A warm sunny day without significant wind – ideal for golf.

Naveed continued his fine form in the Midweek Club Championship with a gross 71 (3 over par) to win comfortably with 39 points. Taking 2nd place (after a score entry correction) was Charlie Haines on 36 points. Gerrard Quinn takes 3rd place on countback, being the best of 3 players on 35 points – the 18th hole being critical. (Gerrard got his 2 points, Mike Assender followed up his consecutive birdies on the 16th and 17th with a double bogey 6 for 1 point, and Mike Jones had a blob).

After overnight rain, it was a dry, mainly sunny, very windy but not unpleasant day for golf on the Duke’s course.

Scores were probably depressed a little by the wind and the top three all scored 36 points, 3 clear of Cheryl and Teddy, both on 33 points. Colin Price came out top on countback (17 out and 19 back), Richard Owen 2nd with 19 out and 17 back, and Leigh Drake 3rd with 20 out and 16 back. There were just 2 birdies, Colin’s 2 on the 10th and Naveed’s 3 on the index 1 14th.

Sweep pay out to the top 3.

Competition played on a perfect summer’s day with all greens open and the Prince’s course in good condition (and new sand being put in the bunkers by the greenkeepers)

From the field of 26, winner with 20 points out, 20 points in, was Pralab Barua, playing early morning. Second was Peter Miller one shot adrift with equally steady scoring front and back nine. Third, on 38 points was Charles Haines who parred the seventh in an exceptional first seven holes (before falling back to earth somewhat).

It was a warm sunny day, ideal for golf, but the course proved challenging with long grass off the fairways, and the bunkers generally in a very poor condition to get out of (many were hardpan sand with a barely scratched surface). It was good to have the 5th green in play for the first time in 5 or 6 months.

After a poor front 9 (only 12 points), Richard Owen started playing proper golf and with a back 9 of 21 points (including 2 birdies in the last 3 holes) takes the win with 33 points. Ian Burgess (30 points) came in 2nd and Rannesh was the best of those on 29 points and takes 3rd place. Best front 9 was 17 points by Seymour Laird and Bill Jennings. Brian Ransom still leads the Birdie Tree but Uli moved up to 2nd and Adrian, Julian and Richard O. share 3rd spot. Sweep payout to the top 3.

Competition played on yellow tees in lovely weather. With a strong back nine Richard Hodgkinson won with 37 points, Richard Owen was second with 36 points, closing out with a birdie on 18th, and Julian James was 3rd with 34 points, beating Brian Ransom on countback. Two more birdies for Brian at top of birdie tree and William Balakrishnan storms in with 3 today.

Not a very springlike day with rain and a cold wind – those Friday regulars who were playing in Turkey had much better conditions!

White tees in their summer positions on many holes. So altogether a difficult golfing day and only one player was above 36 points, Russell Stewart, playing early, who won today’s competition. Brian Ransom came in second and now tops the Friday Birdie tree. Third was Chris Rudkin.