Round Norfolk summer golf round 17 The Open at Felixstowe Ferry

The Open

It promised to be the hottest day ever but would the golf also be hot for the final major of the year. It was also hotting up at the top of the money list as Bob has not been able to extend his lead in recent weeks with others now starting to close in. The big £5 first prize today could alter things dramatically in either direction.

There were 7 tour members signed up for this prestigious event. Armed with water bottles and sun cream it was balls in the air to decide the two groupings before heading to the first tee. It was perfect links conditions hot, dry and windy so would be the ideal golfing test for the Open.

Greg got us underway, followed by Andrew both of which hit the fairway. However despite his recent successes by keeping his driver in the bag, Kevin opted to get it out but sliced into the rough before hitting his next into deep rough. After a search Greg found it. On the next he tried his 3 wood which he topped into the long grass just in front of the tee which again required a search and Greg found. So he tried his rescue on the next tee with the same result and Greg 3 lost ball credit finds in the bank which Kevin is yet to repay. From here things picked up for him a bit until he missed a very short putt on the 9th (more of the significance of this latter). However thanks to some excellent recovery work he somehow had 15 points at the turn.

When Greg wasn’t looking for Kevin’s balls he was playing well. He was obviously still struggling with his bad back and could regularly be found rolling around on the ground trying to loosen up. Apparently his physio thinks it is caused by the way he picks up his tee and ball, which we all know is strenuous work, he has been told to do some strengthening exercises using a heavy feather. His only blemish was when he lost a ball on the 3rd which he was upset about as no one repaid the lost ball credits they owed (who knew that this was a thing). He had 17 points at halfway.

Andrew had arrived today as the form player having scored 41 points yesterday and been cut to 13. He was certainly playing with confidence and only a couple of 3 putts on the par 3s restricted his score to 17 points as well.

In the group behind Robert started strongly with an opening par and was well placed with 8 points after 4 holes and a nice foundation. However inexplicably the wheels then came off as he only managed a further 7 points in the next 10 holes. Coming on to the 16th he was well out of the running for the title but there was still the matter of the nearest the pin, which was a rollover jackpot. On hearing this he rolled up his sleeves and hit his shot of the day to claim the £4  prize (stop press Golf Dinosaur Monster has just informed me it should have been £5 so Robert is owed a quid). He finished strongly nearly doubling his score over the last 4 holes to finish on 24 points.

Bob was having a typical Bob round mixing some fantastic shots with others putting him out of the hole. When on the back 9 he found his putting boots and really started scoring well. But with a round including 4 blobs he was going to struggle to be in the prizes finishing on 31.

Chris was having the opposite problem having left her normally strong putting game at home. It didn’t help when her opening drive went down the road leading to an opening blob. I have often wondered what would happen on the par 3 12th (where you have to hit in over the road) if you smash your ball into the net, well very kindly Chris found out by whacking he tee shot into it. If you want to know it drops straight down and you have to play 3 off the tee, which she did for her only other blob. Apart from that she missed a lot of little putts leading to a number of single point holes so again was never really in the running as she also finished on 31 points.

Jill was hoping to be the first player to complete the RNSG career grand slam. She was clearly nervous getting off to a slow start but with her normal solid game clicking back in place she soon had things under control. However after going into a bunker on the 9th she thinned her bunker shot almost into the road for a blob and 15 points at halfway. Her back 9 also started slowly but 14 points over the closing 6 holes gave her a win in the group on 32 points but would it be enough.

Kevin also had 15 at halfway but that short missed putt on the 9th had clearly got to him as he missed another short one on the 10th and 3 putted the 12th after being the only one with a tee shot on the green. It looked like he was out of the running until a birdie on the 13th got him back in contention. However missing more short putts on 16 and 17 meant he too finished on 31 points and 4 lost ball credits in debt to Greg..

The real battle was between Andrew and Greg who were matching each other shot for shot. However you need some luck to win a major and Andrew got his bit when he thinned a chip from the edge of the 12th green which got beautifully slowed down by the long grass as it trickled up to the hole and toppled in. Even the members sitting out side the club house could be heard muttering “outrageous”.

However Greg had his luck too as his drive on the 14th skimmed the top of a gorse bush before taking a big kick into the middle of the fairway, while Andrews pushed drive missed the bush but was never seen again and he ended with a blob.

This gave Greg a 2 point lead but it was all to change again on the 16th where Greg’s pulled tee shot lead to a blob while Andrew managed a par to once again take the lead.

Coming on to the 18 th he had a two point lead and when Greg’s birdie putt stopped right on the edge of the hole it was all over as Andrew made his par for 37 points (a new course record) against Greg’s 35. Well done to Andrew for taking home the imaginary claret jug and his first major.

Next week we return to Norfolk and back to parkland at Swaffham. All this seasons competitions remain tight and hard to call with several players in contention for each one, so it really is all to play for.