2010 Club Champion

Congratulations, Ian!

Oxley game - 5th December 2010

A big hand to all those nine brave souls who ventured out for the last game of the season, we all knew we would be getting wet it was just a question of how much. As it turned out I think we suffered about nine holes of dry & nine holes of rain & 18 holes of footrot. But strangely enough I think we tended to quite enjoy the day, with nobody in front & nobody behind us we got round in, considering the conditions, quite a good time.

Scores were not the best we have had, but then we were in some of the worst weather conditions we’ve had to contend with all year, so well done to all of us I say.

Congratulations to our club champion for 2010 – Mr Ian Smith - who couldn’t make it to this game, he had to go camping instead! [Ed: or so he says!] He had already performed brilliantly throughout the year & had enough points on the board to afford to miss out, bend to the will of the family & sit in a tent in the rain. Well done Ian, you know we will all be gunning for you next year.

Now the results:
1st place on 33 pts – Ken Greedy.
2nd place on 29pts – Paul Lockwood-Lee.
3rd place on 29pts (on count back) – David Coster.

Ladies longest drive – Karen Greedy.
Men’s longest drive – Mark Coster.
NTP 3rd – Rodney Topor.
NTP 9th – Mark Coster

Thanks to everyone who turned up for this game and indeed to all players throughout the year.

It only leaves me to wish you all a very merry Christmas & happy new year; I hope we all come back next year with shiny new bits and pieces, which will improve your games from the big man with the beard. (That’s Santa not Ken.)

See you in February.

Regards for now (Captain) Paul.

Next year: 2011 program!

Here is the program for 2011. I apologise that 2 games are on public holidays but I was unable to avoid this. Please arrange to keep all these dates free. You have plenty of time!

Date	Course	Arrival	Tee-off	Pro Shop
13 February	Virginia	6.45am	7.00am	3267 7057
20 March	Redland Bay	7.00am	7.20am	3206 8143
10 April	Mt Warren Park	6.15am	6.30am	3287 1951
8 May (*)	Mcleod Country	6.45am	7.00am	3376 3922
12 June (**)	Windaroo Lakes	7.15am	7.30am	3804 0655
17 July	Nudgee South	7.20am	7.35am	3267 5885
14 August	Royal Pines Resort (Ladies Masters Course)	8.10am	8.40am	1800 886 880
11 September	Carbrook	6.45am	7.00am	3287 6440
9 October	Gailes	7.15am	7.30am	3271 1045
6 November	Keperra (holes 1-18)	6.40am	6.55am	3355 7744
4 December	Oxley (10th tee)	6.20am	6.35am	1300 135 654

(*) 8 May is Mother's Day. (**) 12 June is Queen's Birthday weekend.

Next game: 5 December at Oxley Golf Club

(Sorry for this late announcement.)

The final game for this year will be at Oxley Golf Club, 290 Boundary Road, Oxley, on Sunday 5 December, arrival at 5.45am (long after sunrise!) for tee-off at 6.00am. The number of the Pro Shop there is 1300 135 654 (I think).

Navigation to the course is straightforward: Either Ipswich Motorway to Blunder Rd, or Hellawell Rd-Learoyd Rd-Inala Ave to Blunder Rd, and then to Boundary Road.

Ian assures me the course is in excellent condition.

It seems that Ian (Mr Consistency) has the Player of the Year award all wrapped up, so I hope Paul is offering a second prize to keep the rest of us motivated!

As usual, please let me know asap if you wish to play. If you have to withdraw, again, please let me know asap.

Progress on the 2011 schedule is going well. More details soon.

Please send me any suggestions you have for attracting new members in 2011.

Look forward to seeing you at Oxley.

Keperra game - 7th November 2010

12 players turned up for what I suspect was a day some of us wished we hadn’t bothered.

The less said about the second nine holes (19 through 27) the better, perhaps in a few months these will be in a more acceptable condition, however I have to give my comments a little perspective and confess to an absolute shocker of a game for myself especially on that nine.

We (last group) must have spent more time searching for balls than actually playing them so the frustration levels just grew and grew.

Now the results:
1st place on 33 pts – Rodney Topor.
2nd place on 32pts – Ian Smith.
3rd place on 29pts – Janine Walker.

Ladies longest drive – Janine Walker.
Men’s longest drive – Ian Smith.
NTP on 25 (only one went off) – Rodney Topor.

Thanks to everyone who turned up, next game is at Oxley on the 6th December, hope to see lots of us there for the final game of the year.

Regards for now (Captain) Paul.

Next game: 7 November at Keperra Country Golf Club

The next game is at Keperra Country Club, Duggan Street Keperra 4054, on Sunday 7 November. The Pro Shop number there is 3355 7744. Navigation to the course is tricky; one nameless member failed to find the course last year! Probably the simplest way is to come up Enogerra Road and then along Samford Road, but study the map carefully yourselves before setting off. I think it takes about 20 minutes from Brisbane CBD.

FBOW, I've negotiated a later starting time: Arrival at 7.10am for tee-off at 7.25am. But for only 12 players, so book early!

It's a good country course, with plenty of shade, as I recall.

As usual, please let me know asap if you wish to play. If you have to withdraw, again, please let me know asap.

I look forward to seeing you at Keperra and to a great day.

Real golf club membership

This is a copy of an email I just sent to a friend, that might be of more general interest.

Most real golf club years run from 1 October to 30 September, so if anyone is thinking of joining a real golf club this is the time to do it.

In my opinion, if you want to improve as a golfer you need to be a member of a real golf club and play in regular competitions (and have lessons and practice). Ordinary membership at a good golf club around Brisbane can be had for less than $1000 p.a., 5-day membership is obviously less. There's also a small joining fee. This is good value if you are able to play in a competition once a week. (Although membership means you don't have to pay green fees, you still have to pay $10+ to enter each competition, this goes towards the prizes.) If you're committed to improving, want an AGU handicap, and are able to play every second week or more frequently, I think it's still reasonable value. Joining a club also means joining a community, making new friends, etc., etc.

If you just want to have fun playing social golf more often, even every second week, then there's probably little point in joining a club.

I'm very pleased I joined Carbrook Golf Club 3 years ago, I enjoy the competitions, the company, the course, the improvement in my golf game, just disappointed that my handicap is currently going up not down, haven't really figured out why yet.

Just my thoughts.

Gailes game cancelled

Only eight players had put their names down to play at Gailes. On Saturday afternoon, the weather forecast was for heavy rain and high winds on Sunday. So after several emails and phone calls and text messages on Saturday afternoon, we decided to cancel the game. Ironically, as shown in this radar map at 9.42am, the storm remained off-shore, so, although it would have been cool and damp, it probably would have been possible to play after all. Oh well.

Now only 2 games left for players to catch Ian in the player-of-the-year race.

Next game: 10 October at Gailes Golf Club

The next game is at Gailes Golf Club at 229 Wilruna Street, Wacol, opposite Gailes railway station, on Sunday 10 October. The phone number of the pro shop there is 3271 1045.

It's another early start I'm afraid: arrival at 6.30am for tee-off at 6.45am.

Lots of wildlife on the Gailes course, bring your cameras!

If you're driving South down Ipswich Motorway, exit at Progress Road. If you're arriving from the East, it might be better to come along Progress Road and cross the Motorway near Wacol railway station. Players have had difficulty crossing Ipswich Motorway from Logan Motorway in the past because of road works. Anyone know if this is now straightforward?

In the program, we said this game might be a 4-ball best ball (4BBB) Stableford competition. For those who don't know what this means, players play in teams of two, each team member completes each hole with their own ball, and the better of the two team members' Stableford scores is the team's score for that hole. This kind of competition has the advantage that it's as fast to play as a normal single Stableford comp, that each player plays their own ball to completion, that the team element sometimes adds an extra dimension to your choice of shot, that it provides a change to the normal single Stableford comp, and that players may have a good result even if they don't play very well.

I hope as many players as possible will choose to play at Gailes. Please let me know if you intend to play. If you intend to play, please let me know whether you'd like to try the 4BBB Stableford comp or would prefer the normal single Stableford comp, and we'll go with the majority. If you say you're playing and have to withdraw afterwards, please let me know asap.

I look forward to seeing you at Gailes and to a great day.

Griffith Golf Day

The University organised a Golf Day at Logan City Golf Club on Friday 17 September, and members of Griffith University Social Golf Club were, not surprisingly, well represented! The competition was a 4-person Ambrose.

A team from INS (Chris, Ellen, Sudath and Ian) went as Bonnie and Clyde:

Needless to say they won the Best Costume prize. But they didn't score very well.

A mixed team from GBS, ENV and ICT (Owen, Owen's brother Paul, Jane and me) scored much better (66 gross, 55+ nett), but were beaten by a team of burglars! Honesty compels me to admit that Paul is a very strong player.


An ER team (Janine, Ken, Karen and another) performed embarrassingly badly and the less said the better. Perhaps it's fortunate I don't have a photo of them.

Howard played in an FBS team, and I guess they came in the middle somewhere.

Fun was had by all!

New Club Champion Trophy

So here's a photo of Dan and the trophy he's generously donated, and a close-up of the trophy. Thanks Dan!





This is what you're (we're?) playing for guys.

Carbrook game - 12th September 2010

A very early start didn’t deter 11 tired souls from venturing out to the home of the shark (in the pond) Carbrook, also home to three of my least favourite holes 10/11 & 12, as a high handicap player these require a bit more skill than I possess. As it turned out I think the putting was possibly a bit of a problem for some of us, I know it was for me.

The top 4 of the league table didn’t get any of the points which were on offer, which would have been pleasing to see apart from the fact I was fourth until today, which just shows on any day anyone in our small club can come away with a win. I think everyone was being a bit generous to the club by not taking any of the nearest to the pin prize balls, as we all managed to stuff up on the two easier par threes.

Big thanks go to Dan Williams for the donation of the new trophy which will be given to the club champion at the end of the year, This act coincidently occurred on the very same day that Dan came out on top of the field, so again thanks very much and someone give me his card again for closer scrutiny.

Now the results:
1st place on 38pts - Dan ‘the trophy man’ Williams.
2nd place on 37pts – Mark ‘take a look at my handicap’ Coster.
3rd place on 34pts – Rodney ‘ I only play here all the time’ Topor.

Ladies longest drive – Another local – Jane Hughes
Men’s longest drive – Mark ‘seriously look at his handicap’ Coster.

Thanks to everyone who turned up, next game is at Gailes on the 10th of October, hope that loads turn up (I’m on hols, so probably won’t see you, but then I’m nervous about my ever lowering position in the league so you never know)

Regards for now (Captain) Paul.

Next game: 12 September at Carbrook Golf Club

The next game is at the beautiful Carbrook Golf Club at 653 Beenleigh - Redland Bay Rd, Carbrook. The phone number of the pro shop there is 3287 6440.

Arrival time is 5.55am for tee-off at 6.10am. I'm sorry it's so early. I wasn't paying sufficient attention when I made the booking. (As penance, I'm going to play with just 5 clubs again.) I've asked for a later tee-time and will let you know if there is any change.

As I said, it's a beautiful course (Jane and I are members there). The Club will be in the middle of playing its Club Championship, so the course should be in excellent condition and the greens will be true and fast. Practice putting on the nearest sloping hard surface you can find! :-)

To get there, most people should take exit 30 off the Pacific Motorway and drive about 7 km towards Redland Bay. The entrance is at the start of a sweeping right-hand bend. It takes about 15 minutes to get there from Springwood.

Please play and let me know as soon as possible if you are playing. If you have to withdraw afterwards, please let me or Paul know asap.

I hope all the leaders and wannabe challengers in the FedUp Cup will be there; the competition is getting intense as the year's end approaches.

I look forward to seeing you at Carbrook and to a great day.

Photos from Royal Pines

As Ian requests, Ian receives. I started uploading photos to this blog, but I discovered Blogger only allows quite small photos. So I uploaded them to my MobileMe site instead (the first time I've used it). I hope this is OK.

http://gallery.me.com/rtopor#100002

I'm not game to offer swing advice, but please note whether players are playing off the front (correct) or back (incorrect) foot, and whether they have their arms extended (correct) or bent (not) at impact.

Also, please note that the earliest of these photos were taken in very difficult backlit conditions. And I was deliberately trying to capture the moment of impact, though it's easier to capture the end of the follow-through (and easier to see the player's face that way). Next time.

It's best to use the Slideshow button if you can find it. You can download images, but if you'd like a larger version of any image (for some weird reason), please ask! Enjoy.

Royal Pines game - 15 August 2010

Resort Recreation.

First off a quick sorry for the lateness of this report, my work PC died on Monday morning, so I had to wait until I could get to another machine.

We had 14 players for our Ambrose game this year at the very nice Royal Pines championship course; thankfully it did not include the blue nine, which from past experience can very quickly destroy any high handicappers.

We went with more sociable pairings this year, as we had a number of family/spouse/visitor friend’s combinations to accommodate.

I think this worked out alright, but if you would rather different partnership at any time just ask and I’ll see if I can shuffle folks into groups they would prefer?

The game itself came down to two pairs who would appear to have been on fairly hot form, those being Jane & Andrew and Owen & Dan, these groups came at nearly 5 to 6 shots better than the next pair.

The person going home with the most (golf) balls was Andrew who cleaned up all three of the available NTP & LD men's prizes. This left only the female LD prize which went to Liz Muenchow.

Of the rest of us , well I think Mark & David were traumatised by watching Ian & Howard belting the ball around, Ken & Karen have both just before the game got new clubs (we’ve all been there) so they can be forgiven, Liz & Janine went in with the highest overall Hcp & played close to that & then Rodney and myself couldn’t decide who would hit it wild and long & who would hit safe and short, so we both hit short and not very safe, so we didn’t really give ourselves too many par & birdie chances.

Now for the results:

NTP 7th and 14th Andrew Mather

LD Men's Andrew Mather

LD Ladies Liz Muenchow

1st place on (Nett) 62.50pts Dan Williams and Owen Wright

2nd on 63.50 Jane Hughes and Andrew Mather

3rd on 68.25 Ian Smith and Howard Ward

4th on 68.50 Rodney Topor and Paul Lockwood-lee

5th on 72.25 Janine Walker and Liz Muenchow

6th on 72.50 Mark and David Coster

7th on 74.50 Karen and Ken Greedy

Thanks to all those who came out to play, hope to see you all soon.

Next game is 12th September at Carbrook.

Regards Paul (Captain)

Next game: 15 August at Royal Pines

Royal Pines is a beautiful resort course on the Gold Coast, where the Australian Ladies Masters is played each year. This year, the Club is able to charge members only $45 for the privilege, nonmembers only $62.50. These prices include an electric cart! Members have priority, as places may be limited, so please confirm your attendance early.

Arrival time is 7.00am for tee-off at 7.20am. We will play a 2-person Ambrose competition. Please be on time as we need "instruction" on how to play the course and as we need time to organise (random) Ambrose partnerships.

Royal Pines is in Ross St, Ashmore, between Southport-Nerang Road and Nerang-Broadbeach Road. You can enter the resort coming along Ross St from either direction. I estimate it takes about 40 minutes to get there from Springwood.

To contact the Pro Shop (should be unnecessary as carts are included), call 1800 886 880 and ask for the Pro Shop.

This post is very late, but we still have room for two more players, so anyone who is interested and has not already said they are playing should contact me immediately.

If you say you are playing, and then discover you can't play, it's essential that you let me or Paul know immediately.

I look forward to seeing you at Royal Pines (I won't miss it!) and to a great day.

Next game preview: 15 August at Royal Pines

This is a big event, an opportunity to play on a resort course, where the Australian Ladies Masters is played each year. A beautiful course on the Gold Coast. This year, the Club is able to charge members only $45 for the privilege, nonmembers only $62.50. These prices include an electric cart! Members have priority, as places may be limited. Arrival time is 7.00am for tee-off at 7.20am. Clear all your other commitments so you are free to play. More details later.

Rodney

Big 4 "membership"

Just thought I'd add this offer to the site as it is something I will probably take up.
For $134 you get 4 free rounds of golf, reduced rates for other rounds and an AGU handicap. This means you will be able to access open days at other golf courses and other amateur competitions.
I found out about this through a friend who was singing the praised of the Hills course (Jason Day's old stomping ground) and its ease of access on weekends.
cheers
Ian
http://www.goldcoastcountryclub.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44

Redcliffe Golf Club Game - 18th July 2010

Red letter day at Redcliffe

A small band of eight ventured out to Redcliffe on a beautiful day to enjoy what I thought was a course in very good nick.
The course condition was not then responsible for the moderately middling scores posted by seven of us, ranging from 11 to 29 pts which is a little below our normal efforts, I think we were all just enjoying a nice stroll in the sunshine & forgot to get quite into the grove, I know I couldn’t (although if it wasn’t for my Driver, bunker play & putting I would have been ok).
The one notable exception to this was Ian Smith, now we all know what a good player he is (being our lowest handicapper) but David, Hilary & myself who made up his group, were left thinking “did he hit any bad shots?” (Well there was one, but he recovered from that) He turned in a PAR first nine & slipped to 3 over on the second nine. We tried to put him off of course, but Hilary’s sand save hole out & my 80mtr pitch into the cup, just seemed to drive him on. I even tried telling him often how well he was doing, telling him his score etc, but nothing fazed him (anti-freeze for blood)
It was great to watch.

Now for the scores.
1st place with 43pts – Ian Smith
2nd place on count back on 29pts – George Chapman
3rd place on 29pts – David Westover

NTP (2nd hole) – Ian Smith
NTP (13th I think) – Owen Wright
Long Drive Mens – Ian Smith
Long Drive Ladies – Judith Chapman (well done Judith)

Congratulations to Ian on a fine round.
Many thanks to the small bands of golfers for making an appearance at our most northerly stop on the calendar.
Hope to see as many as possible at the special game next month at Royal Pines on the 15th of August.

Regards for now Paul (Captain)

Next game: 18 July at Redcliffe Golf Club

At last! A late start!!

The next game for the year will be held on 18 July at Redcliffe Golf Club in Handsworth Street, Clontarf. This is just off Elizabeth Avenue immediately after you cross the Hornibrook Bridge. The number of the Pro Shop at Redcliffe is 3284 2957.

Arrival time is a civilised 7.55am for tee-off at 8.10am.

Redcliffe is a very pleasant course, with the distinguishing feature that the 9th green is as far as possible from the clubhouse, as I once discovered to my dismay when a round had to be truncated after 9 holes! Fortunately there's a kiosk and toilet that you pass several times during the round.

Please let me know as soon as possible whether or not you will be playing at Redcliffe. If you say you are playing, and then discover you can't play, please let me or Paul know in advance.

Pacific Game - 13 June 2010

Lord of the Pings

The Return of the King

The Dark Lord (George) is still atop his tower (the league table) coveting the crown he one day hopes will be his, however the return of last years champion Owen Wright (the King) and the ever reliable ever annoyingly good, Ian Smith, have cut into his lead.

It is now shaping up at this the halfway stage of the year as though we could be in a battle more ferocious than that at Helms Deep.

On a chill morning the Pacific course played as we expected it would (like crossing Mordor in the dark). It was very difficult and quite brutal (also dangerous for the poor group in front of us, sorry group 2 from group 3).

The cards indicated none of us had a really decent round, we will all have to re-group for Redcliffe to repair those dented prides.

The results were as follows:

NTP 13th – Rodney Topor

Mens long drive 18th – Rodney Topor (NB this may never happen again - ed)

Ladies long drive 18th – Karen Greedy

1st place on 31pts – Owen Wright

2nd place on 28pts – Ian Smith

3rd place on 26pts (on count back) – Paul Lockwood-Lee

Also on 26pts Mark Coster, who missed out on count back (strangely the count back was calculated by myself).

Many thanks to all who turned up to be thoroughly demoralised, hope to see you at Redcliffe on the 18th July.

Regards
Captain Paul.

Next game: 13 June at Pacific Golf Club

The next game for the year will be held on 13 June at Pacific Golf Club at 430 Pine Mountain Road, Carindale, off Creek Road.

Arrival time is 6:15am for tee-off at 6.30am. Sorry for the early start. The number of the Pro Shop at Pacific is 3343 9487.

Pacific is a long, hilly, and challenging course. Practice up. I hope Pacific members George and Owen will turn up to give us some local advice and show us the best way round.

Please let me know as soon as possible whether or not you will be playing at Pacific. If you say you are playing, and then discover you can't play, please let me or Paul know in advance.

I look forward to seeing you at Pacific and to a great day.

Rodney

McLeod Game - 9th May 2010

On Mothers day, we still managed 11 players, which kind of indicates we may love our golf a little more than we should. However we did get finished early so perhaps all the presents, flowers, etc were given out in the afternoon.

A lovely day weather wise with a bit of a chill first up but within a couple of holes everyone was warmed up by the morning sun ; temperatures in the mid 20’s ; beautiful blue skies, why would you want to be anywhere else.

On the course, it was, and this will come as no surprise, Ken who was losing his head both figuratively and literally, with the loss of his pitching wedge head (snapped a few inches up the shaft) into the trees between the 9th tee and 8th green, quite why he was approaching the 8th green via the 9th tee area I perhaps don’t have to explain to any of you who have played with Ken before. His tee shot on the 17th was worth the price of admission alone.

I cannot bag anyone too much this month as I had a pretty poor time of it myself, although judging by the spread of scores, which only had a difference between top and bottom of 13pts, we all had possibly a few shots we would not like to take home to mother.

Now the scores:

NTP 2nd hole – Owen Wright
NTP 6th hole – Ian Smith
Men’s L/D – Ken Greedy (nice one Ken)
Women’s L/D – alas no one. (Good thing as the LD marker is now permanently a part, somewhere, of the McLeod course)

And for the placing:

1st on 35pts (playing with only 5 clubs as a penance for missing Logan ) - Rodney Topor

2nd on 32pts - Mr Ian (the guru) Smith
3rd on count back on 30pts - Mr Dan (outrageous shorts) Williams
(Pipped for third on count back was Janine Walker, whom I’ve awarded a point on the table, as I’ve made a captains ruling for third place getters in this type of situation)

A big thanks to all who stayed back for the AGM afterwards, which at about 10mins long, needs to be pared back a bit next year, as most of us cannot concentrate long enough to take a putt without minds drifting to something else.

Thanks to McLeod for the course, even though they have some tricky par 3’s out there.

See you next time at Pacific on the13th June.

Your Captain Paul.

Next game: 9 May at Mcleod Country Golf Club

The next game for the year will be held on 9 May at Mcleod Country Golf Club, Gertrude Mcleod Crescent, Mt Ommaney. To get there, find your way to the Centenary Motorway, take the exit at Sumners Rd or Mt Onnaney Centre, and wend your way westward to the course.

Arrival time is 6:20am for tee-off at 6.35am. The number of the Pro Shop at Mcleod is 3376 3922.

Mcleod Country Golf Club is a ladies club, so it's appropriate that we're playing there on Mothers Day. However, the early start will leave you plenty of time to get home for lunch with your mother or children as appropriate, so using Mothers Day as an excuse not to play is not acceptable! So there!!

Oh, just remembered, there'll be a really, really short AGM immediately after the game, for which we hope all players will remain. The committee is looking for new members; please think about volunteering!

I want to offer my apologies for not playing in the 4-club competition at Logan earlier this month. As penance, I will play at Mcleod with just 5 clubs. The results at Logan suggest that the lack of clubs didn't affect the top players' scores anyway!

Please let me know as soon as possible whether or not you will be playing at Mcleod. If you say you are playing, and then discover you can't play, please let me or Paul know in advance.

I look forward to seeing you at Mcleod and to a great day.

Rodney

Logan City Golf Club Game – 11th April 2010

(Hole numbers 10 through 27 played)

12 players made it for the changed format game of 3 clubs and a putter. One of those not making the day was Rodney, whose idea it was to play this 4 club contest. Now normally you’d expect me to be unkind & ridicule Rodney for not being there, but as it turned out I think most people had a reasonable game.

The first nine was played in fairly comfortable conditions with the sun staying hidden behind a gentle mist; I think I’m right in saying the better scoring was to be had in this first nine judging by the cards I saw at the end of the day.

Then the sun came out, the humidity went up & the games started to show the cracks. Even though we were only dragging around bags with 4 clubs, it was still very draining on our physical & mental resourses.

The results are as follows:

NTP 20th hole George Chapman

NTP 24th hole Owen Wright

LD (ladies) Janine Walker

LD (men's) Ian Smith

1st place on 45 points George Chapman

2nd place on 40 points Ashutosh Misra

3rd (on count back) 40 pts Paul Lockwood-Lee

Most other scores were up there as well, so the combination of the 4 club format twined with Logan’s set up made for a good day.

Many thanks to all those who turned up & we hope to see you at Mcleod on the 9th of May, where we will also hold the annual AGM (only takes about 10 mins). If anyone wishes to take up a position on the committee then by all means come along and throw your hat in the ring, we are always grateful for any volunteers.

Also thanks to Logan City Golf Club for the good social club package they offered.

See you soon,

Captain Paul.

Next game: 11 April at Logan City

The third game for the year will be held on 11 April at Logan City Golf Club, Golf Course Rd, Meadowbrook. I expect all of you know the course, but it's clearly signposted on Loganlea Rd, about half way between Pacific Mwy and Logan Mwy.

Arrival time is 6:15am for tee-off at 6.30am. The number of the Pro Shop at Logan is 3299 6518.

The course should be in good condition after all this rain (assuming it stops before then).

After the rather damp Redland Bay game, the committee members present decided that, for a change, this Logan game would be a 3 clubs plus putter competition (as previously foreshadowed). This means you have to think before the game which 3 clubs (in addition to your putter) you will use. (And no, you can't leave your putter at home and putt with your hybrid!) It might help to remember that there are no sand bunkers at Logan! Personally, I'm undecided whether to take driver/hybrid/9-iron, or driver/6-iron/wedge. Longer hitters will no doubt make other choices. It will be interesting to see what choices different players make.

If you wish to use your full set of clubs you are perfectly welcome to do so - we definitely don't want to discourage anyone from playing - but in that case you just won't be eligible to win any prizes.

My own experience using 2 clubs (hybrid/9-iron) plus putter in one round last year is that using the same clubs repeatedly during a round helps you get better at hitting them cleanly, which is the most important factor in scoring well, at least for us high handicappers.

And you have all Easter to practice with your chosen clubs!

So, please let me know as soon as possible whether or not you will be playing at Logan. If you say you are playing, and then discover you can't play, please, please let me or Paul know in advance.

I look forward to seeing you at Logan and to a fun competition.

Rodney

Results from Redland (Bay)

A wet, windy, sometimes sunny, sometimes humid but always soggy under foot day was had by all attendees of the Redland Bay game (14.03.2010).

Group One: The “Local hero” theme music was being played through the PA system as the tall slim elegant figure of our cycling superstar David Westover, approached the club house, unfortunately he had fallen by the wayside, to the club house bar, by the end of the first nine holes a crumpled and hollow figure bearing no resemblance to the gladiator of just two hours before, from there he could pose no further threat to those of us scrambling for those precious points in the race for the “Fed Up Cup”. [Very good! --Ed.]

That left just nine, of David’s original group there was now just the two players, Hilary and Howard. I knew Hilary would fail as she would be traipsing around the back nine all the time thinking why couldn’t it be herself who was cool & dry in the club house knocking back the gin & tonics.

Howard! Well he tried hard, but after capturing a nearest the pin prize on the tricky 16^th he thought his day was all over, dreaming about the magnificent golf ball prize he would be getting and fell to pieces.

Group Two: Judith, George, David & Mark. Well I don’t know what happened to Judith, when I see her play she’s always trying & gets around with a song and a dance in her step, but put her in the same group as Lord Vader & somehow she turns the air blue with cursing (this is normally Ken's job). Mark came along, but frankly in his effort in trying to impress his Dad (David) he must have lost the plot; his Dad put up a reasonable show, but we points grabbers didn’t have to worry, as we had carefully manipulated his starting handicap to keep him just out of sight.

Group Three: Ashutosh, Rodney & Myself.
Ash, had what you could call a shocker, one that he needs to put in the cupboard & forget about (the trouble is of course I’ll always be around to remind him of it, if it gives me some sort of an advantage). Rodney was doing ok for the front nine scoring 18 & after the turn thought he would spice things up by challenging Me to a little side game, well I’ve been caught by Rodney before like this, but not this time, we ground out a poor second nine each and in the end I left him a gibbering wreck of a man, who now has to clean my golf clubs for the next five years (or have I mis-heard the bet). [Yep, you did! -- Ed.]

So you’d think by now that I was victorious on the day and deservedly so, but sadly you would be wrong. For the Lord Vader (George Chapman) had used the Dark side of the force & with his overbearing presence bullied his group into not only seeing the longest drive and a nearest the pin, but also cowering like mice being set upon by a sleek black killing machine panther, they signed off on a 33 point winning total, one more than Me & two more than Howard. I say look out George “Vader” Chapman, for he who lives by the putter also dies by the putter or at least a very pointy stick.

Thanks for playing everyone, hope to see you at Logan.
Captain Paul.

Next game: 14 March at Redland Bay

The second game for the year will be held on 14 March, arrival at 6:05am (gasp!) for tee-off at 6.20am, at Redland Bay Golf Club, North Street, Redland Bay. The number of the Pro Shop there is 3206 8143.

The Web site http://www.whereis.com/ will tell you how to get there, but basically you turn off the Cleveland - Redland Bay - Beenleigh Road opposite the Redland Bay Cemetery onto Boundary St, Main St and North St. I estimate it will take me 45 minutes to drive there from Sunnybank Hills (less if I don't get lost). George and Judith can sleep a bit longer than the rest of us, for once! (You better come, guys.)

Let's hope the course is in good condition after all this rain (assuming it stops before then).

Please let me know as soon as possible whether or not you will be playing at Redland Bay. If you say you are playing, and then discover you can't play, please, please let me or Paul know in advance.

I look forward to seeing you at Redland Bay,

Rodney
Secretary, GUSGC
0438 112 358

Valentines Day massacre at Virginia.

Karen Greedy came, saw (through bleary eyes) and conquered, beating the next best by 4 points on a very hot & steamy day at Virginia golf club.

Second place went to Ian Smith with 34 points, and in third was Ken Greedy on 33Pts.

It would be safe to say all enjoyed the course, which was in very nice condition.

Not all scored as they would have wanted, that would have been possibly due to the cobwebs in our games (this being the first one of our season) the heat, humidity & mosquitoes which were a constant threat to players of all grades.

Good to see the return of Dan Williams for his second game with (didn’t scare him of with our level of play last time then) and another new face Mark Coster who we hope will be back again as well.

Other winners on the day were as follows:
NTP 12th hole – Jane Hughes
NTP 14th hole – Dan Williams
Long Drive Ladies – Karen Greedy
Long Drive Mens – Owen Wright

Many thanks to all those who attended the day, and a quick special note to David Westover, get well soon.

Regards Paul (Captain)

Attached is the first edition of our new league table, it may be too early to open the betting on a club champion, but Karen has had a very good start.

First game for 2010: Virginia on 14 February

The schedule posted in December has now been confirmed.

The first game for 2010 is at Virginia on 14 February, arrival at 6.10am for tee-off at 6.30am. Virginia is near the intersection of Sandgate and Toombul Roads, so you can get there by following Sandgate Road from near the city or by turning off the Gateway Arterial at Toombul Road. There are still a few places left, but please let me (0438 112 358) or Paul (0403 901 344) know by Saturday if you decide to play.

Rodney