Emrys conquers Brandon Wood
This being a pay and play venue didn’t hold back the CGS members and guest from turning out after hearing good things from some of those who had already played the course. With above average attendance being the standard this season the attendance at Brandon Wood was no different with 36 CGS members and the one guest Carlton Donald, who attended a CGS event for the first time and one I’m sure he’ll remember after scoring 32 points from an unofficial handicap of 28. Hope you enjoyed the day Carlton and hope to see you at future events, maybe as a member.
This season has been a bumper year for new members and at the last event at Swindon we saw new member Howard Browne triumph with 42 points beating his nearest competitor by 9 points. No doubt the talk was about his handicap so after the adjustment imposed by our handicap systems an additional cut was also imposed on the man, which he duly accepted. At Brandon Wood Howard came second overall playing from his new handicap with 39 points it’s a good job we had made the additional adjustment he obviously likes CGS events. Not sure what it is but the new members have settled pretty quickly, another new member Emrys Karemo playing in his first event as a member also scored 39 points beating Howard on count-back to take the victory, so it’s congratulations to Emrys on his first CGS Major victory.
In third place was a CGS original and former Order of Merit winner and Captain 2007 was Jacko Powell. It’s been a while since Jacko has been in the prizes after some absent years from the CGS activities.
As usual the lessor but not insignificant prizes of Nearest the Pin, Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin in Two were on offer. It was on the 11th where we held the Nearest the Pin challenge and it was Nigel Harris who was the closest to the target and took the prize.
Up next on the 12th Hole was the most sort after amongst the bigger hitters the Longest Drive challenge, a chance for the big guns to battle it out and unleash some testosterone onto the back of the ball. In the first group and putting down an early marker was chairman Junior Harris whom as he said “didn’t really catch hold of it” thought that his early marker would surely be beaten by one of the usual suspects – Ian! Anyway in the 3rd group out were Ian Higgins, Roan McLeod, Elford Douglas and Carl Cunningham. Up steps Roan to put his tee shot way right into some trees – ball gone! Next up Ian Higgins, same result but in the trees on the left – ball gone! Elford was next with his tee shot in the fairway but short of Junior’s marker. A person I would describe has most improved when it comes to ball striking was Carl Cunningham; he hit some really good iron shots albeit not in the direction he wanted but solid. Once he’s sorted his direction problems he will be a very tasty 20+ handicapper but not for too long, I’ll see to that! Anyway up steps Carl with one of his worse strikes of the day, I think the divot went further than the ball, so next shot is an iron, a shot which was more like the contact we were seeing from him most of the day, a solid iron down the fairway – Carl took the ribbing in good spirit, but one to watch. So After all that Junior Harris took an unexpected LG prize.
The 16th was the nearest in two challenge which went to Roan McLeod, who has long been out of the prizes, it was well received.
All in all it was yet another successful CGS Major, enjoyed not only by the winners but all the players enjoyed the test of Brandon Wood but if only for the greens it would be an immediate selection for next season but we’ll wait and see.
The greens may have not been up to par but the hospitality from the staff made up the difference. A big Thank You to Brandon Wood for your overall hospitality we were surely challenged by your golf course and would welcome the opportunity to give it another go.