Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016. Round 7 at Halesworth

Yesterday saw Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016 round 7 take place at Halesworth. It was a day of excitement, drama and controversy but mainly golf.

There was a Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016 record entrant of 7 players meaning it would be hard work to add to tour earnings for the year as prize money remained at £2.50, £1.00 and 50p for the first three places.

After groupings had been decided Chris, Phil (on his Debt) and Ian set off from the first tee. At least Phil and Ian did as it was a considerable walk to the ladies tee which appeared to be just in front of the green. A pattern that continued throughout the course.

Chris teeing off on the first as taken from the mens tee, on maximum zoom

Phil and Ian both started solidly and were around handicap after 6 holes. Phil then appeared to become disorientated by the loop of 3 holes over the road and wanted to play them again for a second time before being escorted to the correct tee. This seemed to put him off his game as he fell away to have 14 pts at the turn.

One of the many annoying peacocks on the 3 hole loop over the road

Ian was still going well before forgetting he had two shots on the 9th (the hardest hole) and picking up when he still had a shot left. This potential lost point would come back to haunt him as he finished on 16 pts.

Chris was having the opposite opening, scoring just 2 pts in the first 4 holes before a birdie on the 5th put her back on track and up to 13 pts at half way.

Mean while in the group behind there was a real contrast. Andrew, despite being on his 3rd different handicap in the competition, this time 11,  couldn't stop scoring points and if his putting had been a little sharper he would have built up an unassailable lead although he was still at the top of the leader board with his 20 pts.

Andrew missing the first of many birdie putts, this time on the second

Kevin wasn't far behind and playing well, a good birdie on 7 kept him in touch on 19.

Kevin getting out the bunker before 3 putting the 4th green

Bob had started the round with a blob but then followed this up with 3 pars in 4 holes to keep him in the hunt on 17.

Bobs approach to the 5th and another Par

This just left John who was making his first appearance of the season after being out in Spain horning his game. The tour had certainly missed his colourful language and it was good to hear plenty of Effing and Jeffing once again out on the fairways. Unfortunately the cold British conditions were not to his liking as he started off with 5 straight 1 pointers before things got worse and he found him self with only 6 pts at halfway.

Johns tee shot on the first leading to a point

Johns game didn't improve on the 10th when his ball disappeared into a pond. The sight of his car and an escape opportunity was too much and he decided to abandon at this point rather than punish himself any further. Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016 rule 6.1.1a states that in these circumstances your round still counts in the average blob and points competition but is prorated accordingly.

Meanwhile up front Phil had picked up the 1 point per hole mantle from John recording 7 on the back 9 to finish with 24 points and out the prizes.

Ian was just about keeping in touch but with just 1 par and 2 blobs he fell just short on 30 pts. If only he hadn't forgotten about his extra shot on the 9th he could be 25p the richer.

Lead group heading towards 15th green

By now Chris was well into her stride with a very respectable 18 back 9 points and 31 overall. But would this get her into the prizes.

You know the saying, golf is a game of two halves, (or is that football) well Andrew certainly demonstrated this by getting 5 blobs in 6 holes and from looking like he had the game for the taking on the front half he only added 9 more points to finish with 29 and 5th place.

Andrew having ditch difficulties on 13

It was now left to Kevin and Bob to battle out the top prize. When Kevin started the back 9 with back to back blobs it didn't look like it would be his day but another birdie on the 12th put him back in the mix especially when Bob soon had two blobs himself.

Kevin making his birdie on 12

Standing on the 17th tee Kevin had a 3 point lead over Bob but then sliced his drive and lost his ball. Bob then had some putting problems and could only add one point as they went down the last. Bob kept the pressure on as he parred the last but as had happened at Diss the week before Kevin also parred the hole to win by 2 points on 34.

Bob chipping on to 14th green for 2 pts

With so many entrants Golf pig is extremely full and the prize pots have increased meaning that winning these comps will be critical in finding this years tour winner on the road to Sheringham.

Next week the tour moves on to Richmond Park and with only a small field it's a real opportunity to get a high points total and increase their seasons earnings.

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016. Round 6 at Diss

Wednesday saw Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016 round 6 take place at Diss golf club. A disappointing field of 3 turned up on the 1st tee so all would be adding to their season winnings but by how much?

Things started nicely for all the players with points being scored on all the opening holes with the first blob of the day not coming until the 7th.

Although Ian was getting points he was finding pars hard to come by and only his excellent scrambling skills had kept him in the game. When his luck ran out on the 9th, where he spent sometime trying to get his ball out of the woods, he recorded his first blob and finished the front 9 on 12 pts.

Ians pulled tee shot on the 2nd hole

Kevin was playing well tee to green but three 3 putts in the first 5 holes put his putting on edge and kept his points tally down. He did sink an outrageous putt from off the green for a par on the 8th as it seemed the best way of avoiding 3 putting was by not actually getting on the green. He had 15 pts at the turn.

Kevin 3 putting on the 5th

Bob was going nicely with his normal mix of excellent pars and not so excellent double bogeys but he led at half way on 16 pts.

Good bunker work from Bob on the 2nd and 2pts

Unfortunately Ian's game didn't pick up with one of his famous Bishop charges and he only managed 8 more points although he did a lot of work to help the other players find their lost balls on many holes.

Ian admiring a good approach to the 11th and 2pts

Bob soon extended his lead to 2 pts until he managed to lose two balls on the 13th (including laying up into the crater he was trying to avoid).

Bob's teeshot on 13th was never seen again

This gave Kevin the chance to draw level and it stayed this way to the 17th,

Kevins teeshot to par 3 15th led to a birdie chance (which he missed)

Bob had been chipping particularly well but it unfortunately took him 4 shots before he was able to use this skill on the long par 5 17th. However a good chip and a couple of putts secured a point. However Kevin was on in 3 and had the game in his grasp when his 3 putt problems returned although still gave him a one point lead.

On the final hole, another par 5, Bob again demonstrated his chipping skills putting his 3rd shot 6 foot from the flag. Kevin responded well and secured his par and 33 pts, meaning Bob had to hole the putt to share 1st place, which he didn't giving Kevin the big £2.50 winners cheque.

It's all change on the leader boards as Ian fell away meaning Kevin now leads the average Stableford points table. However despite not playing Chris retains her place at the top of the earnings list on the race to Sheringham.

Next week it's off to Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016 favourite, Halesworth where a good turn out looks on the cards.

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2016. Round 5 at The Suffolk

Last year the Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2015 visited the Suffolk for the first time. Tour officials should have been concerned as it was only £10 a round which clearly meant the Suffolk couldn't afford to cut the fairways or greens as it was like playing every shot from the rough and putting on temporary greens. Therefore the Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp committee agreed it would not get a place on this years tour. However when the players turned up for today's event at Bury St Edmunds they were shocked to find the course full and an alternative was needed so the whole tour re located half a mile up the road to the Suffolk.

When they arrived it was discovered the course was under new management and they were spending a lot of money on it. However all the bunkers (which were just full of mud last year) were all out action and GUR and the greens were top dressed and very slow. Everyone agreed it will be a great course when it's finished.

As today's field of 4 lined up on the first tee it was no surprise that the new venue and rushed rearrangement had un nerved them as balls went flying into trees and ditches with only Kevin ending up with his original ball. For Kevin things got little better  on the next as his chips flew back and forth across the green ending in a blob and a club slamming incident. From here things picked up and with the help of some pars he ended with a respectable outward 17 pts.

Kevin 2 putting for a par on the 5th.

Ian did not settle down at all at the start with a few wild shots and a couple of mis hits meaning he had still not registered a point after 3 holes. He is not the first and won't be the last player who has done this on a tour round. However he came back exceptionally well being 3 under handicap over the next 6 ending with a respectable 15 pts.

Ian getting his round underway proper on the par 5 4th hole

Chris also had a poor start blobing the first hole but as the round went on her game got stronger and stronger. The only blot being a silly 3 putt on the 8th when rushing a short downhill putt before recovering with an excellent par on the 9th and tied the halfway lead on 17 pts as well.

2 pts for Chris on the 2nd as Ian sulks off after his second blob

Bob was the only player to not blob one of the first two holes and was leading on 4 pts at that stage. He more than made up for his lack of blobs by throwing in a regular no pointer throughout the rest of the round. After hitting his drive in the ditch a few yards in front of the tee he hit another drive before chipping short of the 9th green. Fortunately Kevin found his ball, with Bob clearly written on it, in the GUR bunker. Unfortunately this wasn't until the players were playing the 18th. It was agreed 2 hours to find a lost ball was a bit long and probably meant he couldn't now complete the hole.

Bob getting us underway at the 1st

Bob's form continued in this manor until the 17th where he hit an excellent teeshot on to the green to record his second par of the day but could only muster 24 pts overall and last place.

Bob playing from wrong side of a ditch on the 11th

Unfortunately Ian couldn't maintain his comeback and his round petered away. He eventually ended much as he started with two blobs and 26 pts. However he still won 50p keeping him near the top of the money list on the race to Sheringham (or somewhere else if it's a bit busy that day)

Ian hitting a reasonable tee shot towards the 12th green before a 3 putt started his bike 9 decline

Kevin was still playing well and with 3 successive pars was joint leader after 14 holes before fading over the last 4 holes to score a respectable 33 points.

Kevin in trouble on 18 where, much to everyone's disappointment,
only the ball and not him ended up in the ditch behind him

Chris needed a strong finish to win and didn't disappoint banging in 10 pts over the last 4 holes for an impressive 21 back 9 pts and 38 overall. Determined not to leave it short she gave her final putt on the 18th such a whack it would still be going now if it hadn't hit the back of the hole to then fly up in the air before bouncing behind the hole and spinning in for a well deserved par.

Chris has now taken the lead in the most points in a round comp and as Ian played his third round today he has qualified for several of the other prizes. It was also the first new course record of the season beating the magnificent 26 pts Kevin got here last year.

Please note some changes to the fixture list with Richmond park moving back a day to the Tuesday 24 th May, Thorpness replacing Dunston Hall on the 5th July and Bury St Edmunds replacing Caldecott Hall on August 2nd.