We were blessed with a great day. Sun and “lightish” winds for November.

This was our final qualifying event for the coveted “Player of the Year”. An extremely close fought thing this year!! More later

17 members and 11 guests set out with high expectations on this great course. The greens were understandably slower than in the peak season and there was little run on the fairways, so many found it a challenge.

However skill will out and our guest prize went to Chris Elwin who scored 39 points playing off 6 so 3 over the course! Well played indeed. If I tell you that the winning team score was 40 and Nick Archer and Chris Elwin didn’t win ……………..then you can draw your own conclusions!!!!!!

Anyway, Nearest the Pin and Nearest the Pin in 2 competitions were won by Jason Wood and Neil Meixner respectively. Well done to them.

The team prize was the closest I can ever recall with no less than 9 of the 14 teams returning 38 or better!!

However Jason Wood and Andrew Richardson won on 40 points from both the Neil Blundy/Michael Hodson and Luke/John Molyneux combinations on countback. Great scoring guys.

The Presidents Cup for EPIC Members was hotly contested as ever with Gavin Tuck (cut2) prevailing on 34 points from Jason Wood (cut 1) who pipped Rob Seeley on countback both on 33 points.

So the final arithmetic has been done after the 5 qualifying events for the player of the year which rewards the most constant player over the summer. The best 3 scores from the possible 5 are added to provide a total stableford tally.

In reverse order Jason Wood and Steve Davies 100 points, Chris Anderson 101 points with Iain Stevenson taking the title on 102 points. Many congratulation to Iain .

The next event is the friends and family golf day this year at West Herts on Friday 28th December 2018 starting at 10.30.  Member can find an attendance form in the members section but an  invitation email will be sent in the usual way to members shortly.

A great day out was had by 13 members and their 5 guests.

Scoring was quite good on this testing course with the guest prize being won on count-back by Philip Rex from Phil Bowyer both on 33 points.

The team prize went to Joel Evans and Ian Abley who were well ahead on 44 of two other teams on 41 points.

The Nearest the Pin went to Jason Wood and the Nearest the Pin in 2 to Joel Evans.

Joel also won the Autumn Cup with 34 points (cut 2) from Neil Meixner (cut 1) on count-back.

Congratulations to Joel who  pretty much cleaned up!!!

The next event is East Herts on 8th November. Please try and make it even if its without a guest!!

Despite the good weather there was a poor attendance this year so the committee has decided to bring this event forward one month in the hope that more members will be encouraged to attend!! See you at Sandy Lodge next year!!

The day threatened rain and despite a dry start the rain duly came. A shame as it was the only wet day forecast for days before and after the event.

But did this dampen the enthusiasm of the 47 participants – Not at all!!

19 Members took part (plus Ken Adams nursing a sore hip) and 27 guests.

The course was magnificent and a real challenge to all with anything wayward being punished severely by the heather which either swallowed the golf ball or made it near impossible to play, certainly a real penalty!!

The score reflected the difficulty. It will be interesting to watch the Masters contend with it in early October (11 – 14 to be exact)

A fine meal was enjoyed by all

Guests Steve Chason and James Woolcott won respectively the “Nearest the Pin” and “Nearest the Pin in Two” competitions.

Team Winner were Captain Darrell Lewis and Jeff Lewis with a massive 47 better ball score from Neil Meixner and Digby Hebbard who came second on the back of an eagle on the par 5, 8th by Digby securing 5 stableford points!!

The guest runner-up was Stewart Le Boutillier on 36 points with inevitably Jeff Lewis on 38points taking the top spot! Well done Jeff who has now joined the society.

The Captain’s Cup as usual was hotly disputed with 5 players within 2 shots of the winner, but David Jenkins (34 points – 11 on the last 6- Cut 1) was just pipped on countback  by Steve Haley  (Also 34 points – 13 on the last 6 – Cut 2)

Congratulations to Steve on a great performance.

The hand-picked team to take on the old enemy were primed and ready to go!!

However our opponents once again proved to be much too good and triumphed by an impressive margin!!

What a day we had at Ashridge on Wednesday 4th July!!

15 EPIC members and 12 guests took to the course in high anticipation. The course was dry as was the weather. The greens and tees had been well watered but the pace of the greens was difficult to read. Uphill slow and downhill lightening quick by all accounts.

As usual Ashridge did us proud with a beautifully set up course, a ploughman’s lunch to set us up for the round and a magnificent three course dinner to end a beautiful day.

The ball travelled a long way on the parched fairways which might in some way help to explain the generally high scoring.

Congratulations to Martyn Rowlands on achieving all golfers target in getting his first hole in one on his second hole (11th at Ashridge).

The scorer had some difficulty in assessing the winners in the various categories. Thanks to those who lent a hand in checking cards!!

So to the results – 5 of 7 teams returned the yellow ball but the team of Robert Seeley, Paul Lewis, Charles Gjertsen and John Gale won with 42 points some 9 points ahead of the rest!!!

Nearest the Pin in 2 was guest Tim Percival with another guest Stephen Hyde  picking up the prize for Nearest the Pin .

When it came to the team prize after adjudication Martyn Rowlands and Robert Currie posted a magnificent 50 points. 4 teams on 46+ points must have thought they’d taken the prize. Congratulation to Martyn and his guest Robert on their stellar round!!

Our Guest Winner was Giles Korner with 42 points ahead of second place Paul Lewis on 38. Great scoring once again.

Now to the EPIC Finlinson Cup where two fantastic scores were posted. In runner up spot (cut 1) was Chris Anderson on 41 points but our worthy winner (assisted by his hole in one for 5 stableford points) was Martyn Rowlands on 43 points. His achievement is all the more remarkable as he said he hasn’t played golf since the Charity day exactly one year ago.

Congratulations to Martyn!!

Remember to put Walton Heath in the diary – 12th September!!!!

 

 

We had such a lovely day at Moor Park Golf Club.

The weather was fine (well a couple of drops of rain as we set off). The course was in magnificent fettle (even if the 4th’s Temporary Green was the worst I’ve ever seen – perhaps that’s because they don’t usually do that sort of thing at MP).

Anyway the improvements they’ve made to the course must have toughened it up  as only one player got round in their handicap, more of that later.

The setting for dinner in the main house was fantastic and the food was excellent and with noisy banter as a measure it seemed all enjoyed the day immensely.

Darrell Lewis “El Capo” provided some magnificent prizes which were distributed as follows

Nearest the Pin on 18 – Guest Michael Trott

Nearest the Pin in 2 – Member Steve Davies

Team Prize – Steven Barker and Danny Fois – Poor Danny’s shoulders must have been sore indeed!!!

Guest Prize – Danny Fois on 36 pts

The Spring Cup was a very close affair with 6 players within 2 shots of the winner!! However on Steve Davies lost out on count-back and  Aiden Mahoney (Cut 1) who also narrowly missed out to John Biscoe (Cut 2).

Congratulations to John who of course now leads the “Player of the Year” competition!!!!

For those of you not on tour to Turnberry 15-17 June,  the next event is the Ashridge on 4th July 2018.

Get the date in your diary!!!

 

 

So it was second time lucky!!

The morning dawned bright and sunny – not a hint of the snow that had so cruelly stopped our annual event between Xmas and New Year!!!

Thanks to the 11 members and 4 guests who obviously hadn’t got anything better to do for supporting this rearranged event.

The course played exceptionally well even if the greens were by common consent a little slow. Talking of slow the last group had an early shower as the weather which was generally magnificent closed in for a while.

With 8 prizes and 15 players the chances of a prize was high – despite this yours truly failed to make an impression.

Nearest the Pins were in 2 on the 9th Guest Mick Hutchins and on the 14th Barry Jenkins. The winning “Waltz” team , from second placed Barry Jenkins, Mike Hutchins, Steve Davies and David Torrence on 85 points, were Jason Wood and his guests Brian O’Riordan, Michael Cronin and Julian Bunting on a magnificent 87. They scored a magnificent 10 points on the 15th Hole – Stroke Index 1 . Not bad eh!!!!

Brian O’Riordan won the guest prize on 34 points.

The Recessional Bowl for EPIC Members was hotly contested with Jason Wood only too grateful to have missed that easy putt on 32 points losing out to new boys Aidan Mahoney (Cut 1) who in turn lost out on countback to Steve Davies (Cut 2) on 33 points.

Congratulations to all and I look forward to seeing you all at the AGM!!

New(ish)  for us, it’s the second time, we gathered for an early morning start at East Herts Golf Club to play for the President’s Cup. The morning started misty but we managed some sunshine on a dry and autumnal day.

In the end 16 members and 8 guests completed the challenging course which was a usual in excellent condition, if playing long due to the lush conditions and the challenging rough.

All enjoyed a filling typically English late lunch of Soup, Steak and Ale Pie followed by spotted dick!!! Continue reading “East Herts – 2nd November 2017”

13 members and 7 guests played this year, which is a huge reduction on previous years for this magnificent course!!!

See above. Ian fired his 3rd shot 9 iron at the 4th green only to announce “it was a bit long”!!! We all searched behind the green for a few minutes and then Ian continued looking suggesting we putt out. As I pulled out the flag for Captain Malcolm Marshall to putt there was Ian’s ball nestling neatly in the cup. A fantastic eagle (net albatross) and 5 points for him and the team!!!! Shot of the day I suspect even if none of us saw it!!!!

Unfortunately the weather was not as fine as on previous visits and indeed Ken Adams and John Marsh’s 4-ball were decidedly bedraggled when they returned some time after the rest of us.

However a good time was had by all followed by some excellent banter and a great meal in the Club dining room.

Ian Abley also took the honours on the nearest the pin with a great shot and Darrell Lewis told me that his best shot of the day was to secure the nearest the pin in 2!!!

Team Winners were member Jason Wood and his guest Stuart Collar-Brown on 43 points from three teams on 40, so well done to them.

The guests had a tight competition but coming out on top with 36 points was Steve Haley from Andrew Richardson on 34.

Jason Wood (35pts – cut 1) was once again the bridesmaid in the main competition. Congratulations to new member John Biscoe (cut 2)  on 39 points who took home the Autumn Cup.

I remind you that the next event is East Herts on the 2nd November 2017 08.30 for 09.30 first tee. PUT IT IN YOUR DIARY and get those GUESTS organised.

Neil Meixner – EPIC Secretary