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.