough on the right, Far better than Paul’s Air shot on the 1st tee.(ha-ha)
As the day went on we all found the course to be very hard especially not knowing really where to go, you could easily hit a perfect 250+ drive straight down the fairway and get a wicked bounce and end up either a extra 50+yards on or in the deep rough.
Young Jack got his 1st ever eagle on the par5 but was very close to a double eagle hitting the pin with his approach shot. Through the day there were a few others that missed eagle chances on here but Jack was the only one to hold his nerve.
There was a lot of double figure scores around Silloth some deserved because of bad shots and others because of bad lies and wicked bounces into gorse bushes and also bunkers eh Ian. Rich also swung one of his best lob wedges ever, shame Paul didn’t see it coming because it hit him on his head. Paul got the final laugh when I saw him close to wetting himself with laughter when rich had a mare on the 11th hitting loads o.o.b and snapping his 8 iron(not on purpose though.)
After lunch Ian was in the lead with a brilliant nett 64 followed by Craig on 69, out on the 2ND 18 everyone was starting to feel tiered and some way wood shots were starting to happen. But luckily for myself I had Westy in my group to keep the spirit up with his humour, I think if it wasn’t for him, me and Ian would have taken to more club throwing and abusing each other!!!!
We had the nearest the pin comp on the 9th where Craig put a sand wedge 1-2 foot from the pin to win the Trophy.
As the golf started to falter the weather got better giving some awesome views of Scotland. After 10hrs of golf everybody was ready for a beer and home
Leading into the 2nd day was Ian followed by Paul, Andy and Mark. They went out 1st and nearly again Paul was close to a air shot topping it down the hill. Being the majority’s home course, through the 1st round there was some impressive scores especially Rich with a 62. Craig pulled himself back into the top 4 with a 65 and yet again Paul’s 3rd round knackered him up putting him out of the top 4. Paul told you last year the key is to start drinking as soon as you tee off like I did, though he did take that advise on the 2nd round and had a few beers.
For the 1st time we had 4 women to come out with us they enjoyed 18 holes in the afternoon with Laura Tomlinson winning and Jemma Lassey being runner-up.
The top 4 went out last this year and Paul found it highly amusing to move the pin off the 5th and stake it in the fairway to confuse us, and Ian Ley was going to pick up 1 of our balls and put it in a bin really annoy us.
For a friendly game it got a bit heated at times in the top 4, can’t speak for the other groups really. But Craig resorted to kicking the cart, throwing clubs and whacking the tee marker leaving a lovely yellow mark on his 5iron. As the round went on it was very close between us all we all new at times there was only a shot or two separating us all until the 17th where Ian put his 2nd shot into the green side bunker. Then rather than chipping it out he decided to have a bit of sand play making pretty little castles in there, taking him 6 shots to get out, throwing himself from clear leader to 6th , this caused violence from Ian throwing his wedge through the trees and throwing a rake up in the air. Chucking clubs does make you feel better but when you have to walk a good distance to get it you always feel a t**t.
The longest Drive was on the 18th what Rich won this year, I think out of all players only 3 of us hit the fairway!!!
Stood by the 18th green Thommo asked me if I new who was winning I had a guess that it was going to come down to the putting on the green, and it did. I finished with a par, Thommo & Mark with bogey if Mark hadn’t raced his 1st putt passed it properly would have set up a play off hole. But Craig won by 1 stroke over Mark & Westy who quietly plodded along without being noticed how well he was playing, Thommo finished 3rd 2 shots off the lead and Brian came from now where to finish 3 off the lead with 2 fantastic round around Bentham.
We finished the 2 brilliant days off with a BBQ & beer at my house.
Thanks to everyone who played the company was 1st class couldn’t have asked for a better set of lads & lasses.
Lets hope next year I can better it and lets get even more players.
Players
Craig Albon, Paul Marsden, Ian Preston, Richard Ellershaw, Mark Vickery, Andy Tomlinson, Stephen Williams, Richard Westwood, Brian Stevenson, Jack Benson, Mark Winrow, Mark Casson, Ian Ley, Cath Preston, Jackie Burrow, Laura Tomlinson, Jemma Lassey.
Click players name to see cards from both rounds, sorry at moment missing 1st round at Bentham they are in thommo's van.
