Yup, it was time for our annual trip to Seaford to compete for the coveted Sand Bucket over 2 days of pairs golf and what a great trip it was. First though it was necessary for all 12 golfers travelling in 4 cars to arrive there by midday to clock in and have lunch before the first round and, despite the best efforts of Sussex constabulary to delay us by closing a crucial road, we all managed to be there promptly.
The draw was made using the old low-tech method of slips of paper and 6 pairs formed going off as 4-balls. We decided to play off the blue tees as that gave a course distance similar to Temple plus the advantage that we could easily see any innocent pedestrians crossing the course down below the 1st hole and avoid any unfortunate happenings as seen in past years with dog-walkers not taking kindly to golf balls whistling past their ears.
While everybody north of us was sweltering in temperatures reaching 35C, we were for some hugely welcomed but unknown reason, enjoying 24C accompanied by a sea breeze and blue skies. This, coupled with us all being in buggies, made for the most perfect golfing conditions imaginable. On top of this, the fairways were firm with the standard mishit straight up the fairway gaining as much ground as a ball going through the air, and the greens were totally smooth, and as far as I was concerned, at an ideal speed – fast but not too fast.
On Day 1, after a vote, we were playing Canadian Greensomes, in which format you play your own ball for the first two shots and then choose either your partner’s or your ball to continue with, playing alternate shots from that point. It’s a fun format as, by-and-large, both team members contribute to each hole. You just have to agree that apologies are not required even if you cart your partner’s ball into the nearest gorse bush.
Roger and I were teamed up and, for Day 1, we were playing with Stuart and JohnS and we had a fun time. John put a traditional drive into the vineyard for old times sake and Roger and Stuart enjoyed trying to get out of the giant hole to the left of the Par 3 7th while I had enjoyed the most outrageous slice of luck when by tee-shot never rose more than 6” above the ground while skirting the giant hole on the left and the bunker on the right to end up about 15 feet from the green. From there being nearest the pin in 2 was simple – I was just sorry that we were the last group and so other BBs would not have the chance to marvel at my apparent skill.
With a drink on the patio after finishing we shared the 1st day’s Stableford scores and found the following:
PeterR & Steve (41), Richard & Roger (41), Ashley & MikeS (39), MikeW & Nick (38), JohnS & Stuart (31) and Bill & RobM (25).
We enjoyed the traditional putting match before supper which was won by Ashley & MikeS on 2 under and then a quick shower was followed by a 5-course feast. They are probably used to feeding 45 year-old men who demand large quantities of input to burn off in their stressful lives, but the BBs are happy now with more modest portions and retired upstairs to find their indigestion remedies rather than be tempted into another infinitely long game of snooker.
After a traditional English breakfast, the scale of which would have satisfied Henry VIIIth, we embarked on a round of 4-ball Better Ball and Roger and I found ourself face-to-face with the rather more competitive Ashley & MikeS. While I was thinking that we had to worry about PeterR & Steve, it suddenly occurred to me that, at the start, we only had a very slender lead of 2 points over Ashley and MikeS and it became very quickly apparent that they were determined to put that right asap.
A serious ding-dong ensued and we reached the turn with 20 points each. At this point, starting on the 9th, Roger and I put the after-burners on and scored 24 points in 8 holes while they scored a mere 20. This run included the long Par 4 13th where MikeS put his 3rd shot about 2 feet from the hole for a stone-cold par (worth 4 points to him) and then had to watch as my bunker shot ran daintily across the green before just dropping into the hole for a par – sundry comments were exchanged at that point, none of which Roger and I took personally despite their tone.
Following another Smith 4-pointer on the 17th , they very nearly caught us up on the day but we finished with 44 points to their 43.
After a light lunch ( I can recommend the whitebait) it was time for the prize giving. The Sand Buket results were:
Richard & Roger (85), Ashley & MikeS (82), PeterR & Steve (78), MikeW & Nick (72) (not bad considering that MikeW lost 8 balls on the front 9), JohnS & Stuart (67) and Bill & RobM (59).
NPin2 balls were won by Steve, Stuart & myself.
Ashley then distributed the prizes welcomed by everyone, namely a bottle of Rose each for various contributions to the 2 days of fun.
After thanking all the members of staff profusely, we set off for the nasty real-world of the M25 on a very hot afternoon and found ourselves travelling through the scenic Wraysbury as directed by Waze. Never mind, nothing was going to spoil the memory of such a great trip to Seaford organised, as usual, immaculately by Ashley.
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