2025
Captain’s Weekend
Captain’s weekend Shrewsbury.
This year’s honouree Captain’s weekend was a short trip up the A5 to Shrewsbury, Garth Quirke was a long-term member and always looked forward to Captain’s weekend he would have loved this one. Shrewsbury Golf Club was a lovely course with lovely greens and some of the best bunkers we’ve had the pleasure of trying to get out of. The road into the course set a few hearts fluttering, having to drive across at least 3 fairways before reaching the car park is always a worry for both driver and golfer.
Shrewsbury has some nice holes, some shortish par 4’s where placement rather than distance is the key. All holes were relatively open but with lots of trees playing out sideways was often a common shot. The 6th had us aiming for the green as a nearest the pin and with a pond on the right and the pin right at the front of the green it was a tough shot in. The next hole the drive is even tougher with a mature tree right in the middle of the fairway. My strategy was to aim straight at it, and it worked I finished left of the tree with a shot into the green. Unfortunately, Yorkie took the same strategy and drove straight into the tree. Which shows its not always the best drive that pays off. The eighteenth hole is both an end and a celebration. Where golfers gather, watching shots land and celebrating the day’s successes. The final green, guarded by water but inviting, offers a last test—a chance to finish well, to close your round with a good score.
It must have been a day for the underdogs, with no offence to Toastie but you wouldn’t have put me and him in the top two at the start of the day. What can I say, it’s about time I had a decent round but to shoot a net 61 was beyond my dreams.
If we had a complaint about Shrewsbury, it would be the fairways being bare but most golf courses have suffered the same in the drought or so we thought the following day we set off to Oswestry golf club and their fairways looked to be well watered and it was great to play off grass.
Having played Oswestry recently we knew what to expect. Tree lined fairways a few blind holes. The course is renowned for its subtle difficulty. Inviting risk and reward fairways. Bunkers that are placed with cunning, demanding careful thought from tee to green. The greens themselves were so much slower than Shrewsbury and it took us some time to get the pace. The course rewards good strategy and offers lessons in patience and perseverance. Personally, my pet hate is fairways that slope from side to side, walking across the slope I find a killer on my knees. Having said that it was nice to play off some grass on the fairways. Oswestry must be the greenest course we’ve seen in the last 6 month.
Playing in teams to Berwick rules is always fun, especially when you get to the end of the round and everyone’s score has to count, nothing like a bit of pressure to make you play well!!
With 15 golfers playing one team had to rely on the luck of the draw to see which player made up their 4. Luckily for the 4 that won Fordy was drawn out and his 6 points made the difference to make Jacko, Sanny and Ash the winners on the day.
In conclusion Shrewsbury is a great base for a golfing weekend, loads of good pubs, good beer and for our vegetarian mate apparently some good kebab shops! Staying in a Premier inn keeps the cost down and we know what we’ll get room wise and it’s always a good breakfast. As always, the company was first class with plenty of laughs, not all on the golf course. It was a pleasure gentlemen thank you. Simon, you would have loved it!
2025
Ombersley Bulls Head Trophy
I think we would all agree that the 17 members that turned up to play Ombersley were extremely lucky. The weather forecast had been torrential rain and thunderstorms for most of the day but to only the last four groups to get wet over the last couple of holes was a great result.
According to my records and our own Oracle Mr Ford we last played Ombersley in 2016, I must admit I thought it was further back than that. I remember the fairways being a little bare and the ground being clay like but in the 9 years we’ve been away I think the course has improved greatly. The fairways had plenty of grass, the greens, although having just been hollow tinned ran true and at a good pace. If I had one complaint it would be the inconsistency of the sand in the bunkers, although they had plenty of sand in them some had a fine type of sand where other had what can only be described as builds sand but that is me being picky.
After a good breakfast our handicap secretary, with a smile on his face like a priest at choir practice read out everyone’s handicap. With a slope rating of 113 most members were shocked to hear they had lost a few shots, some close to 10. One member who hadn’t turned up since he’d last won in July last year was heartbroken to find he would lose another 2 shots Welcome back Nick.
Ombersley has some lovely holes with great views, some holes have bush type fences which can come into play if you are a bit wayward but one member found that the red tee marker, apparently we’re not allowed to call it the ladies tee anymore got in his way and after his tee shot hit one it ended up further down the fairway than his ball!
The results were almost as shocking as the handicaps given out, with Nick Williams putting in a rare appearance and being the only member to get a two and then being greedy and having two, the second of which I think the whole course would have heard the celebration as it rolled in from 25 foot away. The two nearest the pins were won by Steve Smith and Andy Grice and the main competition was won by Ada Phillips with an impressive 40 points (to quote him I’ve just hit a bit of form lately) Second was Pete Arnold with 37 points and in Third Keith Ford with 33 points. Which made him smile for the second time that day.
Chesterton Valley Glynn Hughes Memorial
Our visit to Chesterton Valley Golf Club was marked by an exceptionally warm welcome that left a lasting impression. Both Tracy and Ian must have given us the friendliness welcome of any of the golf clubs we have visited. Along with one of the best breakfasts this society has ever had the day got off to a great start. They even sorted a special breakfast for our special needs vegetarian member.
One or two got a little lost on the way, the lack of signposts anywhere near the course didn’t help and standing on the first tee our watches and distance finding aids where all over the place so it’s no wonder the satnavs couldn’t find the place.
Chesterton is set in the aptly named valley and most of the holes are either up it, down it or across it making it a tough walk. With more trees than the National Forest according to one of my playing partners, who should know as he hit most of them on one hole. Unfortunately, we played the course after the greens had been hollow tined and I guess not cut for a while. The two’s money was going to be safe on those greens unless you put it to within two feet.
Chesterton has some very picturesque holes and some tough par 3’s Smithy did apologies for picking that last one for the nearest the pin. What a green to leave it short on!
So to the result the two nearest the pins were won by Smithy and Yorkie. The main competition, in third place Bob Clarke 39 points in second place Steve Smith losing out on count back to Steve Mott both with 40 points.
Oakridge G.C. Presidents Trophy
The first individual fixture of the year with everyone playing to the new WHS. More of which later.
Oakridge is only half an hour away so its surprising that someone was almost half hour late! No I don’t want the USB! With no buggies being allowed on the course three members decided to give the event a miss, and after walking the course I think this was a good idea. Not exactly flat is one way to put it feckin hilly is another way.
As we stood on the first tee a mat, that couldn’t have been placed in a better position we witnessed one member align his ball with his usual routine, grip right, look up the fairway legs slightly apart, little wiggle of the club look up the fairway, stand over the bight yellow ball think the shot through. Slowly back on the take away and smash! the ball into the trees on the right and watch as the ball rolls across the fairway into the pond twenty feet in front of us. Well worth the wait!
The greens weren’t in the best condition, very bumpy but the rolled fast and putting was the key to a good score. A lot of holes weren’t exactly blind shots but a lot had marker posts to aim for. One or two very nice looking holes I particularly liked the 17th Water in front of the green and a big tree to the right.
The result was a mixed bag really with the third spot going to Ash Govani with 35 points Second was myself with 41 points but taking top spot was Steve Smith with 42 points. Which brings us back to the WHS handicap system. Normally Fordy scissorhands would have cut both Steve and myself, and maybe even Ash for scoring so well but if we are to use the WHS those cuts won’t happen. So the committee are going to meet and see if we can find away to level the playing field so to speak.
With the nearest the pins going to Jacko and Smithy there was just the two’s to talk about three in all one of which on a par four went in from about 150 yards. Great shot Ben it was a pleasure to watch.
Texas Scramble
The first event of the year took place at a wet and soggy Drayton but in wonderful sunshine. 15 members enjoyed a quality breakfast before doing battle in five groups of three. One of those was new member Sam Jackson, welcome Sam I can imagine that first tee shot in front of everyone was nerve racking and it must have been a relief to see it fly down the first.
The result of the Texas scramble
1st Nick Williams, Ada Phillips & Ash Govani 72
2nd Simon Douglas, Lee Dishington & Andy Grice 73
3rd Pete Arnold, Steve Jackson & Trevor Howard 75
4th Steve Smith, Ben Stephens & Dave Shilton 80
5th Bob Clarke, Martin Sandford & Sam Jackson 80 Losing out on a 2 shot worse back nine.
Garth Quirk
As many of you will be aware we sadly lost one of our long term members at the beginning of December.
Garth had been a member of the society for many years and those that played a round of golf with him will know what a gentleman he was and what a fine striker of the golf ball he was, in fact Garth was an all round perfect playing partner.
Listening to his stories of his guitar playing days for bands back in the sixties and always playing with a smile on his face. Playing well into his eighties but with his eyesight failing he could still hit the ball, even if it did take him an age to set up.
Rest in peace Garth it was a pleasure to have known you and you will be sadly missed.
The usual course websites can be viewed simply click on the links within the calendar and there should be all the information you need. The times you see for each event will be the first tee time. Don’t forget to get there at least an hour before this time if you want your breakfast.