The annual match between the XLGS and the Farmers Club took place at Royal St George’s on 8th April.
There had been some trepidation that moving the fixture from high summer to the depths of spring may have taken some of the sheen off the event but concerns were groundless. The course was its usual impeccable self, the club hospitality outstanding and our golf as fiercely competitive and as friendly as ever. Even the weather was kind with the wind and rain taking a much needed breather, allowing the sun to shine on our golf untroubled.
With a phalanx of fresh faces hopes we’re high that we could reverse our recent run of defeats and when lunch was taken with the score standing at 4.5 to 2.5 in our favour those hopes seemed close to fruition. New boys Nick Beattie, Mike Halls, Nick Hercules, John Scurlock-Davies, Jeremy Stanyard, David Wythe and Bobby Lowe all made mighty contributions and we seemed set fair for the afternoon.
Maybe it was complacency, maybe it was the exertions of the eve of match dinner, maybe it was the lunchtime claret. Who knows ? In any event our smiles soon turned to frowns as the Farmers took a grip on the afternoon matches and came out overall winners 7.5 to 6.5.
Nonetheless I think everyone who took part would agree that defeat is a small price to pay when set against the quality of the event and the prospect of another match next year.
It was all such a treat.
Simon Davies, Match Manager
(Image: Losing captain Chris Greet presents the match trophy to the victorious Farmers’ captain Charlie Wylie)
