Bacon Takes Down the Gibbon

Reporting from the Winner – images by the WD

After a long, cold, snowy and WHV golf-less winter, the 2011 WHVGS season began with a bang at Shirley Golf Club on Saturday 26 March. Never before have I felt my nickname was so ill judged, as when I was tucking into my beef sausage sandwich at just after 10.00 in the aforementioned club’s lounge. That said, the sandwich and cuppa went down very well.

After the sarnies, a very healthy field of 13 players then walked to the first tee for the ceremonial opening of the 2011 season. At this point, I must formally welcome one new member and one returning member to the WHV fold; so welcome to Huge and Pal o’Onions and I hope you both have great seasons.

He loves cupping balls

As the winner of the 2010 Order of Merit, it fell to me to open the 2011 season using the WHV “Spoon”. I had been dreaming about this moment all week and all those dreams had ended with me striking a great shot straight down the middle of the fairway.

Thank goodness then that my dreams came true and my second shot was indeed from the middle of the fairway. The fact that it was the middle of the 10^th fairway was not in my dream, however a little 8 iron got me back on track. For this first round of the season, I played with our esteemed President and Ads and we all began our rounds solidly. Not quite as solidly as Pal o’ Onions, who birdied the 1^st and became the first recipient of the WHVGolf.com magnetic ball marker. Also on the first was the straightest drive competition and this was bagged by Campo. The Big Dog was played for on the 5^th and it was Coops who opened his shoulders enough to take home the prize.

After the first 9 holes, the President and I were tied on 14 points and Ads was on 11. While this was far from spectacular scoring, all three of us felt we were playing OK and striking the ball well and this gave us all hope for the back 9. As it turned out I played some very solid golf on the back 9 and came back with 24 points giving me a total of 38. You will all, especially Web Donk, be amazed to hear that I actually putted relatively well (Ed – not really, the greens were HORRIBLE, so suited to your finesse touch). That score of 38 was not bettered as the other groups got back into the lounge and consequently I was announced as the winner of the 2011 Gibbon Invitational. A very happy start to the 2011 season.

All in all it proved to be a great event and congratulations should go to the TD for his excellent organisational skills. As a result of the scoring on the day there was one handicap cut, one remained the same and 11 were increased. Finally, the official payouts of the event were as follows: 1st & £10 to Bacon, 2nd & £5 to Juice, 3^rd went to the Pres, the WHV Big Dog & £5 to Coops, the WHV Shark & £5 to Ron, the Straightest Drive & Suisse Bier Stein went to Campo and finally the WHV Foot and a Half went to Pal o’ Onions.

See you all on April 9 for the Spittle Shield.

Bacon.

And here are some other shots from the day: