Survey 

As promised, the draw took place this week for 3 bottles of wine to be given to those whose names were identifiable from the surveys. These lucky winners are: 

• Dave Salt 
• Anonymous (member identified and will be contacted via telephone) 
• Alan Yeomans 

Please claim your bottle of wine from behind the bar at your convenience. Once again, thank you for your time spent on these surveys-it is much appreciated. 


Trolley (& Driver) Crash Club 

Saturday morning, 10th February saw Leek Golf Club shrouded in an inch of snow, zero temperature, a freezing cold wind and light sleet continuing to fall with a forecast that this would continue for the whole day! Understandably, we were on 18 winter greens. 

Not surprisingly, the Winter Cup League were in no mood to play golf yet three Members insisted that they wanted to play. They even managed to find another (very reluctant) League Member to make up a four ball. They were described by John Prince as "intrepid" as they set off into the snowy, freezing landscape with no idea what a bad start was awaiting them. 

On the first green, the putting "scene" was set when Ken Weir (one of the founder-members of the Trolley Crash Club) attempted to tap in from 12" only to watch the ball pick up slush like a snow-man and stop half-way to the hole. The second hole went without event except that all the clubs and equipment were now thoroughly wet. On the third hole, our newest young recruit, Stuart Eccleston, was taking a practice swing on the tee when the driver slipped out of his hands on the back-swing, flew upwards and outwards (he insisted this was how Greg had showed him to do it) off the course and lodged in the trees alongside the tee but off the course!!

It was hilarious to watch Stuart climbing out over the barbed wire (there to keep people off the course, not on) and actually climb the tree like Bernard Langer. However, Stuart was not climbing to play his ball (which was still sitting on the tee, waiting for him, laughing at him) but to recover his driver. This was a great performance he put on for us and certainly warmed us up - but still the snow kept falling.

I wish I could say that there was a happy ending; that Stuart then hit his best drive of the day but alas, no. It was not surprising that, being a little shaken (partly with laughing at himself) he hit his worst drive of the day - about 10 yards.

Worse was still to come on the 4th hole when Alan Harrison joined the Trolley Crash Club. Alan had hit his tee shot to the right of the main green but avoided the bunkers. Expertly, he pitched his ball over the main green and the bunkers to almost reach the winter green in play. However then, whilst manoeuvring his trolley around the main green, it began to slide toward the bunker. Alan is very attached to his trolley and stoically, he began to wrestle with it, to get himself between the trolley and the bunker. Another "alas" because in trying to do so, he only managed to be the first to slide into the bunker and the faithful trolley followed him in! More laughter kept the group warm again.

Alan`s trolley was damaged but he still managed a 4 for 2 points and went on to par the next hole.. Thereafter, no more events to keep us warm, just a cold, long hard "slog". Ironically, we all went on to score reasonably well with 32 to 36 points each although everyone agreed with the reluctant member that we never should have gone out. T

he moral to the story? I have no idea unless it is to show that the British bulldog spirit is not dead - or is it "Mad dogs and Englishmen…"? You, the reader, decide. 

David (Reluctant) Smith (Endon)


 

Club Events

Please obtain tickets from, or register your name at the bar. Bollywood Night selling fast. Jazz & Blues band - The Scott Ralph Trio a highly acclaimed, award winning local band - not to be missed.

 

 

Pro's Sunday Comp - Sunday 19th February 

1st Place - Ken Hewitt, Ken Ratcliffe & Bill Hurst - 99 Points 
2nd Place - Terry Alcock, Adrian Briggs & Nick Damjanovic - 96 Points - Back 9 - 49 
3rd Place - Roy Morris, Brian Baggaley & Ian Hunt - 96 Points - Back 9 - 48


Winter League (Week 12) Results - Sunday 19th February 2017 

1st - Andy Maton - 45 Points (5 Points) 
2nd - Craig Stanier - 43 Points (4 Points) 
3rd - Chris Jones - 38 Points (3 Points) 
4th - Greg Rogula - 36 Points (2 Points) 
5th - Allan Clarke - 36 Points (1 Points)

New Handicaps:
Andy Maton - 8 
Craig Stanier - 10


Winter League Table - 20th February (After 12 Weeks)