2021 Finale at Kings Lynn
After a long and arduous season, the 2021 Summer Tour reached its final destination - Kings Lynn. A large field was expected, with many of the prizes still to be decided, but the fans were disappointed that injuries, holidays and (quite frankly) better alternatives had reduced the field to just six.
The champion-elect Jo did make the trip, in a car suitable for the anticipated trophy haul, and was joined in the first group by Jill and Vince thanks to Bob's randomizer (or "bobomizer") old-school approach of who needs to leave early, separating the married couple and balls in the air. The second group would be made up of Chris, Bob and Andrew.
First tee nerves got the better of Vince as he pulled his first tee-shot into the trees and, despite his best efforts, the first of several blobs was recorded. Nerves got to Jo too, as she also blobbed the first while Jill made a steady 5 and 2 points. In fact, Jill was steady through the whole front nine, recording a couple of pars and no blobs for a score of 16.
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| Jill playing solid golf |
Jo steadied the ship, but another blob on the 6th hole and no 3-pointers left her trailing on 12.
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| Jo on the front nine although a bit blurry- the photo not her |
Unfortunately, Vince had 3 more blobs and not even a 3-point par on the 5th could help him and he finished halfway with just 10 points.
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| Vince didnt look super pleased with this teeshot |
The first hole also caused problems for the second group. Andrew heeled his tee-shot just past the ladies tee, but somehow managed a 5, while Bob hit the first of several provisional balls after his first headed into the woods on the right. He found it, but then lost it for ever left of the green. Chris was in good form, scoring seven 2-pointers on the front nine, plus a 3-point par on the 2nd. However, the greenside bunker on the short 5th became a nuisance and led to her only blob in a total of 17.
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| Chris posing at the top of her swing |
Bob steadied the proverbial ship after the first, parring the 5th for 3 points and, despite playing a number of provisionals, found the originals for a score of 16.
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| Bob steading the ship |
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| Andrew being non eventful, as if that was possible |
The back nine was better for the whole group. Vince, despite spending some time amongst - and sometimes behind - the many trees Kings Lynn has to offer, scrambled his way to a respectable 14 points and a total of 24.
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| vince was pleased not to actually be in the tress for once |
Jo remained blob-free on the inward nine, and consistent play brought her a couple more 3-pointers and 18 points for a total of 30. Jill remained steady and, following brilliant birdies on the 10th and 16th, scored a very useful 17 points and a leader-in-the-clubhouse total of 33.
As the second group approached the back nine, confidence was high.
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| Second group approaching back 9. Confidence was so high it wasn't actuallyabove the picture |
Andrew scrambled a 7 on the 10th, while Chris and Bob scored very good par 5's. Chris's round was going well until she found two ditches on the 13th and had to pick up.
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| Good ball retrival work from Bob |
Then, on the 14th hole - a par 5 for the ladies - she sensibly laid up her 2nd shot to take the ditch out of play, only to find it with a mis-hit 3rd shot leading to another blob. A good recovery with 9 points over the last 4 holes gave her a back-nine total of 15 and 32 overall. Andrew's round looked like it was crumbling until a birdie 3 and 4 points on the 15th got him back on track. Two more 3-point pars on the 17th & 18th gave him 18 points and the clubhouse lead on a blob-free 35. However, Bob was on a mission and played brilliantly on the back nine. Four 3-point pars and a superb Spanish birdie (four-for-four) on the par-5 13th meant he accumulated a blob-free 23 points for an overall winning score of 39.
Kings Lynn is always a tour favourite and the course was in great condition. The players relaxed in the sunshine afterwards as the scores were quickly added to the previous results so that trophies could be awarded (although not always correctly).
Jo won the most important Money List with £20.00 from 6 events, with Robert in second with £17.00. She also won the Average Blobs competition with 1.67, just ahead of Jill & Andrew, both of whom had 1.80. 
Not to be outdone, Robert won the Most Points in a Round, thanks to his 42 at Felixstowe Ferry and just beating Jo's 41 at Purdis Heath, and he won the Average Points with 33.33 from his 6 rounds, just ahead (again) of Jo and Jill on 33.00.
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| Jill looking after Roberts average points trophy as she nearly won it and, after a bum steer from Golf Dinasour monster, Bob thought she had |
Despite missing the last two rounds through injury Kevin's lead on the Eclectic was too good to be caught and his 12.63 under par meant he avoided being trophy-free for another year. Bob was second in that competition but, thanks to his 39 points at Kings Lynn, and especially his back-nine 23, he just pipped Chris by 1 point in the Best 3 Front & Back Nines.
All in all, another great season and our thanks go to Kevin and Bob for all their organisation. Attentions now turn to Royal Cromer on 6th October when, somewhat oddly, the 2020 Autumn Tour will reach its conclusion! How bizare.
