Day 242 - Wentworth

View of 1st Fairway on West Course
at 08:00 this morning

To complete what has been a great weekend's golf, today we had our annual match versus Wentworth, on this occasion away at theirs. The two clubs have been competing for the Brooker/Simmonds Salver since 198, which is currently in our possession after our win last year.  The Away match is always played on the West Course - always a test of golf but at least they allowed us to play off the yellow tees (off the whites, it is more than 7,000 yards!).

Our team of 12 turned up bright and early as we were invited for breakfast before the game. This was to allow for a more casual lunch, watching the rugby later on.  Most of the talk among the Wentworth members was around the AGM they are holding next week, which may give them greater clarity as to the future of their club and a number of them referred to the article in today's Daily Mail. It does sound as if they are in for changing times.

As far as our match was concerned, I was to play against their Captain but a mix-up on their side meant that instead my partner Ian and I found ourselves facing two very useful looking players: Phil off 6 and Suresh off 4.  After only 5 holes, their score was a gross two under par, we were 4 down and things were looking very bleak (and that was including a fine birdie from Ian to halve the second!).

We hung on in there however and managed to get the match back to level on the 17th tee only to lose that one.... so, we were on to the famous 18th needing a win for a half.  I managed to get on the green in a regulation three and just watched as gradually all other players self-destructed: I was therefore conceded the birdie putt and we had managed to square the game.  Grand stuff!  As the other matches came in,it emerged that Burhill had eked out a win by 3 1/2 to 2 1/2 and therefore retain the Salver.  There is a scenario whereby none of us ever play the West Course again, but I hope not!

Over lunch, we witnessed the Irish being knocked out of the Cup by a very fluid looking Argentine side and then I got home in time to see the brave Scots just get pipped by the Wallabies in the Twickenham rain.  This means that there in no Northern hemisphere representation in the RWC Semi-Finals... ouch!