Match Report
Sat 09 - Sun 10 Jul 2011 - Gold Doubles Club Tournament
The first of the Club competitions to be concluded, the Handicap Golf doubles, was played over the weekend of July 9th & 10th. The event was ably organised by Ron George, who also refereed. Twelve pairs entered, playing in two blocks, with the final between the winner of each block. Games were 19 point, with a time limit of 1hour 15 minutes. Each pair played three games on the Saturday, and two on the Sunday, with the final to follow.
Saturday was distinctly chilly, with several competitors appearing to be dressed more for Arctic warfare than high summer croquet! However, Sunday was kinder, and players could even be seen in shirt sleeves & shorts. Lawns were rather slow, 1 being, as usual, a bit slower than 2.
At the end of the preliminary rounds, the there was a close tussle for the lead in group 1, with Tony Jennings (handicap 7) and Maggie Dawson (9) emerging with a half-point lead over Jenny Burrows & Pam George, 4.5 to 4. In group 2, Barry & David Edwards (9 & 4) had a clear win with 4.5 points, with Dorianne Forsdick & Russell Moore pursuing on 3 points.
The final was therefore played between Jennings & Dawson, and the Edwards’s, with Tony Jennings having three free turns (another example of what some think is an oddity of Golf doubles handicapping where the 2nd strongest player often gets free turns, and the nominally weakest get none). The game started badly for the Edwards, who didn’t manage to do much right, and well for Jennings & Dawson, who were playing well & controlling the hoops, quickly going to a 4-1 lead. However, a fight back was staged, and going into hoop 18, Jennings & Dawson led 9-8. The Edwards’s couldn’t get 18, & go to golden hoop, leaving Maggie & Tony well deserving winners at a final score of 10-8.
Winners: Tony Jennings and Maggie Dawson. Runners up: David and Barry Edwards,
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| Tony Jennings and Maggie Dawson, winners (right) David and Barry Edwards, runners up (left) |
Tony Jennings makes winning hoop |