Round Norfolk summer golf round 15 at Bury St Edmunds

The Sunshine Salver

Round Norfolk summer golf round 14 took place at Bury St Edmunds on Wednesday. With the potential of the odd spot of rain then today’s field had been reduced to just 6 but as it turned out it was fine and sunny all day. There had been after a number of late withdrawals due to illness, work and housework pressure. It was a welcome return for 4 players as Chris and Kevin (cycle trip), Greg (holiday) and Sandie (not had a better offer) we’re back in the line up. Jo and Bob were the only players left from last week's trip to Barnham Broom where they had added £1 to this weeks nearest the pin jackpot rollover. 

With groups drawn it was off to the first tee. There was early drama when Chris dropped her ball, marker, pencil and teess down the toilet (hopefully just before) a last minute wee.

Chris's golf bits and bobs going down the pan

Bob was put in charge of making sure Chris and Kevin didn’t get distracted with any romantic interludes during the round as the first group set off. Kevin had decided to adopt the ‘only user the driver in emergencies’ strategy that had gained him a surprise victory on his last appearance. Despite missing hitting most of his 3 wood tee shots he didn’t put himself out of any holes so thanks to some good approach work and solid putting had the halfway lead on 19 pts.

Kevin tees off on the first as Chris shows absolutely no interest

Chris and Bob were matching each other after both opened up with a Par on the first hole and there was never more than a couple of points between them. However Bob kept hitting his approach shots into the bunkers and had a run of 5 1 pointers in 7 holes to finish on 15 points.

Bob in another bunker, this time by the 7th green

Chris was struggling to finish holes off and had 4 1 pointers on the front 9 to be one point better off on 16.

Chris tees off down the 5th

In the group behind Greg was put in charge of looking after the ladies to make sure the focus was on the golf and not chatting about knitting and kittens etc. The responsibility combined with no one to be outraged with on the long march to many of the red tee boxes obviously affected his game as he only managed 6 pts in first 5 holes before recovering to 14 at halfway.

Greg beginning to get his game back together on the 5th

Sadly he fell away again on the back 9 with 3 blobs over the last few holes. His round was summed up on the last when after hitting a tree he ended up 100 yards further away from the hole than he had started. He ended with the wooden spoon and only 27 points that dented his average points comp challenge although he still hols a slender lead.

After starting with an opening blob Sandie then put in a solid run but with no 3 pointers also had 14 at halfway. 

Sandie in trouble on the first

It wasn’t the case on the back 9 where Sandie lived up to her name spending much time in the bunkers. Greg suggested that she could consider adding a deck chair to her bag to make full use of the facility. However on the non sandpit holes she was doing much better with several 3 pointers and, after unfortunately rolling off the back of the nearest the pin green, going on to make her birdie. On a high scoring day her 31 points was still some way short of the prizes.

Sandie in another bunker, by the 18th green

Jo had had a convincing win at Barnham Broom last week and was clearly keen to make the most of her good form as she built a good foundation with 19 points and a share of the lead at the turn. The highlight being a birdie on the par 5 4th.

Jo was in the bunker while her ball stayed out, very confusing

In the group ahead all the players got off to good back 9 starts. Kevin parred the first 4 holes (2 after driving into fairway bunkers) while Bob birdied the 13th. It was a hole he had birdied before so it didn’t help his eclectic(shame). On the following hole he had the only blob of any player in the group and this cost him as Chris pulled into the lead as he finished on 32 points.

Bob makes his birdie on the 13th.

On the 17th hole Chris remembered the SSS rule now used on tour and after consulting the score card claimed a courtesy shot for the day. Despite this and 10 points over the closing 4 holes she could only get to 35 points and third place.

Chris gets out the bunker on the 10th (there seem to be a lot of bunker photos today!)

It was now between the halfway leaders, Kevin and Jo to see who would come out on top. After taking the nearest the pin prize Jo finished strongly with 11 points in the last 4 holes for a 39 point total.

Jo finishes with a par on the last, but would it be enough

However Kevin was riding his luck as his no driver strategy was paying off with only Pars or bogeys on his back 9. As he stood over a short downhill put on the last he had a chance to equal the course record and take the lead in the best round of the year comp. But he bottled it to finish on 41 pts and his second win in a row.

Kevin hits the green from the fairway bunker on 11 for one of 6 back 9 pars

He now shares the lead with Andrew on 41 points for best round of the year. Executive chairman, Golf Dinosaur Monster confirmed that in the event of a tie then the players second best round will be used to decide the winner. This is currently Kevin with a 38 at Cromer.

Next week is a first for the RNSG tour as neither Bob or Kevin will be playing at Rookery park so Greg has kindly “volunteered"  to run the day. As the tour is a dictatorship and not a democracy then Greg’s ruling is final.

Things are certainly starting to hot up at the top of the leaderboards although Jo and Kevin have put down strong markers in the opening scrimmages of the best 3 front and back 9s in July, August and September (plus October this year).