Round Norfolk summer golf round 14 at Felixstowe Ferry

Windy Coastal Cup

Round Norfolk summer golf round 14 took place at Felixstowe Ferry on Wednesday. According to the locals it was 70% wind today but even at 70% today's players all agreed it was the toughest conditions found on tour so far this year.

Only 4 of the hardy tour regulars made it to the first tee and they were rewarded with some fantastic views and a proper test of links golf. 

Vince tees off on the first into the links below.

The first 4 holes were into the wind as the players got off to contrasting starts. Kevin had decided to keep his driver in his bag for any hole under 400 yards and all 5 par 5's so only got it out 4 times during the round. This tactic seemed to pay off as he had 8 points from 3 holes before his bunker problems returned on the 4th with the ball still in the greenside bunker when his shots ran out. Despite this his tactic to keep the ball in play worked well as he had 18 pts at halfway.

Kevin hits the ball out the rough on the 4th before a greenside bunker stopped his progress

Tracey wasn't enjoying the wind much and despite there not being too much long rough or gorse she still seemed to find any there was. Her playing partners didn't seem keen to search for them in knee high rough as because of the parched hard brown fairways no one ever really knew where their own balls had rolled off to so it was everyman for themselves. With 5 blobs Tracey only managed 8 points over the first 9.

Tracey gets a par on the 4th for her first points of the round
 (with Kevin out of picture still trying to get out the bunker)

Chris realised that she would be taking on the role of the steady member when it was pointed out that Kevin, Vince and Tracey were equal top of the eclectic charts and also had the worst 3 averages of blobs per round. So apart from one blob, offset by an excellent birdie on the short par 4 4th, she scored on each front 9 hole and had a tidy 14 at the turn.

Chris hits good drive down the second.

Vince's drives seemed to be as equally inconsistent as Tracey but without such dire consequences as he was managing to get points on most holes. This was until the 8th when his luck run out with 3 blobs in the next 4 holes and several lost balls in. However, as is often the way with the game of the Ballester things were about to turn round for him and in fact all the players.

Vince hacks out rough during his run of 3 blobs in 4

Traceys back 9 continued in the same fashion and 4 more blobs meant she equalled Sandies 9 blobs from 2017 to go into equal second for most blobs in a round ever on tour (well done to her). Her 18 points total meant she had played to handicap on the 9 holes she could be bothered to finish.

Tracey walks off 12 with a tidy par. As did the other 3 members of the group!  

Kevin took an early lead on the back 9 with 25 pts after 12 holes. In fact all 4 players parred the par 3 12th which is right by the clubhouse and impressing the locals, but then the course turned back into the wind. Suddenly he started to struggle and with a shank leading to a blob on 13 he got the jitters and when he foolishly got his driver out on 17 it ended in tears with two balls going into the long rough never to return. He had 30 pts coming to the last.

Kevin's teeshot to the 12th which has to go over a road.

Chris was catching up fast with a couple of pars and several 2 pointers. However her 'best drive of the day' didn't fade back in the wind as planned and the ball went missing in action for a blob. However a par on the next meant she had 29 pts coming to the last.

Chris about to drive off with the wind at the start of the back 9

The time had come for Vince to get his enormous handicap out of his bag and he used it wisely to score 11 points in 4 holes. This meant he had 28 points coming to the last.

Vince tees off on the 13th as the players headed back into the wind.

With no shot for Chris and Kevin it was all to play for. Vince and Chris both found the green in 2 and the pressure was on Kevin who  cracked as he hit his ball into a greenside bunker. As he has been shanking everything in the bunkers recently he decided to aim a club heads width away from the ball and amazingly popped it out next to the pin. Chris made her par but Vince 3 putted leaving Kevin to make his 3 foot putt for his first tour win of the year.

As we reach the halfway stage it looks like 6 rounds will be required to qualify for the average points and blobs comps this year being a quarter of the rounds played by the tour member with the best attendance. At this stage David is comfortable leader in both those comps and his 41 pts at Woodbridge will be hard to beat for most points in a round. However the eclectic comp is close with Vince, Kevin And Tracey leading that. It's all to play for in the money list where Chris holds a 50p lead but plenty of players within a win of her.

Don't forget next weeks round at Wensum Valley sees the start of the best 3 front and best 3 back 9's in July, August and September comp where it is rumoured a new player maybe joining the tour!