Spoils of War

Inevitably when the snow finally came to the Thames Valley it wreaked a terrible vengeance and dumped a thick covering with rampant ferocity. In other words we had three and half inches in two hours. More than enough to render the course, practice ground and surrounding ranges closed for the foreseeable future. I'm just praying it goes in time to get some golf in of some description between Christmas and the New Year.

Fortunately the club was spared any snow last Thursday for the 2010 Presentation Evening and the Christmas raffle. There was a good turn out and it was a nice touch by the club to involve the junior section and present their trophies too. It must help to make them feel integrated. It would have been nice if they could all have been there to collect the prizes but there was still a good showing. I hope it continues and that the junior section is allowed to grow and develop.

I was fortunate enough to be invited as a prize recipient. I was up for the Jubilee Cup that I'd won with Hywel Lloyd way back on May 3rd. To be honest he had a stellar round and set the foundation. I came in a few times on the front nine and kept the ship steady on the sail for home and in the end our 44 points was plenty and we won with a few points to spare. Sadly since then his circumstances have changed and he's left the club so I was left to pick up the spoils alone. The Jubilee Cup is an Ascot major (a gold letter event where your name appears on the honours board). It's my second after winning the Longhurst Cup back in 2000. Although I've won plenty of medals and stablefords since, I've never really contended in a big one for ages and frankly a ten year gap is too long. Still there are good golfers at the club who haven't won any of the majors events so I shouldn't complain too much.

As well as the trophy there was a nice clock in a glass frame as a memento.

 

To the winner the spoils!

Sadly my luck didn't extend to either the pro shop or club raffle prizes but all in all it was still a very good night.

I had seen the forecast, but with my work's Christmas party booked for Friday night I did take the precaution of withdrawing from the stableford on Saturday. I needn't have worried as the weather took care of that for me. It's a pain though as I'd hit the ball better than I'd hoped last weekend in the turkey trot and so was itching to get back out there. I was doubly keen to exorcise the memory of my opening drive too. For those not up to speed, my first competitive shot for over two months was a short. hurried backswing and a quick lunge down at the ball. It went straight right into the trees and out of bounds and was never seen again.

I'll try and get some golf in between now and the start of 2011 whether on the course or at the range. I flattered to deceive this year. As someone once said "I dabbled with the palette without painting the whole picture" and that sums up the 2010 season perfectly. Everytime I though I was making progress and a cut, and my ultimate goal of single figures appeared on the horizon, I'd conspire to make the task doubly difficult.

Still that is golf. A game that can never be beaten although we'll always try. For now though I'll stare outside at the white blanket and wistfully dream of getting back out there again.