Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 10 at Diss

The South Norfolk Classic at Diss

Wednesday saw Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 10 take place at Diss. There was a good attendance of 8 and lots of fine scoring on a perfect golfing day. The course had been freshened up after the overnight rain with only the bunkers proving challenging as they had been flattered.

After normal formailities of entry fees and balls in the air had been completed the first group set off. Chris started getting stuck in the first bunker of the day and ended with a blob.

Chris chips up after missing the 9th Green

This rather set the tone for the day as she could not get her game going and only managed 26 pts. She did get a couple of pars moving her up the eclectic leaderboard.

Chris hitting down 16.

Kevin was playing with his shiny red ball that made it all the way round Purdis Heath. But sadly it didn't last long as it disappeared down the A140 after leaving the course on the 2nd hole. The ball was last seen entering Ipswich.

Kevin completely duffs his birdie putt on the 5th and finishes hole with a bogey

Again this set the tone for his round as some big hits were mixed in with an equal measure of duffs. Despite giving himself several talkings to he finished on 27 pts and well off the pace.

Kevin showboating as he hits his longest drive of the day on the long 13th
before smacking the next into the rough

The battle in group 1 was between Tracey and Greg. It was Greg who started strongest on the front nine and had a red hot chipping game. Despite two blogs he still had 16 pts.

A rare mistake from Greg as he hacked it down the rough
 but another excellent chip and putt saved him from a blob on the 5th

Tracey was going along nicely scoring on each hole until deciding to putt from over 200 yards and then 150 yards to the par 5 8th ending in a blob. She had 14 pts at halfway.

Tracey goes a bit wide with her teeshot on the 4th

In the group behind last weeks joint winner, Sandie was having a bit of a nightmare and without a par all round could only get 21 pts and this weeks wooden spoon (if we had one).

Mike, Bob and Vince were have a right ding dong battle. Vince was making maximum use of his 2 shot holes with 4 bogys for 3 points and one par for 4 points, not that anyone is bothered of course (I don't even know why I needed to mention it). This meant he had 17 pts after 9.

Mike and Bob were also scoring consistently with 17 and 18 points respectivly so all in the running for the big prize.

Group 2 on the 4th tee

Up ahead despite still insisting on putting from over 150 yards on several holes Tracey was continuing to score well with points flying in on every back 9 hole.

Tracey hitting up to 11th green

Greg was still chipping like a demon and even after missing an almost givable 18 inch putt for a blob on 11 kept scoring well.

Greg's teeshot on 12 looks all over it before surprisingly coming up short

He had a one point lead over Tracey coming down the last but with no shot, and for once a wide drive, he left the door open as Tracey dashed through it and secured her par for 34 points to Gregs 33 and leader in the bar.

Meanwhile Vince was going 3 point crazy on the back 9 with 5 of them in all (including 2 actual pars!) the 20 points he got not only gave him 39pts and today's winners cheque but equalled Ian's and Bob's course record. Somehow trying to defend his win by telling his fellow players he also got several blobs didn't really help, he still has much to learn.

This just left Bob and Mike to see if they could catch Tracey for second place. Two early blobs from Bob on the tricky 10th and 13th restricted him but thanks to a strong finish he manged to tie for second on 34.

Mike started the back 9 strongly but a run of 3 points in 4 holes restricted his chances even so a par on the last would also give him a share of the prizes. Sadly it was not to be and he ended up a point short tied with Greg in 4th place.

Next week we are off to the seaside at Gorleston where due to holidays and better things to do it's just a small field of 4 at the event.

Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 9 at Purdis Heath

The Traffic Jam Trophy

Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 9 took place at Purdue Heath on Thursday. It was a bumper entry of 10 on a day of both mixed weather and golf. Using a combination of players needing to leave early and balls in the air groupings were decided.

First group was an all male affair featuring in form tour players Vince and David plus out of form player Kevin. Kevin had decided to use a glowing red ball to help his playing partners with the inevitable searching likely to be needed during the round.

Kevin's bright red ball of choice for today

But it was actually Vince who was chief ball loser with 5 unsuccessful (plus a couple of successful) searches in the in the first 8 holes and only 9 points on the front 9.

Vince heads deep undercover, again, to look for his ball
rather optimistically with a club in hand

Kevin was actually keeping his ball in play but when it got anywhere close to the green it refused to go into the cup as he only collected 12 points on a blob free opening 9.

Kevin thins his chip to 4th green for one of 7 single point holes on the front 9

As Vince finished the 13th hole he had got to 16 pts but with half of them scored in just 2 holes. With another par for four points on the next hole he caught up Kevin and then shot past him with more outrageous point scoring and finished with 19 pts on the back 9 and 28 overall.

Vince escaping from one of many bunkers found by tour players during the day

Kevin kept his ball all the way round and wasn't at all bitter that Vince had beaten him after losing half a dozen balls and recording 6 blobs as he "congratulated" him on his "excellent" comeback.

Kevin chips up to the 12th green

Meanwhile, despite much ball spotting for his playing partners, David was playing excellently as he scored on every front 9 hole and had 19 pts at half way. His focus then turned to breaking the course record of 36 held by Kevin. 

More bunker action, this time from David

He kept his blob free round going on the back 9 and after a par on the 17th had 34 pts and needed a par on the last for the record. Sadly he duffed his tee shot and put his next in the bunker. However he still had the chance to equal it with a 20 foot putt. As Kevin watched in horror it shaved the hole and he finished on 35 points (shame). 

Another fine shot out of the rough on 11.

The group behind was all female and between nattering about kittens and knitting (probably) they managed the best golf of the 3 groups. Jo had a solid start until her first blob, on the short 9th halted her progress on 13 pts.

Jo hits off the mound on the 2nd to scramble a point

Her back 9 was a bit more up and down with 3 pars and 2 blobs for another 13 pts but her 26 point total meant she still had no winnings on this years Money list.

Jo playing down the 11th with first spots of rain in the air

Sandie was also going well and scored on every front 9 hole although she claimed she hadn't done well on the first half but still had 15 points. 

Sandie tees off on the par 3 with a lot of club for 146 yrds

Chris had the best start and after a birdie on the 7th with a 4 (as apparently the ladies get 5 shots! for a par on this hole) she had 18 pts after 8 holes. This good run came to an end with a blob on the short 9th.

Chris teeing off on short 9th leading to her first blob,
teaching her a lesson for being greedy by hitting driver.

However after 12 holes she was still on handicap and also hoping to beat the course record. But then the heavens opened and the rain seemed to impact her game as 3 blobs over the closing holes restricted her to a disappointing 29 pts and out the prizes.

Chris started to flounder when the rain came.

The final group got off to a dreadful start as between Bob, Jill and Tracey they only registered 1 point after two holes (between them not each). However Mike, the final member of the group, more than made up for it by getting 4 points for his birdie on the par 5 second.

From here Bob's round was very inconsistent as he mixed a scattering of pars with a lot of blobs and 1 pointers. If it wasn't for a hot putter he would have got even fewer than the 23 points he did manage. It was however enough points to secure last place.

Who knows where Bobs teeshot ended up, or even what hole he was on

Tracey really picked up on the rest of the 9 and with a birdie on the 8th had 17 pts at halfway. However, as is often the case she then ran out of steam on the back 9 but still had 30pts in total and just out the prizes.

Jill also staged a bit of a recovery before back to back blobs on the back 9 restricted her to 24 points to just pip Bob and avoid the wooden spoon.

Mike started the back 9 well with his second birdie of the day and a par, par finish just nicked 3rd place off Tracey with 32 points.

Mikes putt was tantalisingly close to a 3rd birdie of the day

The only player who could now threaten David's lead (and Kevin's course record) was Sandie. After a series of 3 point holes she need a par on the last to tie for the lead. She found the edge of the 18th green in 3 and (as apparently the ladies get 5 shots! for a par on this hole) she needed the putt to win. As David and Kevin looked on in horror her put just shaved the hole and she shared first place with David but didn't equal the course record (shame).

Sandie in action on the back 9

David now has a big lead in the Average points and blobs charts, plus the most points in a round so far this year but with prize money well spread over most tour members it's still all to play for in the race to Sheringham. 

Next week it's off to Diss as long as everyone has made it out of the horrendous traffic jam on the A14 by then.

Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 8 at Swaffham

Mid Norfolk Hackers Trophy

Wednesday saw Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 8 take place at Swaffham. Due to some last minute withdrawals then the competition was reduced to just 4 players with no need for anyone to get their balls out.

Kevin started strongly hitting some very long shots which were for once going in the right direction. However his short game let him down and despite the number of good positions he only managed 16 pts at halfway.

Kevin hits it surprisingly straight on the long par 3 6th

Vince had a very mixed start with 2 pars (for 7 pts!) and 3 blobs in the first 5 holes. Despite his next few tee shots also going into woods and bushes he kept managing to find his ball and scramble some points leaving him 12 after 9.

Vince putts for a birdie on the 3rd. He missed

Chris was playing very consistently with the only blemish on the par 4 5th which was into a strong wind. She had 15 pts at the turn.

Nice te shot by Chris on the 2nd before she dumped her next in a bunker

Bob started slowly with a couple of double bogeys but then got his game together sinking a number of good putts. He also had 16pts as he set off for the 10th..

Bob in trees on first as he started with a double. But things sonn got better

However with his foundation in place he really built on it on the back 9 as a couple of pars and a birdie shot him into a big lead. As he stood on the 18th tee he had 35 pts and only needed a bogey for a new course record. The pressure was too great as he duffed his second shot along the ground. He did manage a point to finish on 36 which was first place and a share of the course record (which he set alongside Sandy last year).

Bob tees off on 11

Chris continued in very much the same mould as the front 9 with lots of good solid golf but only one 3 pointer. She was a clear second on 31.

Chris chips up on the par 5 15th.

Kevin's round started to unwind on the 10th. When he hit a good rescue (for safety) off the tee Bob said "that's good, unless it gets a really bad bounce". Inevitably when it landed it kicked at right angles off into the fairway bunker. Thanks Bob! This was the first of 4 blobs in the next 6 holes as Kevin found a number more bunkers as he misjudged how far he could hit it. Not surprisingly the red mist came down on the last of these blob holes and after whacking his ball off the green he had to spend a few minutes looking for it in the undergrowth before he could tee off again. He finished on a disappointing 26 pts but still with a chance of 3rd place.

A long drive from Kevin straight at the bunker on 13

Meanwhile Vince was having a more consistent back 9 and coming to the last needed a point for 3rd place. His tee shot went into the woods on the right. No one was quite sure what happened to the next so he took a Bob drop near where it might have gone. He eventually got a 7 for 1 and nicked the 50p off Kevin (who wasn't bitter) to extend his money list lead.

Next week looks like being a bumper turnout at Purdis Heath where the prizes will be hard earnt. 

Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 7 at Bungay

The South Norfolk North Suffolk Classic at Bungay

After the recent large turnouts it was a more low key event as the RNSG tour arrived at Bungay for round 7.

Only 5 tour members had enetered on what was the best golfing day of the year to date.

Money list leader, Vince, got things underway but the pressure of being top of the rankings and the size of his enormous handicap weighed him down as he started with a blob. However he then put his handicap to work with 5 3 pointers in the next 6 holes. Then, with playing partner John starting to offer some motivational advice, the wheels came off big time as trees and gorse bushes kept getting in the way of his ball. He could only gather 8 points over the next 10 holes until a surprise par on the 18th gave him 28 pts and as it turned out 25p more winnings to add to his lead in the race Sheringham..

Vince gets his round underway with a blob

John was having a typical John round with some good holes and bad holes. As the home player better things were expected but although he only had 2 blobs in the round it wasn't until the 17th hole that he got a par. In the end he shared 3rd place with Vince on 28pts. He has decided to return to the European tour for the next couple of months before we welcome him back in July.

John's opening teeshot

Up ahead Kevin was the most errectic player mixing blobs and pars in equal measures as his current run of poor form continued. His 26 pts had him out the prizes.

*Let's play trees or fairway with this drive on the 5th (answer at bottom of post)

Bob was producing some of the finest scrambling ever seen on tour as a series of long putts and neat chips somehow kept him in each hole despite his ball spending much time in the undergrowth. It was only when his ball ended up in farmer Giles field on the 8th that this outrageous display came to a halt.

Bob gets out of the fairway bunker on the 2nd

His only other blob occurred when he got stuck in a bunker (never to reappear from) on par 3 15th. Not surprisingly a lack of pars restricted his total to 30. However this was still enough for 2nd place.

Bob once again in the long grass and gorse this time on the 10th

Chris proved to be by far the most consistent player without a single blob and was not put off by the large amount of ball searching she had to undertake.

Chris two putting on the 3rd.

Her tidy round of 33 was plenty big enough for victory today but still a long way off Jo's 41 course record set last year.

Good teeshot on the 23th for yet more points

After 4 rounds in Suffolk the RNSG tour returns to Norfolk next week as we visit Swaffham.


*Answer to tress or fairway was surprisingly fairway as Kevin played up to the cameras

Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 6 at Woodbridge

The Tour de Suffolk

Round Norfolk summer golf tour round 6 took place at Woodbridge on Thursday. Conditions looked perfect for taming the course but could anyone take the opportunity. The course record was one of the highest on tour (40 pts from Kevin) so he hoped that Woodbridge would keep anyones challenge contained today.

David got things underway and showed his intention with a birdie on the first. He followed this up with another on the 5th and despite a blob on the long par 4 6th he had a massive 22 points at half way.

David's birdie on the 5th

Things couldn't have started more differently for fellow group member Bob. On the 2nd hole, the short pond based par 4, he managed to lose 3 balls on his way to a blob. 

Bob about to lose another ball on the 2nd hole

However he picked up round the turn getting 14 points (half his total) in 6 holes. A birdie chance on hole 16 ended in disaster as he went on to 4 putt it for a single point. (Note, this won't be the only time you read this sentence today). His 28 points left him out of the running.

Bob just fails to birdie the last. Hit it harder man

Tracey got off to one of her typically strong starts with 15 pts after 7 holes. However when she took an 8 on the next it looked like normal service would be resumed and she would  fall away like in several other rounds this year. However this was not the case and she kept up her consistency to finish on 32 pts, including a birdie on the 14th. It gave her 2nd place on the day.

Tracey's opening teeshot

The second group were finding the course more of a struggle.with only Chris showing any form with seven 2pt holes in the opening 9.

Chris's teeshot to the pond based 2nd hole

The second 9 were going the same way with another five 2 pts in the next 6 holes until a birdie chance on hole 16 ended in disaster as she went on to 4 putt it for a single point. (told you). This slowed her momentum and her 29 points left Chris out of the prizes.

Chris Tees off on Par 3 12th

Despite being the only player who had cycled the 50 miles to the course Kevin had a solid opening 3 holes until he took out his rescue club for safety on the 4th tee. His shot only got a couple of inches off the ground before smashing into the ladies red tee marker and flying back over his head into the nearby brambles. His club soon followed the ball into the same bush. He never recovered and after losing 4 balls (including 2 of his shiny orange ones) in the first 8 holes was well out of contention.

Kevin makes his par putt on the 3rd (while he still had an orange ball)

With 3 more blobs on the back 9 he finished last with 23.

A nice chip from Kevin on 11 ends with a rare par

Last year Jo and Kevin hoovered up 5 of the 6 RNSG titles on offer but both have started the season poorly. Jo started well today but when she realised that most of the afternoon would be spent in the gorse looking for Kevin's balls she decided a lot of time would be saved if she hit her shots towards the same bushes. Good for time saving but less so for point scoring.

Early bunker work needed from Jo on the first

It continued to be a ding dong battle with Kevin for last place and with blobs on 15 and 16 it looked like she had done enough but the 2 points she got from the last two holes proved enough as she finished on 24.

Jo playing from a bush near where Kevin's ball had ended up

In the last group once again Greg showed he was Mr Consistency with another solid round. Sadly his blob on the last meant he fell back to 3rd place with 31 pts.

Greg securing more points

The two John's (Herring and Butler) were both making their RNSG debuts for 2018. They both had very similar rounds with good opening 9's (15 and 17 pts) before fading on the back 9. The 6 blobs they had between them sent them crashing down the leader board with 24 and 27 pts.

John B in putting action

John H getting his ball back into play

All that was left now was to see if David could keep up his form on the back 9 and take not only first prize but set a new course record. With 3 pars over the last 4 holes he was able to get the 19 pts needed to finish on 41. Kevin couldn't have been happier when he was told his record (in much tougher and windier conditions than the beign weather of yesterday) had been broken as he stomped off to the club house.

Next week the tour stays South as it heads to John Herrings home course of Bungay where he will be the clear favourite for the title.