Sidmouth v Bigbury

When I was no longer the right shape for football and took up golf, a friend told me the game could be frustrating but that golfers do walk the finest scenery in the world, which is also all manicured.

Just a few days after a 4-2 defeat at the scenic Bigbury, John Bainbridge led off receiving shots from Bigbury’s John Finch. The wonderful views from Sidmouth’s first and second holes in particular can distract attention, and yet again Bainbridge justified his reputation for a slow home start as he and partner David Roberts went 2 down by the third, but slowly recovered to all square at the turn and won 2 and 1 for the first point.

Giving the shots, I followed with Dieter Ritz, and in a tough game we just managed a 1 up victory courtesy of wins on the 17th and 18th.

Next and receiving eight shots from Bigbury’s Tim Watson, the in-form if volatile Vernon Ruffle birdied the first, won nearest the pin on the 12th and then with difficulty managed to put his second shot on the 13th into a garden protected by trees. With a comfortable lead cut to one hole, his partner, the mature Colin Paddon, calmed things down, and wins on the next two holes plus a half on the 16th secured a 3 and 2 victory.

Next off, Chris Grubb and Derek Geear secured the right to collect the match fees by losing 5 and 4, although a 5 and 4 win for Nigel Sharp and Barry Jones restored Sidmouth’s three point margin. The latter’s four consecutive pars on the back nine suggested an examination of his 21 handicap, but we confirmed he doesn’t do this every game.

Sidmouth had a three point lead, and only needed a half from Roger Freer and Bob Skelly in the last game to better Bigbury’s home result, but a surprise 2 and 1 defeat left a another 4-2 home win.