Venue St. Mary’s GC near Pencoed. – Ideal for us – not too long – 5142yds off yellows, relatively flat and very pretty surroundings and on a good day – possibility of some good scoring!! Regrettably – not to be – the previous weekends weather, (typical bank holiday) and forecasts of high winds and flood warnings, prompted phone calls to St. Mary’s for confirmation that the course would be open, “the course was holding up” they said, but “no buggies”! – Understandably some of the lads wouldn’t be able to play without the use of buggies –(ten pin bowling was suggested as a possible alternative – as we had paid for the coach).
By 9am Wednesday morning (dry & bright) there were still twenty hardy lads, keen, (maybe not keen) prepared to take on the elements, so sharply at 9.30am we set off – we would have done so, had Winston not left his kit in the car park. Pick ups @ Cross Hands and Junction 47 – and 3 times around Pencoed roundabout got us to St. Mary’s promptly at 11am – time for coffee and bacon rolls.
As no one else was using the course, we arranged to tee off early 11.45am (get in as many holes before the weather breaks advised the pro) Paul Williams and I (2nd off) were on the 10th par 3 when the rain started heavily – by the 11th the course was starting to show signs of flooding – by the 12th taking relief for casual water was not an option. By the 15th, the green was starting to hold water – at this point Robert Walters (3rd group out) suggested stopping as we were damaging the course, not to mention we were well and truly drenched!! Had it not been for the weather – I think I may have been concerned, every one rushing for the showers!!
All warm and shining, we meet up in the bar for a well deserved drink – Dinner was at 6pm, by which time, those not driving were starting to really enjoy the day – small problem though, there were choices, for Starter, – Main course and Desserts selected and ordered weeks ago. Someone had forgotten what they had ordered (one of the problems of becoming a Senior) it so happened that Winston was to be served last! – “I didn’t order melon”, – “mine was soup”! – Main Course, – Winston, “I don’t like beef! – I ordered Chicken & Rice, I don’t eat beef”!! Waiter – “sorry sir, that’s all that’s left”! – by now the rest of us are cracking up (probably because of the wine and beer intake) there were requests for the person to own up and return the Chicken dish. For dessert, Winston had ordered Apple Crumble, David the waiter, was asked to serve Winston first to ensure he had the sweet he ordered, but, offer him the Gateau and say the crumble was off – David maintained the professional service and approached carrying the Gateau & then produced one Apple Crumble before Winston had a fit – It must be said, the food was superb, and made a perfect finish to the day – Robert did the short speech and presentations: – Prizes to the following:-
Longest drive 3rd hole – Paul Williams
Nearest the pin 7th hole - Les Burgoyne
4th – Ian Robertson
3rd - Paul Williams
2nd - Les Burgoyne
1st - Dave Wood
First to concede and leave the course (and obviously the one with the most common sense) – Gerry Lewis – and not to forget, “poor Winston”, for inadvertently supplying some of the evenings entertainment. All things considered – not such a bad day after all – the good company more than made up for the bad weather.