Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017. Round 18 at Stowmarket

The Stowmarket Saucer at Stowmarket

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017 round 18 took place at Stowmarket on Tuesday.  It was a day that saw much change in the leaderboards and a new favourite appear for many of this years competitions.

The day once again started with controversy as it appeared that the balls in the air were rigged in order to produce the groupings. The RNSG take this sort of thing very seriously so the audit and corruption committee plan to urgently investigate and hope to report back sometime in 2023.

Kevin and Bob had not played Stowmarket before but fortunately were paired with Mike who had played it on a society day in about 1987 so was able to offer advice although none of it turned out to be true. Mike got things underway but although he played well tee to green he failed to get the hang of the greens and threw away many points on and around the putting surface. He had only 11 halfway points.

Mike finding his ball in the same bush all 3 players went in,
after Mike claimed he remembered the best line for the hole

Bob was finally back from injury but his enforced lay off meant he started of rustily and failed to make a par on the first 9 holes to record 12 pts.

Bob playing approach to 3rd hole

Kevin was having a bunker round going in several during the day but fortunately he had bought his hot putter this week and a number of single putts kept his round going with 16 pts at the turn.

Kevin gets up and down for a par on the 3rd

In the group behind Chris was struggling with toothache again and was unable to score well. After a slow start of 3 pts in the first 4 holes, she was more solid over the next ones and got up to 13.

Chris in Bunker on 2nd hole and 1 point

Both Jo and Robert were regular players at Stowmarket and it showed as Robert started with and opening par. Only a blob on the tricky 245 yard par 3 restricted his score to 15pts at halfway.

Roberts teeshot on 4th leading to his only front 9 blob

Meanwhile Jo had gone points crazy scoring 2 or 3 points on every opening hole and demonstrating that golf is an easy game if you avoid trees and sand. She had 21 points which was not only good for the best 3 front and back 9's competition but had her well placed to take the lead in the most points in a round comp as well.

Boring straight drive from Jo

Mike continued in much the same way as the front 9 although he felt he had been unlucky when his ball hit a 'fir cone' as he chipped out from under some big oak trees. It seemed unlikely seeing as oak trees only produce acorns but nevertheless his playing partners pretended to agree he had been very unfortunate (there, there). It wasn't until the 15th hole he finally got a 3 pointer but by then it was too late as he finished on 26 pts.

Mike driving off on 14 shortly after Kevin had driven his into the trees (again)

This was not the worst of the day as Robert attempted to set the most blobs in 9 holes recorded. He started well with 3 in the first 5 holes but could only manage one more in the final holes and couldn't break the current record of  5, that has done been on 3 previous occasions. It did restrict him to 25 points and a share of last place.

Robert putting for a final point on the 18th

Last weeks Open winner, Chris, also struggled and it wasn't until the 17th that she managed her only 3 point hole of the round. Sadly she followed it up with a blob and also had 25 pts at the end.

Jo and Chris trying to see where the mens tee was from the ladies.
Unfortunately it is not possible to see that far with the naked eye

Bob looked like he might also finish with a share of last place as he had 21 pts after 16 holes but on the 17th he finally hit a straight drive which led to a par par finish and 27 pts which got him the 3rd place 50p prize and confidence is now high for better things next week.

Bob playing out the rough, again

Kevin was having a lot of luck as he escaped from out the trees on several occasions to somehow muster 5 pars and 19 pts on the back 9. His 35 points was a good score but would it be enough to beat Jo.

Kevin once again finds a bunker, this time on the 11th

It didn't look that way as she started the back 9 the way she finished the first and was 4 under her handicap after 14. But after a dropped shot on 15 she found herself behind a hedge on the 16th and it looked like the wheels might be about to fall off. However she calmly selected a wedge before unexpectedly smashed the ball right through the hedge cleverly taking off just the right amount of pace to put the ball back on the green. With the danger averted she went on to reach 38 points.

Jo holing her winning putt

Not only did Jo win the £2.50 first prize but her score also took her to the top of the most points in a round list, while her blob free round means she tops that comp too (subject to playing the minimum 6 qualifying rounds).

Kevin's £1.00 second place takes him back to the top of the money list but with another big Field expected a Bury St Edmunds next week the leaderboards could all soon change again.   

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017. Round 17 The Open at Kings lynn

The Open At Kings Lynn

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017 round 17, The Open, took place at Kings Lynn on Thursday. It was a very select group who turned up for the most prestigious round of this years tour and they each knew a win today would catapult them to the top of the money list as current leader, Bob, was still getting his newly prepared plumbing full tested before rejoining the tour, hopefully next week.

The weather forecast was not good as it started to rain on the first tee. Brollies went straight up as Jill tee'd off and unusually didn't find the fairway. It was an uncharacteristic untidy opening but with at least one good shot on each hole she picked up points on all of the front 9 to have 13.

Jill tees off in the rain although it never got worse than a drizzle

It only took until the third hole for Kevin to throw his first club of the day after a bad lie in the bunker led to a blob. The combination of ending up in a divot and his bag blowing over as he was about to hit it out, caused another huff and puff as he only had 4 pts from the first 4 holes. However a couple of good pars at least got him to a respectable 15 pts at halfway.

Kevin Having just missed a long birdie try on 5

Chris was having a bad time with toothache after having a tooth out the day before. This didn't seem to be impacting her golf though, as she started with 2 pars and then played very solidly by cleverly avoiding hitting the ball in to the trees, which was the tactic her playing partners had adopted. She stormed into a big lead with 19 points at the turn.

Chris hitting her shot from the fairway an area of the course rarely seen by the rest of the group

Chris continued to play well and when she had 4 successive pars and 34 points after 16 holes it looked like she would not only break her own course record of 36 pts but beat the highest score on tour this year of 37pts. It was therefore a bit of a surprise when she double bogeyed the last two holes for a 36 point total. It was plenty enough to win the Open and the RNSG virtual claret jug was hers. Chris now also tops the money list.

Chris putting on 12 well on her way to the virtual claret jug

Jill and Kevin were having their own competition for second place and after Kevin went in the trees, again, on the 10th Jill pulled level. In fact Kevin had to chip out of tress 11 times during the round leading to some high quality effing and jeffing. His highlight was to chip in for a birdie on the 11th which lead to him telling his playing partners (many, many times) how he had also holed his bunker shot for a birdie on the same hole last year.

One of many chip outs from the trees, this time on 10

Jill had also decided that playing off the fairway was for wimps and that trees and bunkers were more fun. However she only blobbed one hole all day so as they came to the last both her and Kevin had 27 points.

The figure in the distance is Jill teeing off on 11.
 The photo has been taken from the men's tee with the world's most powerful telescopic lens 

Remarkably they both hit reasonable tee shots before, unsurprisingly, Kevin sent his second shot into the trees near the green. However all the tree practice came good as he chipped out through a gap to about 4 foot. When Jill's third shot landed the wrong side of the slope on the green then Kevin just need to sink his putt for second place which hed did. His £2.00 prize meant he is just 30p behind Chris on the money list. 

Next week a big field is expected as the tour goes to Stowmarket for the first time in it's history.

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017. Round 16 at Ufford Park

The Flying Beasties Cup at Ufford Park

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017 round 16 took place at Ufford Park on Wednesday. With this years tour now well past the halfway mark several tour players had chosen to take a break this week so there was only a small entry of 3 playing today. It would mean that all players would be adding to this year's earnings and put some pressure on to Bob who currently leads the money list. He was absent today after hopefully having had his plumbing fixed.

It was also the second chance to get a good back or front 9 in the best 3 front and back 9's in July, August and September (BTFABNIJAAS) competition.

As the only player off the yellow tees today Kevin got proceedings underway and was looking solid with five 5's over the first 5 holes but then fell apart with 3 successive blobs as he kept putting his drives into the trees. A nice par on the 9th bought back a little respectability and 12 pts at this point.

Kevin 2 putting on the 4th for another 5

Jill had also started solidly over the first 4 holes but could only pick up a single point in the next 4 holes as for once her excellent short game deserted her and she only had 10 pts at the turn.

Jills opening teeshot 

Chris was at least scoring on most holes but often with only single points and she too struggled up to 12 pts at the turn.

Despite going in the pond on the 2nd Chris still managed to secure a point

The back 9 started very differently as all 3 players found the green on the short 10th. Kevin hit the best approach putt going 18 inches past as the other two mishit their shots. However when Chris sunk an outrageous 15 footer and Jill a good 6 foot one everyone knew Kevin had no chance of making his short putt. As he shanked it wide there was much giggling from his playing partners as he stomped off the green.

However those who laugh last laugh longest and despite Jill paring the next hole she couldn't maintain the momentum and could only scrape together another 7 pts on the last 7 holes and last place on 23 pts.

Jill escaping from the bunker on 13 shortly before Kevin made his birdie putt 

Chris continued to play solidly, scoring on each hole, but struggling to score big points with only one 3 pointer all day. This restricted her to 29 pts overall but after Kevin's putting wobbles would it be enough.

Chris's teeshot to the pivotal 10th hole

The answer was an emphatic NO, as Kevin went points crazy playing the last 10 holes in 3 over the course. He was able to laugh for a very long time at the end (and did) as his 33 pts got him the big £2.50 prize and his 21 pts on the back 9 in a good position in the BTFABNIJAAS competition.

Kevin looks concerned that his ball was heading for the bunker on the 12th but fortunately came up short

Next week the tour really hots up with the third major of the season, The British Open, at Kings Lynn where the big £5.00 first prize could really shake things up at the top of the money list.

Finally RNSG rules state that to win the average pts or blobs competitions you have to play in a quarter of the rounds of the player who plays the most rounds. As the most anyone can now play is 24 rounds then this is now reduced to 6 rounds minimum to qualify.

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017. Round 15 at Sprowston Manor

North Norwich Open at Sprowston Manor

Round Norfolk Golf Tour summer comp 2017 round 15 took place at Sprowston Manor on Wednesday. Four tour members had signed up, each with a different objective for the day. 

Conditions looked perfect with hard fairways, fast greens and little wind so the course appeared ready to be taken apart.

Mike, got things underway and looked pretty solid over the front 9. Only a clumsy tee shot on the 3rd, which led to his only blob of the nine, kept his front 9 over handicap with 16 pts. 

Mike Chipping up from behind 4th green for excellent up and down and 2pts

Kevin was looking in similar form but after two good early putts his putter deserted him as he failed to hole anything else from more than a couple of feet. This restricted him to 14 pts with lots of muttering.

Kevin misses birdie putt on 5th (mutter, mutter, whine, whine, whinge, whinge etc)

Jo was making only her second appearance of the season but was determined to lift herself off the bottom of the money list by adding to her 50p winnings to date. It was therefore strange to see her playing a game of 'how many bunkers can I go in'. After finding several she announced she would start to aim at the bunkers as due to some twisted logic it apparently meant she was less likely to go in them that way. Unsurprisingly this approach made little difference as the sand continued to be found. It transpired that Jo was a very good bunker player (maybe this was a regular tactic) as she got out of each one with ease while racking up 18 half way pts.

Not a putting exercise but Jo trying to putt through the line of balls on the 5th

Call the fire brigade as Bob was on fire over the opening holes. With solid approach work and a red hot putter he raced to 20 pts after 8 holes and it looked like he would be not only winning today but set a new high points score for the season. But as we all know golf is a funny game and after hitting his drive into tree on the 9th then the fire brigade was dismissed and a breakdown truck called instead as the wheels fell off, big time.

Bob ripping the course up in his new sunglasses. But things were about to change

The second 9 kicked off with birdie controversy. Kevin had been enjoying his halfway cheese sandwich as he headed to the 10th green ready to miss a short par putt. On returning to his trolley he found his roll had been stolen by a greedy crow. With his finely balanced nutrition plan now in tatters in was no surprise that Kevin failed to fight back and finished last with 29 points.

Straight after Crowgate Kevin did manage a good teeshot on 12t but with another 3 putts his game fell away

After his first bad drive then Bob started to struggle off the tee but he still scrambled some points so found himself in the lead on 33 pts with one to play.

Bob in bunker leading to the first of 3 closing blobs 

Jo continued her sand based strategy but kept scoring well and with a good par on the 17th, when spookily the other 3 players went in the bunkers, she was 2 behind on 31 pts coming down the last.

Jo continuing to demonstrate her bunker skills

Mike had also come to the party and a run of 5 pars in 7 holes left him 1 shot behind Bob as he stood on the 18th tee.

Mikes tee shot on 10 puts him in trouble but a 30 foot putt then saves the day for an unlikely par

In was all to play for (unless you were Kevin), but a wild teeshot from Bob followed by hitting his 3rd shot out of bounds meant he failed to score. Mike too was having some difficulty in the trees but both him and Jo found themselves on the green with a putt to win it. Neither holed it so all 3 players ended on 33pts and had to split the prize pot 3 ways to earn £1.33 each. Jo's objective had been met as she moved from bottom to 7th on the money list.

Bob remains on top of the money list but with an enforced hospital break coming up there is a chance for someone to close the gap at Ufford Park next week. The RNSG tour wishes Bob a speedy recovery and tour members are already eagerly awaiting plumbing updates on his return.