OBGS - Harris Cup

Edward Harris Cup 2023

The day started off overcast and blustery, with a threat of rain, but turned into a warm, dry, but still very blustery day. The course was, as ever, in fantastic condition but, with the stiff wind and punishing rough left over from the Seniors Open, very challenging; making some of the subsequent scoring, even in the better ball format, really impressive.

It may be fair to say that our team of

met up in good spirits and great optimism for a good day but not, necessarily, with any great expectations with regard to the competition; a sociable get together being the main order of the day; with plenty to catch up on with Mike, who made a very welcome return to OB golf after quite a few years break. 

As it turned out, the golf played, as a team, was fantastic and good enough to generate a feeling of quiet hope for a possible win as we gathered in the clubhouse for a few drinks and a fantastic lunch, joined by Peter Owen, Edward Harris (grandson of Cup’s donator) and Huw Richards.

Jonathan and Gwyn had the kind of day we had probably expected to be the standard, given tricky conditions; possibly further exacerbated by playing against a pair who played ridiculously good golf to produce the highest score of the day of 45 points. However, it seems the majority of players who entered this year’s event were playing off single figure handicaps (Tom was our sole representative in that club), so the standard produced across the board was incredibly high, which prompted some quiet, good natured, mutterings of ‘bandits’ in the bar; not least towards, and amongst, ourselves !

With Tom playing his usual consistently excellent golf and James chipping in, literally as well as generally, to produce the second best score of the day of 42 points; Rhodri and Kevin surprising themselves by feeling a little disappointed in scoring 40 points, which they would have happily given a lesser-used organ or limb for at the start of the day; Mike and George tearing the front nine up for 25 points in securing another fantastic 40 points; and with the team’s best three scores to count, we ate, as we caught up and told stories, new and old, with a quiet hope that we might actually have sneaked the cup.

It was, therefore, actually a little bit of a disappointment to be pipped by a single point, by Dean Close; leaving the thoughts of ‘if only’ putts and shots shared across the team tempered by the wholly unexpected and happy status of having beaten Cheltenham, Clifton, Bromsgrove, Malvern, Harrow and Wycliffe.

As well as being presented with, and receiving a replica of, the Edward Harris Cup (the original always being kept at RPGC), Dean Close also received a box of Pro V1 golf balls each and the highest scoring pair received a bottle of Mumm champagne each.

Congratulations to them all.

A sincere thank you to our team for the excellent and welcome support of the Edward Harris Cup and another great day; I look forward to next year’s match and, with no ‘blobs’ or missed 10-inch putts, to winning it!

Next year’s Harris Cup match will take place on Thursday 3rd October 2024.

The next OBGS fixture is the Spring Cup on Friday 19th April 2024 at Langland Bay GC.