On The One Hand.............

Have you ever had one of those days where it doesn’t matter what you do it all goes wrong – well that was the malaise that hit the Metro Team on Sunday. Almost from the start the reports filtering up and down the line indicated we were behind in most matches and it just seemed to get worse.

On the face of it this looked as though it would be a close contest – the handicaps were relatively similar, the opposition were known to us , we had a relatively strong team and we were playing at home with good greens and pleasant conditions. Unfortunately it all came to nought – a good walk ruined!!

There were some personal highlights; Joe Mullins followed his Saturday 81 with a good win at no.7 while Tony Park continued his consistent form with a win at no.1 carting a 77 off the bat to clinch a one up result. Rex Price battled hard all day and was perhaps unlucky to finish with just a half. His opponent played 18 one up but I think by the time we got to seven we stopped counting. As he was all day Rex was down in the middle and then on the green proving that consistency is the hallmark of a successful golfer. The last time Rex lost a Metro match was in July 2007. It is reasonable to say if he is available Rex will be the first name on the team sheet.

In the 8 spot Cran Bull could never quite get his nose in front and finally succumbed 1 down. At two Steve Hicks in his first metro game gave it his all but the 18th I think typified the day - his opponent hit a “frankfurter shot” (long and skinny) from the middle of the fairway and it was travelling at some speed, if not out of bounds at least to the far reaches of the playing surface, that was until it hit the pin absolutely dead centre, stopped and dropped ½ metre from the hole. Steve lost one down!!! As you are all aware Steve Savill is ever so slightly competitive imagine his chagrin when his playing partner went out in 35. Even a second nine rally could not save him from 4/3 loss.

Jack MacDonald approached me on the 7th tee as he was playing down six and said confidentially “These guys can really putt!!”. In spite of a credible round Jack went down 5/4. I faced my nemesis from last year Ray Coleman and slumped to 3 down early on (Ray birdied 2 & 4 – in fact on 4 in our group there were 3 birdies while I could only manage a tap in par). I fought back to all square teeing off eight but then poor course management and luck deserted me and I lost the next three holes. A comeback was on the cards but Ray then got up and down from absolutely everywhere. Notwithstanding I holed some good putts I was unable to make any inroads and the lid came down on 16 3/2 after a slightly one sided battle.

All in all a loss for the team 5 ½ to 2 ½ and not one of best results. I suspect the selectorial pencil will be sharpened over the next week before our match away at Waitikiri – a lot may depend on the Club Champ results next weekend.

Apologies for a relatively abbreviated report but I have to jump in a car and head to Ashburton for a late urgent mediation.