The 2025/26 season kicked off with a Novelty game and with six Ballbashers turning out, it was just right for a game of “choose 15 scores per nine holes”. The balls were thrown and the resultant two teams were MikeS, Stuart and myself versus MikeW, Bill and RobM. A betting man might have looked at those teams and possibly thought that we were marginal favourites. The opposition was in no way concerned about what the theoretical betting man might think and, as we left the tee, they were busy discussing how they would make use of their vast numerical supremacy in holes on which they each had 2 strokes.
Our first tee-shot driven very hard by Stuart into the woods on the left-hand side had not worried us as MikeS and I had each driven a long way fairly straight down the fairway rolling, as always, to the right side from where we had very clear views of the green. As we sauntered down I entertained thoughts of perhaps we would be choosing 15 scores of 3 points per each 9 holes ending up with a BB record of 90 points overall.
When MikeS hoicked his pitch left of the left-hand bunker and I followed precisely the same route, my confidence was slightly dented and, following my duffed chip straight into the said bunker, it had a couple of seriously noticeable dents. Rather than exit the 1st with 6 points, we slunk off with a 2 on the scorecard.
Halfway up the 2nd hole I heard distant sounds of cheering coming from the 1st hole – we were later to discover that RobM had stuck his 5-iron approach perfectly into the hole for an eagle and 5 points. Even if we had known that at the time I am sure that our confidence in our superior fire-power would have prohibited any drop in optimism – the 3-pointers would surely start flowing soon and indeed MikeS did post one on the 3rd but when we all scored 2 points on the Par 3 5th it was becoming apparent that we might be getting into trouble.
On the 5th we were caught up by a lone golfer who we invited to take his tee-shot with us and he could then go on his way. He duly struck a ball which disappeared into the clouds before falling down onto the green pin-high. I could n’t resist asking him what club he had used and he replied “pitching wedge” – I had just put my ball onto the green with a 7-wood so I kept my mouth shut. He went onto say that he used to use a 9-iron but he discovered that by not interlocking his fingers he could hit the ball further – I pass this onto you dear reader as it may be of interest.
Our fortunes improved on the 6th where we posted 8 points – precisely matched, it turned out later, by our opponents who then went onto to get 9 on the 7th – quite obscene and just showing off. As we stood on the 8th tee we had selected 13 scores so we had two to go. We were a bit worried that if we all scored 3 points then we would have got our strategy wrong. We needn’t have worried because Stuart lost his ball into the rubbish just below the tee and Mike and I took a ridiculous number of shots to get down from the semi-rough right of the entrance to the green, to the point that we had to decide whether or not to include the single point we managed to score between us. “Oh No” we said, surely we can get a couple of 2-pointers on the 9th – Oh No we couldn’t and had to settle for 2 x 1 pointers.
And so our round continued – cold reality disposing of wishful thinking without any qualms. I had begun worrying about the fact that our opponents were right up behind us and did not like to dwell on the thought that we might have to let them through – the ignominy would have destroyed the whole Autumn season. This didn’t happen but the reason they were travelling quickly was because they were scoring well – not content with his 2 for 5 points on the 1st, RobM posted another 2 this time for 4 points on the short 13th. MikeW added another 4-pointer on the 15th to go with the 4-pointer he got on the 7th.
When we finally reached the clubhouse with our dreams in tatters, our opponents arrived and MikeW suggested that we read out our scores hole-by-hole – there was no need to wonder why and after 4 holes we got bored with their litany of success and just gave out our pathetic totals.
MikeS, Richard & Stuart 31 + 37 = 68
Bill, MikeW & RobM 39 + 43 = 82 (Mike & Rob both scored over 40 points).
A total victory by a country-mile!
On the plus side the weather was perfect Autumnal weather for golf and we did enjoy ourselves.
