2018 Captains Bowl 7th July
Captains Bowl 7th July 2018
The Captains’ Bowl is an event where our Captain traditionally does not play but serves up food and drinks through the day . Mr. Captain excelled himself with the variety on offer and this observer thanks him and his associates for their superb efforts on behalf of the members .
Overall it is fair to say that the course was the winner today with only two players under their handicaps and the back 9 yielding a much smaller percentage of pars than usual given the variable bounce , swirling winds and intermittently searing heat .
Adrian Sigsworth (91/22/69) campaigns these days as an away player but remains a regular competitor at Alty GC and he takes the Bowl 2 years after a second place finish in the event . Today a burst of 4 consecutive pars helped him to 5 under ( and the prospect of a great front 9) after 7 then dropped 3 shots on the benign closing 2 holes meant he got to the turn at 2 under ... he continued to falter on 10 dropping 2 more shots to handicap and another couple on 13.15 but he had superbly parred 12,16 and 17 to break away from the pack on 3 under and could even afford a 6 on the last to triumph !
Silver surfer ball-finder supreme Keith Walton Sr (80/10/70) came very close to winning the Coronation Cup last week and he again showed form today standing at 2 under after 11 holes and again in contention but crucially dropping successive shots in 12 and 13 and although a par on 17 took him back to 1 under his handicap he could only record a bogey 5 on the last to again be agonisingly close to winning a trophy for the second consecutive week . He was the only player to attract the notice of the handicapper who has cut him 0.2 to 9.9 for his sterling efforts .
Alty Marshall Danny Miller (79/8/71) has won many majors in a superlative Alty GC career but today will look back and rue uncharacteristic lapses on most of the ‘easiest’ high stroke-index holes that cost him the titles dropping shots on SIs’ 12,14,15 and 16 after a superb gross 38 had put him 1 under at the turn . A fantastic effort nevertheless and a clear indication that he is in the mood to increase his major haul sooner rather than later .
In-form Jim Fallon (85/14/71) incredibly parred the first 5 holes to stand 5 under his handicap as he stood on the 6th tee (and threatened to dismantle the field as he had in June’s Monthly Medal) but by the turn was back to 2 under after dropping 3 shots at the usually benign 6th and 8th .
Like many he found the back 9 difficult parring only 2 holes and overall losing 2 shots to handicap for a level par finish and fourth place .
Rememberance winner Andy Slater (92/20/72) continues to regularly contend and recorded a very healthy 5 pars and a 4th hole birdie during his round but triple bogeys on 1,7 and crucially 18 (where a closing par would’ve given him the title ) meant only a fifth place finish .
Other mentions in dispatches ...
Alty treasure Bernie Wood (81/8/73) rolled back the years to share the lead at the turn at 2 under his handicap with a superb gross 37 front 9 but he faltered on the closing holes to finish 9th.
Diminutive ( but perfectly-formed ) colourfully-attired maverick Andy Window gave a masterclass in scrambling throughout the round and had battled through to the 15th tee at level par (and in contention to make up for his countback loss to this observer at last weeks Diggle) .Sadly he dropped 7 shots to handicap on the last 4 hole recording a morale-sapping 11 on 15th and a triple bogey 7 on 17th to finish way down the field in 23rd place .
Our defending champion John Rossiter looked on course to follow the example of George Sainthouse in making a strong defence of his trophy when getting to 3 under his handicap after 8 and sharing the lead at the turn but 4 dropped shots over the next 3 holes dismantled his challenge before he NR’d on 14th ...
