Metro To Seek Redemption in........2010

We approached our final match for 2009 away at Russley in a confident frame of mind having previously postponed from the inclement weather a fortnight before. Our team comprised the ingredients of youth and enthusiasm with age and experience and we anticipated a closely contested tussle. It was disturbing to see Savill leaving the car park as I arrived but I subsequently found he needed to replenish his nicotine supply. The Russley team hit the mark of 80 right on the head while at 81.4 we were not giving too much away.

At the top of the order in his Metro debut Brendan Hicks drew the Russley stalwart David Johnson a former Real Estate Agent now semi retired (friend of Joe Mullins and brother in law of Brian Tyro) who plays golf 3 or 4 times a week and at the end of May had shot a gross 66 around his home course. Brendan showed much perspicacity in shooting and even par 36 on the front 9 but unfortunately he could not maintain the standard on the back side recording a 41 but a very credible 77 off the stick on a course that really doesn’t favour his ball striking abilities. Proving just how tough Metro is David Johnson shot 74 to record a 4/2 victory for Russley at no.1. Steve Savill had come off the interchange bench to replace the unavailable Andrew Hopkins and given the course and weather conditions we were hopeful that Steve could even up the score in the first pairing. Alas it was not to be as Steve fell to a 5/4 loss notwithstanding he was 1 stroke ahead in the handicap. The magnitude of the loss was such that Savill paid the maximum fine for the first time without question.

As always we sought to establish our strength in the middle order with our normal 1 Tony Park playing at three and accompanied by Ben Frampton in for the absent JD at four. Tony wearing a new club shirt (he has bulked up from small to medium – he says it will shrink slightly in the wash) had drawn the Russley captain Steve Garland and immediately put him to the sword with a great 6/5 victory. Ben as always was nagging away and after falling behind early scrambled back to even through the back nine playing another old Russley campaigner David Silk. In the only match that went to the 18th neither could wrestle an advantage and the game ended in a half, with Ben carding a highly respectable 83 off the stick.

Brian Tyro making a quest appearance by special request came in for Dave Morrison and was kept company by Marcus Annan. Playing immediately behind me I was closely informed of the progress of the match. Much to my chagrin the comments that come up the line were not positive in nature and almost from the start the Christchurch pair were behind the 8 ball. On their home track the Russley combination had too much local knowledge especially around the greens where Vern Guy effectively putted Marcus off the course for 3/2 victory. Brian Tyro (perhaps still thinking about the gum trees) could not match Neville Cleeve and went down 5/4.

At the bottom of the order I was being placed under some pressure by Savill in regards my win/loss ratio. The discussion had started on Saturday in the clubhouse and by tee off all of the Russley Team and I suspect all the people on the course were conversant with Savill’s view of the world – nothing like a bit of pressure!! Playing at 8 was Pater Davey a former team regular who had previously gone through the ’07 season unbeaten however Sunday was not his day and he fell 5/3 to a more consistent player after several times battling back into the match. After a flawless start I was 2 over after 6 and 2 up before a slight reversal of form saw me loss 7 & then 8 to go back to square as we finished the nine halving in 6’s. I reasserted myself winning 10 with a par and halving 11 with another par.

My opponent made birdie up 12 to go back to square and then I chopped it up that trick par 5 13th to go 1 down for the first time in the match. Clearly it was time to “back up the bus” and “regroup”. Notwithstanding a shocking drive that only just made the fairway I managed to scramble a win on 14 – back to square. A solid 5 iron on the 15th put me on the green just past pin high while my partner was short right, a solid 2 putt (never the easiest for me) put me one up playing the treacherous 16 after he couldn’t get up and down. Determining discretion was the better part of valour and forsaking the driver for 3 wood I smacked one up the right hand side safe from the white pegs. My opposition drilled a driver through the waste area close enough to o/b to warrant hitting a provisional. Closer inspection determined his first was out so playing his provisional ball he carved his next into the hedge again requiring a provisional. In a moment of clarity and course management (unusual factors for me in a round of golf) I hit 5 iron up the middle. By my calculation the Russley player hit the green for 7 and when my pitching wedge made the putting surface for 3 he conceded the hole. Two with two to play - at least I couldn’t lose but the spectre of 18 was looming large.

A slight slice off the tee up 17 saw me with a blocked shot to the green and I then duffed what was meant to be a low running shot under the intervening tree – at least I made it to the middle of the fairway and pitched on. Meanwhile my Russley player had gone AWOL cross country up 16 fairway and took 4 before he navigated his way back to the green. Trusting my putting stroke, down hill, left to right, with heart in mouth I put it close enough for a gimme 5 – a half on the hole after he sunk a 15 ft doubled breaking cross green putt – but more importantly a win on the match. Now some people at this stage would gloat but a chastened and muted Savill at the after match was reward enough no more will be said!

All in all we finished with a loss 5 ½ to 2 ½ and the end to a forgettable season. Unfortunately our away run of lack of form continues for another year but I am sure we will turn it around in 2010. Please watch this space as I work out when we will have the Metro wind up and lunch. In the interim good golfing!!