Holiday Cup 7th August 2021
Keith Ralston (39/44/83/10/73) has shown signs of a return to form in recent weeks and has had recorded great scores in pairs at Blackpool , a recent acquisition of a Monthly Medal in July and now a fine showing today . Rightly enjoying legendary status for his sensational Balfour Cup victory in 2014 , Keith was in search of his 13th Board Competition and is known for his quality all-round game . Today his talents were pitted against inclement unpleasant weather and he truly stepped up to the mark .Ralston immediately got into contention with a net birdie 4 on the opening hole and delivered a quality front 9 where he added a further gain on 4 and he managed to stay at -2 until succumbing to a sloppy bogey on 9 to get to the turn in a share of the lead on -1 . Keith was not as settled in his golf on the journey home and although he safely negotiated 10 in regulation he slumped to a bogey on 11 and suffered a double bogey on 13 to send him tumbling down the leaderboard on +2 but he regrouped with a regulation 5 on 14 then crucially got back to +1 with a superb net birdie 5 on 15 . Could he now maintain momentum in the closing ‘Championship holes’ to take the trophy ? Sadly and inexplicably, Ralston stumbled to a bogey 4 to join three other members in a share of the lead with just the final hole to go . Keith was unable to get the birdie he needed and scored a regulation 5 to finish in a still magnificent second place .
Jim Fallon (42/47/89/16/73) has this season registered his breakthrough Board Competition victory in the Watson and he has again contended today ! Jim had a rollercoaster front 9 , recording an encouraging net birdie 4 on the opening hole he suffered back to back net bogeys on 2 and 3 but regrouped well and posted net birdies on 4,5 7 and 9 spliced with his third bogey on 6 and meaning that he got to the turn in -1 , good enough for a share of the lead . He reeled off a sextet of bogeys , only one of which (11) were a reverse taking him back to level par and meant that he had retained the lead but now was in sole possession with just the three ‘Championship holes’ to go . Inexplicably , Jim dropped two precious strokes at the benign 16th hole to go to +2 and after a regulation 5 on 17 was one of 4 members holding a share of the lead . Could Jim find the mental strength and skill to net birdie the final hole to take the spoils ? Sadly he could only add to his total of regulation bogeys thus finished in third place . A fine effort nevertheless .
Special mentions …
Andrew Wood (49/43/92/18/74) plays once a week and has had a steady season thus far but today produced his lowest white tee round for 13 months . He started unsteadily and his front 9 contained only one net birdie ( a superb 4 on 2 ) but contained 2 net DBs on 4 and 6 compounded by further reverses on 7 and 9 which left him on +5 , 6 strokes off the lead and well down the field . He started brightly on the journey home , gaining three shots in the first three holes courtesy of a sublime net eagle 3 on 11 then building momentum with an excellent net birdie 5 on 12 to get back to +2 , now just 2 off the lead . A net bogey 6 on 14 dented his challenge and although he played 15 to regulation seemingly ended it with him now 3 strokes behind with the ‘Championship holes’ left … Andrew crucially net birdied 16 then played the dangerous 17th to regulation and thus stood on the final tee in pole position and ready to win the trophy on countback IF he matched the other three .Unfortunately he succumbed to a net bogey 6 which dropped him down to 4th place but a great effort in the inclement weather to come sooo close to glory .
Danny Miller (84/10/74) is very well-handicapped right now and the 32-time Board Comp winner has won this event in 2013 . Today he played well only in patches to the turn , balancing net birdies on 1,5 and 7 against lapses on 4,8 and 9 to find himself level par and just one off the lead . His back 9 was unusually rollercoaster with the highs of two birdies a magnificent net eagle on 15 and birdie on 11 tempered with TWO uncharacteristic net treble bogeys on 10 and 13 which undoubtedly left him with the frustrations of finishing just two strokes back in 5th. place .
Greg Hall ( 84/NR) has always been a hotheaded player on the course and he plays the game always braving the risk/reward plays . He is capable of hitting the ball long , has the ability to put together portions of play that would satisfy a low-handicapper but is continually stifled by his lack of course management nous and the occasionally fragility of staying power despite the best efforts of his playing partners including this observer .
Today he has started very consistently, flawlessly stroking his way to -3 after 6 holes as he stood on the 7th tee … bursting with confidence , he stroked his ball left and long but failed to heed the dangers of finding that ball and didn’t play a provisional ball . After having the angst of not finding it he declined the opportunity to go back to the tee and elected to NR . Understandably rattled by that reverse , he dropped a shot on 8 but regrouped immediately with a net birdie on 9 and his back 9 performance , with net birdies on 11 and 12 tempered with a solitary reverse on 13 meant that he could’ve recorded a NINE on that 7th hole and he would’ve won the trophy . A lesson to ALL of us that the practice of playing provisional balls if in ANY doubts as the whereabouts of your ball can avoid the huge angst of missing out on glory . Greg has reassured those amongst us who have ‘encouraged him to improve his course management skills that he will change his ways …
Overall , a day where the course bossed the members and could rejoice in the reality that not one of us even equalled their handicap . So many of us ( including your observer who recorded a 7 from his 13th green side bunker tee shot when in a share of the lead ) could lay claim to the angst of knowing that they had missed their opportunity but it all added up to a challenging day at our beloved golfing office .
