WOODBURY PARK v RND VETERANS

Wednesday 4th June 2025

On previous visits to Woodbury Park Golf Club, my SatNav has managed to direct me through the surrounding woods and grassy tracks, finally delivering me up the lane that splits the tees for the 18th hole, but on this occasion the approach was much more comfortable. All my team arrived on schedule (Coles and Taylor by the skin of their teeth) and had plenty of time to enjoy the most expensive coffee and bacon bap combos I have yet encountered in the county.

Showers and sunny spells meant the usual multiple changes of clothes, and repetitive raising and lowering of brollies, but the course was in great condition, and presented some familiar challenges. Having surged to a 4-1 lead at the halfway hut, Andrew Sutherland and I fell for the oldest trick in the book, being force-fed pasties and sausage rolls, and promptly lost 4 of the next 5 holes, and eventually reached the 18th tee a hole down. It took a great tee shot (which won NTP) from Andrew to ensure we came in with a solid half.

Our only other success of the day came from Stirzaker and Pryor, bringing up the rear with an impressive 3&2 victory. Other matches were quite close, and there was only 1 real hammering, but I think it would be wrong of me to mention Brown and O’Kelly by name. I look forward to seeing that particular result reversed at home in September.

So, the first leg was lost 41/2 to 11/2, and (on this occasion) was followed by a very acceptable plate of gammon, egg, & chips and a cheesecake dessert. On the way home, my SatNav took me down an unexpectedly long and narrow ‘shortcut’, but we had the last laugh when we received a call telling us that Andy and Dave had been diverted off the M5, and weren’t expected to reach Barnstaple until the early hours of Thursday morning.

Phil Hall

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