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Captain Shouts Fore

Firstly I would like to wish all Nomads a prosperous 2015. It was great to be back and playing again after a two month break. Thankfully the rain stayed away, in what turned out to be a scorcher on the day. Bryanston had postponed their green treatment for after our first game so unfortunately we couldn’t experience the Bryanston greens in all their glory. All in all the rest of the course was in fantastic nick and thanks once again to Bryanston for their great hospitality.

I had the pleasure of playing with the Captain of Bryanston, Rob Clouston, Doug Watson and Richard Moore. Rob and I came out tops on the day and we certainly enjoyed the drinks that Doug and Richard so kindly paid for. Well done to Eugene Marx on achieving his first hole in one on the 125 meter 9th. According to your playing partners you really flushed that six iron!

I would really like to thank Sean Ledden for stepping up to the plate to do the fines session. In true Scotsman style, collected the least money by a finesmaster this year! Considering this was your first ever fines session, well done. Thanks bud!

A big congratulations to Doug Watson on getting his 400 game badge. It was fantastic playing with you once again and I would like to thank you for your support and encouragement over the last three years. Congratulations on achieving this Nomadic milestone.

We will be trying to defend the Captains Cup this coming weekend. I am sure the guys will put up a big fight on Saturday but I don’t know how strong we will be come Sunday morning as 16 of us are staying over in Benoni. We are really looking forward to this event and hopefully we can pull this through and retain the cup.

I would like to thank our starters, Barry Bruton and Mossie Mostert. A special thank you to Hennie Ehlers, who is recovering from a knee op for helping out. As usual Tony Shaw, for doing starter duties. Tony, I hope to see you at the starters table for many years to come.

Last but not least, to our ladies Bev, Wilma and Roz, for helping out at the registration table. We really wouldn’t cope without all your help and effort you put in every month. We really, really do appreciate everything you do for us.

Looking forward to seeing you all at Houghton Golf Club, on the 11th March.

Cheers,

Darren

The year is finally winding down and one could certainly feel the holiday feeling in the air at Randpark. I had the pleasure of playing with the Randpark Captain, Craig Mcleod, Kyalami Captain, Steve Van Der Klis, and my fellow Nomad and good mate Andre’ Swanepoel. Whilst we tried hard to catch them on the back nine it was all in vain and in the end the drinks were on Craig and I. We held a minutes silence during our round for Doug Bain the CEO of Randpark, who sadly passed away at the tender age of 42. Doug always helped the Nomads out where he could and we enjoyed his company at a good few of our games as well as attending our Andrew Mentis Rugby days. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and colleagues at Randpark Club.

We held the inaugural Nomads Xmas Cup for the first time at Randpark. All the captains and their wives from all the clubs we play at throughout 2014/2015 were invited to join us on the day. We managed to raise just over R5000 on the day and the winning captain got to choose a charity of his choice where this money would be donated to. We had a great turnout where ten Captains and their wives joined us on the day. Congratulations to Rob Clousten(37 points) from Bryanston Country Club on winning the trophy. Robs chosen charity was Leopard Conservation and I am sure the money will be put to great use. All in all, I personally think the event was a huge success and I certainly feel that this annual event will go a long way in strengthening the relationships with all the clubs we have the pleasure at playing at. Hopefully Bish will win it for us next year.

Our fines master for the evening was Stephen van der Merwe, another first timer. It is truly fantastic that the new guys are stepping up to the plate. Stevie, its not easy chatting in front of 180 people, so a big thanks for stepping up once again and also a job well done.

We sadly had the passing of Mike Roe, a former Gauteng Nomad of 37 years, Mike moved to Southern Natal where he received his forty year tie this year. I was chatting to his wife Wendy at his memorial and she was telling me how much Mike was looking forward to going down to the 50th Nationals next year. It’s truly sad that we won’t see him there and a reminder of how precious life is! Our thoughts and prayers go out to Wendy, family and friends.

It was my honour to induct two new Nomad Members into our club, Lee Fawkes and the super eager Craig Clarke. Welcome chaps and I hope you have many fantastic years with Nomads, remember that what you put in, you get out. So give it horns.

I would like to thank our starters Barry Bruton, Graham Swallow and the ever reliable Tony Shaw. Please could some of the newer Nomads please volunteer for starters duties, it really is a fantastic way of meeting your fellow Nomads.

Last but not least, to our ladies Bev, Roz and Wilma, for helping out over the past year. We really wouldn’t cope without all your help and effort you put in every month. We really, really do appreciate everything you do for us.

I would like to wish all the Nomads and their families a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year. Please travel safely and play hard.

See you at Bryanston in the New Year.

Cheers,

Darren.

There is a fantastic history between Germiston Golf Club and the Gauteng Nomads. James Johnston(Germiston Captain), Johan Van Wyk, Mark Pledger and I certainly strengthened those bonds once more, nothing more said! The greens were probably the best we played at over the last twelve months and the course overall was the best I have ever seen it. Congrats to all the staff at Germiston for hosting us in such a fantastic way! We often hear rumblings as to why we are playing at the “smaller” clubs but year in and year out they welcome us as their own and no stone goes unturned to make us feel truly welcome. Long may this history last!

Our fines master for the evening was Sheldon Botha, another newbie! Guys it is truly fantastic that the new guys are stepping up to the plate. When I called Shellie to ask him to do fines, there wasn’t a second of thought or a Ja maybe Cappie! Thanks for stepping up once again and also a fantastic job done. I am sure I did buy you a drink after prizegiving.

We are currently chatting to the Lowveld lads to see if we can revive the original trophy which was played between the Lowveld boys and the then Transvaal Nomads (now Gauteng). It was called the Phelwana Trophy and was donated by an old Transvaal Nomad, Peter Ostendorf. The trophy was played from the late 70’s until 1996 when Lowveld officially became a Nomads Club. We will hopefully be playing at the new Highlands Gate course in Dullstroom. Many who have played this course say it’s the best they have ever played with dramatic scenery. Trust me it is very special. So watch this space.

I had the pleasure of handing Johan Van Wyk his 300 game badge, congrats Johan, it was fantastic playing with you, dit was nou n’ lekker dag boyjie! George Aldrich received his 200 game badge. Tie awards went to Warren Wallace 15 years, and a very special 45 year tie to Joe Civin. Congratulations guys. Silver Salvers went to Sid “Ringer” Rickhoff for his Fourty points at Ruimsig and to Miguel “Mulligan” Cardosa for his fantastic 41 pointer at Parkview. Well done lads!

I would like to thank Sean Ledden for taking over from Barry who was away on honeymoon in Mozambique, also to the Rickhoff brothers and as always the ever reliable Tony Shaw. Please could some of the newer Nomads please volunteer for starters duties, it really is a fantastic way of meeting your fellow Nomads.

Last but not least, to our ladies Bev, Roz and Wilma, for helping out at the registration table. We really wouldn’t cope without all your help and effort you put in every month. We really, really do appreciate everything you do for us. To Wilma, congratulations on officially been inducted, we really appreciate your help.

I would like to wish all the Nomads and their families a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year. One positive thought for the New Year is that you only have to put up with me for four more games! Scary thought! Please travel safely and play hard.

See you all next week at Randpark for our xmas cup, make sure to bring your dancing shoes.

All I can say to any future incoming Nomads Captains, never miss a Ruimsig’s Captains Dinner. It just happened to be held the night before our game as well! Lord alone knows how Colin Smith, the capatain of Ruimsig, and I won the best playing pair. We were bleeding from our eyes from the previous nights party. I also had the pleasure of hosting one of my fellow Nomads Captains, Stuart McIver from Eastern Cape Nomads. Stu partnered up with Doug Watson, who still hits the ball fantastically well and still carries his own bag. Needless to say the drinks were on Stu and Doug. Thanks chaps it was a great day out.

Our fines master for the evening was Nic du Toit. Nic is no stranger to being finesmaster.

Nic, two cracker jokes boy! You had me in stitches! Thanks for stepping up once again.

We a bit of a weird evening with tie awards, all three of our past National chairman received ties on the evening. Glen Dalton 25 year tie, Doug Watson 35 year tie and Brian Cusins for his forty year tie. Congratulations guys. To Brian, that was fantastic moment and one I won’t forget when you came up for your tie!

We travelled up to the Bots Nationals the next morning after our Ruimsig game. We played Pakalane Golf Club on the Friday, which I was most impressed with and Gabarone GC on the Saturday. The Gabs course was in better shape than previous years and considering the heat and lack of rain the have up there, they did a great job in getting the course ready for us. The Bots boys certainly put up a great party and the St Louis taps never stopped flowing. Just the way we like it!

We played the Lowveld quadrangular over the weekend of 25th October. It was fantastic to be met by many of the Lowveld Nomads at the Jock and Java on the Friday afternoon. What a fantastic example of the camaraderie that can exist when the hosts make the effort to meet the boys! Congrats to Lowveld on winning the trophy, at least Easterns didn’t retain their trophy! We managed to win best playing fourball, with me scoring a whopping 23 points, thanks for the wizzo’s boys! Thanks to Hoggie and his team for organising a fantastic weekend.

I would like to thank our starters, Barry Bruton, Tony Shaw, Nic du Toit and Andre’ Swanepoel, thanks guys. Please could some of the newer Nomads please volunteer for starters duties, it really is a fantastic way of meeting your fellow Nomads.

We will be having our “Xmas Cup” on the 28 November at Randpark. Please remember to bring your wives, partners or country cousins with you for the evening. We have arranged a comedian as well as Nadia, who sang at last years function. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Last but not least, to our ladies Bev, Roz and Wilma, for helping out at the registration table. We really wouldn’t cope without all your help and effort you put in every month. We really, really do appreciate everything you do for us.

It was fantastic to be back at Parkview, it is one of my favorite tracks and it certainly didn’t disappoint. I had the pleasure of playing with the Captain of Parkview, Jeremy Gill, Greg “Pops” Collier-Payne who is the Vice Captain of Randpark, and my good mate Scott Taggart, good to see you back Scotty! Jeremy and I came out tops on the day and we certainly enjoyed the drinks that Greg and Scotty so kindly paid for. It was sweet revenge for me as Greg gave me a good seeing to only a few weeks back at Randpark. A big thank you, once again, to Parkview member Joe de Klerk for sponsoring the meal on the evening. Well done to Miguel Cardosa on the 40 points he achieved on the day,

I would really like to thank David Gibb for stepping up to the plate to do the fines session.

David was very nervous before prize-giving, but a few Tequilas settled his nerves and I think he did a great job on his first ever fines session, thanks boytjie. I owe you a cold one at the next game.

A big congratulations to Tony Luyt on getting his 350 game badge, it was an honour to hand you your badge Tony, you are a true gentleman of the game and a person I truly look up to. I hope you enjoyed the Shampers on the 18th. Congratulations on achieving this Nomadic milestone.

We will be travelling on two away tours this month. Firstly the Botswana Nationals from the 16 October, followed by the Lowveld quadrangular the following week-end. I am really looking forward to both trips. The new Nomads that are going on their first away trips will really enjoy the Camaraderie and festivities. I hope the travelling bug bites! Travel safe chaps.

I would like to thank our starters, Barry Bruton, Graham Swallow and Gary Clarke for stepping up at the last minute, thanks guys. A special thank you to Tony Shaw, for doing starter duties, you are a true mensch Tony. I hope to see you at the starters table for many years to come.

Last but not least, to our ladies Bev and Roz, for helping out at the registration table. We really wouldn’t cope without all your help and effort you put in every month. We really, really do appreciate everything you do for us.

Looking forward to seeing you all at Ruimsig County Club, on the 16th October.