Day 160 - New Zealand Shield

The New Zealand Shield is awarded every year to the winner of an 18 hole Stableford competition, played on the Old Course at Burhill. The Shield was donated to Burhill in 1919 and commemorates the fact that, during the First World War, there was a hospital dedicated to the care of New Zealand servicemen, located in the Mount Felix estate in Walton.

The property was first requisitioned by the War Office in 1914: originally containing 29 bedrooms (!) it was converted into a 325-bed hospital by the New Zealand War Contingent Association and was first opened in August 2015. Within only two days of its opening, it began to receive servicemen injured in the Gallipoli campaign.  It continued to function throughout the Great War but then suffered a major fire in 1919.  Today very little remains, apart from a few outhouses which has since been converted to houses. A full history of the property is available here - http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/2nzgh.html

The competition for the Shield was scheduled for today and, despite the fact that a few less enthusiastic members had cancelled their participation, a number of brave souls made their way to the Club to participate, presumably in the hope that the weather forecast of endless rain would prove to be incorrect.  I was one of those who set out, more in hope than anticipation, as the drizzle had started by the time that i teed off at 9:06 with Steve and Neil.

We pressed on for six holes (and I even birdied the 3rd!) by which time the drizzle had become rain, which had mutated into a real downpour. Great for the gardens but not really suited for the playing of a serious golf competition. 

Once we got to the 7th green and discovered that, with the pin at the top and the balls at the base, the only way to get close to the hole was to use a wedge: putting through the newly formed river on the green was never going to work!  To nobody's surprise, shortly after that, the competition was abandoned due to the course being unplayable.

A shame (doubly so for those who had good score cards going!) but the only option available in order to save the course from damage.  A new date of 13th September has been found for a second attempt at holding the competition... let's hope the weather stays fine then!