OB Golf - London & SE Cup

Friday 23rd May, 2025 - Fulwell Golf Club

Another fantastic day. Fulwell was in great condition; the fairways firm and running and the greens fast and true; it was a proper test of golf. So, it's with a heavy heart that I have to disclose a degree of banditry I would never have expected without Like or Calcaterra playing and from a source I would never suspected of being capable of such a thing. All in due course ...

Eight of us played: four returning regulars in the Raw-Rees brothers, Llyr and Steffan, David Layton and Dylan Kelly; three regulars playing in their second OB Golf meeting of the month in Tom McClean, Ian Wilson and Kevin Noble; and an OB Golf debutant in Nick Meredith, who travelled in from Henley on Thames to play. There was the usual catch-up and chat over bacon rolls and, with Steffan running a little tight, the 'oldies' of Noble, Kelly, Wilson and Meredith teed off, leaving McClean and Layton to play with the Raw-Rees brothers.

The first fourball had a really enjoyable round; playing reasonably steady golf, with the exception of Dylan, who managed to get himself into some odd places on the course but then, very successfully, get himself out of them and go on to score a very satisfying 36 points (and he also dovetailed very nicely with Ian's 33 points for them to score 46 points to comfortably win the better ball match against Nick and Kevin’s 40 points). All of us were pleased with our respectable returns and the four of us settled in at the bar, expecting a close contest. The other four joined us quite soon afterwards, with anecdotal tales of having had 'not bad' rounds; three of them were right. Dave took responsibility for recording the scores for the group and, due to his late arrival and rush for the tee, no-one questioned Steffan's requested handicap; why would they? Dave had recorded everyone's stated handicap and their scores but, not knowing Fulwell's slope index, had left the course handicaps and points calculations for me to do. So, after three very respectable scores in the high 20-points were calculated, it was a bit of a shock then to find Steffan had scored 40 points, having described his round to me as 'alright'. I announced his score for the trophy presentation and there was a collective sharp intake of breath before the inevitable mickey-taking. Steffan claimed innocence, saying he hadn't expected to have a slope index applied and wanted to be scored off 20 (so, he still expected 2 shots on two holes ?!).

The collective group would have none of it (when have we ever let the truth get in the way of the chance for some solid banter?!) and, if you think Steffan looks a little bashful in the presentation photo, you now understand why. If you don't think he does, well, just be satisfied to know I will be setting his handicap for him from now on!

As an aside, and to reassure Dylan (not that he was at all bothered), I did re-score Steffan's card with a handicap of 20 and he did still win, with 37 points. Well done to him.

The post-match drinks continued a while after the presentation and everyone left stating that they had had a great day.