OB Golf – Spring Cup 2025

OBGS – Spring Cup

Friday 5th May 2025

What a fabulous day! Glorious weather was matched by the warmest of welcomes at the lovely, and fantastically well-presented, Glamorganshire Golf Club. Due to an administration oversight and misunderstanding with the club, the first tee time was 30 minutes earlier than expected, which meant that bacon rolls and coffee, and the pre-golf catch-up, were cut a little short for some, for which I am deeply sorry to all, and particularly to Huw Phillips and Huw Richards, who came along for just that time. There were 12 of us playing: Peter Owen, Kevin Noble; Jonathan Spencer, Charles Spencer; Gwyn Jones, Keith Gibson; Anthony Balance, Ian Wilson; George Lee, Rob Calcaterra; Billy Thomas, Tom McClean; playing as pairs for The Spring Cup and as individuals for The Peter Owen Trophy: 

It was great to see the welcome return to OB golf of Keith Gibson, after a good few years’ hiatus and the first appearance for Billy Thomas, who was badgered into coming by Rob and who, I think, surprised himself by scoring a respectable points total! It was also great to have the average age slashed by Tom again.

Given the conditions and the course, with several people having played regularly, or at least recently, confidence in good scoring was quite high; no more so that within the returning champions: Rob was so confident of retaining the Peter Owen Trophy he didn’t even bring it and George hadn’t had the Cup engraved (difficulties in engraving bakelite and nothing to do with the ‘two for one’ deal at his local engravers, apparently).

With the first fourball pairings dovetailing nicely, they found themselves tied with 36 points and resorting to countback to establish possible winners. They were soon to be disabused of that notion by the second set of pairs dovetailing better, with Anthony and Ian winning their internal battle with a solid 42 points to Glyn and Keith’s 37 points.

Sitting back, with Anthony and Ian's challenging score in clubhouse, we made the most of the lovely late afternoon sun on the clubhouse terrace while waiting for the last group to come in and sort out their scores. Tom and Billy had had a nice walk and were in high spirits, but not expecting to challenge for honours. So, we waited for Rob and George, with the individual scores they declared, we expected a close call… and so it proved. But….their individual scores got the combined result they deserved. Rob and George retained the Spring Cup with a better-ball score of 44 points.

The Peter Owen Trophy was less tight. Lots of us made over thirty points but did not quite challenge George or Rob. George’s 36 points wasn’t good enough to make Rob go and fetch the trophy. Rob scored a fantastic 39 points. Well played both.

A really nice day was had by all.