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.