This week saw 40 (41) members and 4 (6) guests make the annual pilgrimage to la Manga. There was a sense of anticipation before play started as this course is a favourite of many people. So it was a little disappointing to find the greens were still recovering from their recent hollow-tining and were woolly and slow. There was no excuse for the state of the bunkers, however – they were hard packed, sand less and in many cases very wet. All very strange on a premium golf course. Mind you it’s hard to think of a local course which has good bunkers.
The course was playing long and the wind gradually got up during the day to keep the scoring in check. Only two players managed 36 points and some of the other scores don’t bear mentioning. You will be pleased to hear that Alan Mac has recovered remarkably well from his tumble – so well in fact that he was back to his normal scoring (twenty something) after last week’s superb 38 points.
We were 3 players light at the start of play after Colin Smith and his two guests went MIA – they finished their round, to a great round of applause, just as we finished the prize giving – no prizes for them however.
There were two matches in our match-play league 1 this week – Norman Cahill beat Theo Blowhole 7 holes to 6 and Robin Eastman – he who does everything – beat Daz Hancock 8 holes to 6.
Best guest this week was Andy Forrest who came in with a steady 32 points.
Nearest the pin prizes – sponsored by Mick Roscoe and the Property Shop – went to Matt Taylor, Paul lambert, Phil de Lacy and Norman Cahill. Special mention to Paul Lambert – I measured 207 yards to the pin on my scope on hole 5, the pin was behind a bunker and he hit to about 3 feet – great shot.
Prizes in bronze category this week went to – 4th Sandra Dibble 31, 3rd Mike Kaylor 32, 2nd Ron ‘still Shaky’ Stenhouse, again, with 34 and a very fine 36 from the winner Ralph Tilbrrok.
Silver was very close – 4th Norman Cahill 30, 3rd Phil de Lacy 32 losing on countback to Kev Allbright who also remarkably had 32, first was that smash and grab merchant Dave Blackburn 33 who always seems to do well whenever he is here.
The lower handicappers in gold produced some very similar scoring 4th Matt Taylor 32, 3rd John Humphries 33, 2nd Greame Forbes 35 and 1st was Dave Alderdice with the best score in the division and overall – on countback from Ralph.
The abacus prize for the last of the runners-up went to John Rose – score only on application – kindly sponsored by Mike Kaylor of Mike’s IPTV.
SMGS entered two teams in the support Prostate Cancer event at Visabella last Saturday. We donated €455 raised by the members through the “blob tin”. To find out more visit our website smgs.org or give our Captain Tony Smale a call on 639129223. Next week we are at Alicante golf and the following weeks at El Plantio and Vistabella.
