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The end of my year is fast approaching. I have attended my last committee meeting as Captain and from our next meeting, Barry will be in the chair. We are working on securing committee members to replace those who are leaving and to arrange a seamless handover of portfolios. I still have an AGM to attend, one last game and my final Inside Right insert for Kyalami.
March was a busy month, with SA Nationals and two monthly games and then throw in a multitude of public holidays. We once again played Houghton, which we re-introduced onto our playing calendar last year February. Last year we had 143 players, so one would assume that it was well received and very popular. It is the most expensive game on our playing calendar and unfortunately it seems that all the activities in March took their toll on our field. We only managed a field of 91, with the result that the per member game cost came in at R277. You don’t have to be an accountant to realise we made a loss. Notwithstanding the financial implications, I thought the condition of the course was excellent, albeit very tough. The rough was like Sun City, the greens were quicker than the 2004 US Open at Shinnecock and it felt longer than Legends Golf Course in the Waterberg, (at 8,473 yards, second longest in the world after Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in China). It certainly showed in the scores with the field average a meagre 26.5. Thanks to my fourball, Des Rosen, Captain at Houghton, David Gibb and Graham Swallow (who took 6 holes before he saw his first point). The course set up for all future games is an issue that has been identified and with my new role as club liaison, it will be addressed. In front of a packed house of 66 members, I had the privilege of presenting a 5 year tie to David Sibiya and a 15 year tie to Garth Elliott. Also, thanks to Pops for a well conducted fines session.
A week later and off to Wanderers for our rescheduled game. Unfortunately the Club could only accommodate us on the 23rd, right in the middle of the short week. That too played havoc with our arrangements and size of the field. Thanks to Bev who managed to arrange a very successful day under the circumstances. A special mention to Dave Tunbridge, who could not play, but still found the time to set up the altar and have everything ready for the 66 members who attended. With a small field of 90 (that’s not a typing error), we finally completed game 11. Thanks to my fourball, Gavin Ditchfield, Bob Fussell (who received his 10 year tie) and Grant Cochrane (who received his 20 year tie). I learnt a few things that day, a rules lesson from Bob, your double Gin and Coke will be waiting for you, a golf lesson from Gavin, I’ve already paid you and a history lesson from Grant, whose Father, Roy, was inducted into Nomads in April 1967 and is currently a Western Province Nomad. It was also nice to see a return to the fines master role by Mike Rickhoff, another entertaining session.
Lastly, congratulations to both Richard and Julie Moore, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 26 March.
Cheers – see you at Kyalami
Graham Bishop