Captains Cup 2021 Report

Captains Day @Strand, Thursday June 24th 2021

We finally managed to have a Captains Day. The weather turned out better than predicted. As Mr Captain, Paul Sinnot had been in the post for two years and being a good Salford lad he handed out two gifts. A stamped ball for the year 2020 and a really posh pen for the year 2021. He also had a prize for the top lady. Frances insists she put no pressure on him to do this and excluded her self from winning it. Normally Frances would have been the favourite to win this prize but on the day there were three ladies playing.

The layout at Stand can be described in one word hilly. Most senior members at Stand splash out on a buggy. They only hire out single buggies. Probably because the slopes are so extreme doubles   would be dodgy. But like the Lake District the hills make Stand.

With only two par threes “2s” were going to be rare.  Below is how the golf panned out.

Nearest the pin hole 6     John Coburn

Nearest the pin hole 13   Bob Chadwick

No 2s rollover to next event.

6^th place and lower can add 0.2 to existing handicaps within max limits.

 Results

As can be seen from the above it is possible to score well at Stand. This was the winners first pukka Portland event so under an established Portland rule he won the money but not the Cup which was presented to second placed Graham Murray. I am sure Pete will become a regular participant at the Portland.

Paul called upon his vice Ernie Rowlands to assist in handing out the prizes which was done with much aplomb. As most people know give Ernie an audience and he will entertain. He recalled an incident from one of the steeper slopes on the course. I was playing with Ernie  and Ian Ringwood so witnessed the incident from close up. Ernie was further down the slope from myself and Ian we were zigzagging  down the slope and Ian said this is the way to go down until you can let your trolley go down on it’s own. I thought there’s no I am letting go of my trolley. Then Ian thought his trolley would be OK to roam free. As soon as he let go of the handles his trolley turned into an exocet with Ernie as the programmed target. What was more worrying was the way Ian cheered his trolley on as it sought Ernie out. I have referred to Ian in the past as being like Godfrey out of Dad’s  Army now he had turned into a James Bond villain. Poor Ernie must have thought his end was nigh his recollection was strewn with expletives a clear sign of post traumatic stress.

28 players took part at Stand proof there is still life in the Portland.