Day 228 - Burhill Challenge

Woke up this morning to check out how much clearing up had taken place the previous evening: answer not a lot... and by the time the first bodies appeared, it was time for me to head off to the Club for today was the occasion of the Burhill Challenge. This is an annual competition played every year between the 10 clubs of the BGL Group, and on this occasion there was also a team made up of the General Managers of the Clubs.

It was played on the new Course, which was in great condition though the speed of the greens certainly proved to be too much for some - at least according to the chat in the clubhouse afterwards!  I was playing with Ian, Kate and Carol, representing Abbey Hill, Ramsdale and Redbourn respectively.  I am not quite sure where my golfing brain was to start with but after 5 holes, I had recorded 0,0,1,1,1 for a total of 3 whole points. What my playing partners must have thought was going on, I have no idea. I managed to hit bunkers on virtually every hole and also 3-putt whenever the opportunity arose.

For a while, I was seriously worried about recording a score at all, but did manage to pull things back together, courtesy in part of 2 birdies, and ended up with what was a very respectable 32 points (make that 29 over 13 holes!).  My playing partners had some troubles on the greens but Ian in particular, playing off 9, was exceedingly steady recording a fine 38 points.

We had a very pleasant lunch afterwards, with the Burhill team joining up at the table.  Everyone had tales to tell and even the home team had struggled on the greens, some more than others.  When the scores were read out, it appeared the team had not done too badly even if we had not managed actually to win.  What good hosts we are!

Arrived home to discover that my favourite European golfer Thorbjørn Olesen had managed to win the Dunhill Masters to secure his Tour card for the following year. Ever since he had a 6th place finish in the 2013 Masters (when I had put a few pennies on him to finish in the top 10!), I have enjoyed watching him play: I shall have to back him next year now...