In a first for the society, the weather wiped us out, and it had to be during the most complicated event for RPs – I’ll let Dougal explain things in his note below – but here is the updated OoM after the agreement on what points should be awarded to participants.
Whilst the R&A were hurriedly rescheduling the Open’s 3rd Round Tee Times, playing in 3 balls rather than two balls, off the 1st and 10th at Hoylake – The WHVGS were busily playing/attempting to play two five hour rounds, in our Annual 36 hole Mutliball Scramble and 18 hole Major at the Warwickshire.
In a nutshell – the Mutliball finished with the President’s team up by 1, (5.0 verses 4.0) and we had consumed our dubious looking, (but gluten free), chilli. As we started the afternoon 18, the skies all around got darker and darker, but with visible no sign of any rain we set off…. At about 3.30, just after Ads had got a net 1 (taking him to 5 points after 2 holes) and Bruce (playing of 14) had got 10 points after 4 holes (playing to 1 over), the rain started with a huge clap of thunder and lightning filled the sky – Gregs and Aust literally grabbed their balls and ran for cover – others refrained from grabbing their balls, leaving them to continue post shower and we all buggied off to shelter/safety under a load of trees and next to a tall metal pylon of some description, by the 5th tee. After half an hour the 4th green was a lake, there were rivers running down the 3rd fairway and we had been entertained by the thunder and lightning show. When it was deemed safe(ish) to leg it, we all buggied full tilt back to the club house, which was full of very golfers… At 5pm we called it a day, the course wasn’t officially shut, but it was basically unplayable, plus it was 5pm so we wouldn’t have finished the round.
The Teams were:
The President’s – The Pres, Aust, the TD, Neil, Ads and Boycie
The Captain’s – The Captain, Noz, Tom, Miller, Bruce and Pedro
In the Forest later that night “10 points after 4 holes” Hopkin was quite happily recounting that it was just a minor shower and that we should have carried on. 5 points after 2 holes / net 1 Hogarth didn’t seem to give a monkeys – fire up the attached file and see/hear for yourself. It gets quite good about 3 quarters of the way through the video – I have no idea why it is upside down, I didn‘t take it…
Your Board’s considerations and decisions:
After some debate, your Board have agreed on the following course of action for the remainder of the 2014…
The 2014 OoM
– The OoM Ranking Points (RPs) are weighted around: (1) The CJ, (2) Three other Majors and (3) the Minors
– There is already a concern (by some) that the CJ RP weighting is too high
– We therefore need to hold a Major ranking event in lieu of the President’s to spread the larger RP events across 4 events, rather than just 3 (inc the CJ, with its extra weight).
Timing options / dates :
– Slot a new date in – this is probably not feasible
– Use a current date –makes more sense
Using a current date:
– We could play 36 holes at future Tour Event date with the morning 18 being the President’s “Major”
– The Download is a no go, due to holidays and an associated 40th party that night giving time restrictions
– We don’t like the idea of running two Majors on the same day (eg @ the PEDRO).
– The AA is miles away so not suit bale for a 36 holer and the Spoonholders is dark enough already.
– So the best option appears to be to change one of the Minors it to Major points status and it is best for this not to be the autumnally 5h1ty conditions of the Spoonholders.
– Leaving the AA date… Which actually appears to work well..
The “2014 President’s & Amy Austin”
– The 2014 “Amy Austin” will be a pseudo Major – attracting Major RPs and handicap adjustment, plus the winner will be awarded both the AA “Chrystal Cube” and the “President’s Buckle”.
– We will have 2 longest Drives and 2 nearest the pins – front 9 for the “Presidents” and back nine for the “AA”.
– Currently 10 of the current 12 AA entrants are the same as the 12 which entered the President’s: Pres, Donk, Noz, Juice, Miller, Aust, Gregs, Ads, Neil and Pedro
– I am working to Tom to do the CJ – which would make it 11. Boycie has the Horse of the year show to attend…..?!
– The “new entrants” at the AA are currently: Rob & Mike (Woolly is not playing the Friday) – could benefit by this route, but we have tempered this by agreed some RPs for attendance at the original President’s and for the Ryder Cup points earned…
– The one down side is that if anyone were to win the AA/President’s and the CJ, then they would probably win the OoM, but this has only been done once – by Noz, when he “decided to win that year” and then swept all before him in 2009.
The Award of RPs for the aborted Presidents:
The President’s” Major” was called off with 2 groups only completing 2 holes. However, 12 people attended the Major and they will all get the minimum “Attendance points” for a 12 man Major = 12 (25% of 48)
The “Ryder Cup” element was not completed, but the 18 hole Mutliball was played and completed and will therefore get some recognition. The leading team as it stood after round 1 will all get 5 RPs each (half the normal 10 RPs for the winning team) and everyone will get 1 RP for each Ryder Cup point won, rounded up to full points.
Yours
The Pres
