Results from Golf Days

Our results for the 2019/2020 season are as follows

(most recent event first):

The Ballesteros Bowl
Bondhay Golf Club - 6th March 2020
18 hole stableford (full handicap)

Write-up by Steve Lloyd
33 BUNGS members plus one guest headed North to Bondhay Golf Club for the first event of 2020, The Ballesteros Bowl. With all the wet weather in the preceeding couple of months, it was nice to have a bright dry day for a change, in fact it was the best day of the year so far for weather. Those arriving at the club early were greeted with a white frost covering over the whole course, but as everyone tucked into a full English, the sun melted the frost away and we were to play on main greens.

The bunkers on the course have all been GUR for the past few months  but the pro-shop gave us permission to play from the bunkers as we were playing a competition. They looked a lot worse than they played and it seemed a strange decision to have left them GUR for so long, a quick rake and the surface was back to normal. The rest of the course was in a pretty good condition considering the time of year and the amount of wet weather.

Phil Latham's year of captaincy started with his drive-in and he started with a 187 yard drive, low and to he left. A perfect destance for both Steve Lloyd and Andy Smith who shared the drive length guess pot,having both guessed that exact yardage,

Onto the scoring and lots of people were very rusty and struggled with seven players scoring less than 20 points. At the other end of the leaderboard, 5th went to Gary Tyler scoring 30 off a handicap of 15. Incoming Captain Phil pipped Gaz into fourth with a better back nine, also scoring 30 off his 15 handcap. Guest Stephan Benn was next scoring 31, also off 15, but as a guest he is not officially counted in the top five.

Third went to Howard Holliday, playing off 6 and scoring 34 points, the same total as Mark Johnson who finished second off a 12 handicap, and making a fantastic start to the 2019/20 BUNGS season, pit your money on Mark for the League Cup!

Attending his first event was friend of James Shipman and fellow Wychwood Park member Steve Dewey. Having had his 'introductory' 10% cut in handicap, Steve played off 18.9 and scored 19 on the front nine followed by 18 on the back nine for a 37 point total and took his first BUNGS title at the first attempt. Hopefully the 2.4 handicap cut will see Steve struggle a bit more next time like the rest of us, lol. Well played Steve, a great performance in your first event.

View full results and handicap adjustments from Bondhay

Gross 2's Scored by the following

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The Christmas Cup
Maxstoke Park Golf Club - 19th December 2019
18 hole stableford (full handicap)

Write-up by Graham Thorpe
On a wet morning with the A38 blocked just below Barton I eventually arrived at Maxstoke Park where a small turnout of 16 members this year were huddled in the clubhouse enjoying their bacon sandwiches for the final event of the Bungs calendar.

 Illness had struck Society Secretary Steve Lloyd’s family and possibly due to work commitments and nearness to the Christmas festivities our numbers were low.  This good thing from this was we probably saved the life of a Turkey this year! The course was very wet and buggies and even trolleys were banned this year. 

Whilst  all 18 holes were open several of them had been reduced in length and we were presented with a score card with a par 69 today. However  all the greens were open and were in great condition. The fairways had standing water in places which reduced the run of the ball but we started on time in fine weather with a moderate wind keeping the clouds up above moving. The conditions obviously did not favour the better golfers and the higher handicaps had a successful day.

 In fourth place with 33 points was Graham Thorpe off 23.6 ,  Ivan Wozniak finished third with 34 points, off 19 handicap The scoring had proved difficult  for many but Jeff Sacket in the first group played a steady round finishing second on 36 points off a handicap of 21 and the winner for the second consecutive year was Steve Raji with 38 points off a handicap of 16 (no longer.) to retain the trophy.

No group won the Captain’s Challenge so again it rolls over to next year. Maxstoke did us proud again with a splendid Christmas Dinner after which Vice Captain Phil Latham distributed the annual prize awards with Kevin Morris collecting the League Cup and the Gross Birdies League, Alan Heard was the match play champion, Gary Tyler won the Nett Birdies League, and Steve Raji took the award for the most improved player.

View full results and handicap adjustments from Maxstoke Park

Gross 2's Scored by the following

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The Cliff Thompson Salver
Conwy Golf Club - 15th November 2019
18 hole stableford (full handicap)

Write-up by Steve Lloyd
With a huge amount of rain falling in the weeks prior to the November trip to Llandudno, many BUNGS members were questioning whether the trip would take place. Both courses we were due to play drain very well so there was never any doubt about the trip,but North Wales Golf Club was reduced to just 15 holes. Because of this, it was decided to switch the main competition to the first day of the trip and play for The Cliff Thompson Salver at Conwy Golf Club.

The had been another huge amount of rain overnight so we arrived at the course to see puddles of water allover the course, but it remained open and surprisingly playable. The weather was cold but luckily dry, so after a hearty breakfast, 29 BUNGS members headed onto the course.

The course was shortened due to the wet winter conditions meaning scoring wasn't too bad on the day. The wind was 'up' on the front nine but dropped when we were playing the second nine, so most players made their scores on the back nine.

33 points was good enough for the first of the prize vouchers with last season's most improved player, Steven Raji, continuing his fine form. He beat Steve Harris into fourth with a better back nine, scoring just 13 on the front nine but 20 points on the back nine off his handicap of 16. Also on 33 points, and also with a poor front nine was Tim Thacker playing off 12. Tim had a paltry 10 points on the front nine bit came alive and played the back nine in +1 gross for 23 points and third place.

In second was Mark Johnson who also struggled somewhat on the front nine scoring just 14 off his handicap of 12. He improved sunstantially on the back nine however scoring 20 points, 34 in total. One point ahead and with a more consistent performance, with 17 on the front nine and 18 on the back nine, was Peter Meaney playing off 8. Pete's 35 points were enough to secure his third BUNGS 'crown', well played Pete.

After a few drinks at the golf club it was off to the Dunoon Hotel where the sensible checked-in to their rooms and grabbed a nap, whilst others headed straight to the bar. The meal was great and a few headed straight to bed, a few remained in the bar and some checked-out the 'highlights' of Llandudno's drinking establishments.

We awoke Saturday morning to light drizzle, but warmer, conditions and headed to North Wales Golf Club for the fourball-betterballs, to be played over 15 holes. By the time we started to tee off the rain became heavier and it was miserable for a while, but this soon passed through and, once again, we were relatively lucky with the weather.

The money was won by John Shaw (4) and Kev Armitt (13) with a whopping 40 points (10 under par for 15 holes), one behind in second were Steve Harris (10) and Geoff Wayman (4) on 39 who pipped Gary Tyler (15) and Graham Thorpe(24), finishing third, on countback.

View full results and handicap adjustments from Conwy

Gross 2's Scored by the following

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