Most of you will be aware that my philosophy where possible is keep the course open even if the match of the day is cancelled. To some extent weather conditions make this a self managing process with few willing to test really wet conditions. Given the wet week, heavy under foot conditions and an unsure weather forecast an early decision was made to cancel the Mixed event scheduled for Queens Birthday - a disappointing outcome given the large numbers who had indicated a willingness to play in the Special Ambrose event.
The course however remained open for the completion of previously postponed matchplay events and three groups teed it up for the Top Dog while one group, of which I was a part, did battle in the Page Trophy (I note one match has determined to resolve their game by a coin toss rather than front the conditions in what may have been a very wise decision). Leading off the reduced field Kate Shier and I played Ben Frampton and Anne Clarkson determined to only expose ourselves to the elements only for the minimum time possible. Although windy the rain mostly held off as we scooted around in just under three hours with never more than one hole in it. In extremely trying conditions we were lucky to win 18 and emerge 1 up - the first bottle of red tasted really good and was only surpassed by the second with the view of precipitation on the other side of the glass growing ever heavier.
The next group to make it to the House was the Mitchell/Parkes & Borrie/Sweetman combination whose match finished at 15 with a 4/3 win to Grant & John. Once again 'red' seemed a popular choice. In a similar vein Brownie Kirkwood and Emilios Kotzikas saw off Garry Forward and Bentley Seeto by the same score and once again 'red' was on the menu for Garry & Bentley.
The final match was developing into a game of epic proportions as Steve Savill and Peter Davey faced off against Struan Cain and Shane Gloury. There were several complicating factors - firstly the course was closed to carts immediately placing Steve Savill at somewhat of a disadvantage and secondly coming from sunny Melbourne Shane Gloury had no wet weather gear or umbrella. Eschewing the first four holes Steve joined the match at the 5th tee when it was all square and immediately put his pair 1 up.
In the worsening weather Steve walked the balance of the match, while they slipped to a handy lead in mid round walking to 16 tee it was back to all square and 16 & 17 were then halved - it was all on up 18. I think it fair to say that the gathered multitude in the Dobson Gallery (reds in hand) recognised the closeness of the match especially as all 4 seemed to "chop it" up the last. As the group reached the green hand signals confirmed the match as all square. One overs seemed to be the order of the day with Struan facing a 15 foot uphill putt for par and to win the match.
Despite the rain continuing to tumble and the green moving ever closer to flooding Struan calmly slotted the ball home accompanied by a vigorous fist pump to secure a one up victory. The secret to the putt - a comment by Shane to Struan "Stru if you sink this putt I'll buy you the most expensive bottle of red in the clubhouse!!" Clearly a waterlogged Shane didn't want to go down 19 and subsequently he paid up!!
While not on the winning side of the equation the effort of Steve Savill does deserve special mention as it was a lion-hearted effort to walk 14 holes in what at best could be described as distinctly ordinary weather perhaps a salutary reminder to those of us who might be more fortunate of what grim determination means.
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