Eric Queely becomes the CGS first back to back winner
36 CGS members turned out for this was the final event of the year after a very long but enjoyable season and once again the winner of the order of merit title would be decided by the end of the day. However lets put aside the Order of Merit title there was still an event to be one and a chance for someone to claim the top prize for the first time this year. Would we get a new winner or the first two time winner.
To say the day didn’t go to plan would be an understatement, it seems that “Tom Tom” got some bad press today. There were many late arrivals put down to; “the satnav took me all over the place” and with the rain falling it wasn’t one of our better days. However we did managed to get the groups off on time but it was a long day. When the weather isn’t the best it’s all about how you can keep composed and how you manage your game in the conditions.
Everyone found the conditions challenging, and this was echoed in the scores. The standard scratch score for the day was 78. To be fair to the Abbey, the course was in reasonable condition for this time of the year. The greens were playing pretty well considering. The main issues were the falling leaves which provided the perfect camouflage for a golf ball and which aided in the long day. This was something we didn’t experience at the Abbey in the previous year and that was down to playing the event a couple weeks earlier.
The scores were low but we still managed to get a winner on the day and that person was Eric Queely, winning for the second time this year. Eric is the lowest handicap golfer in the CGS playing off 5 but he’s also one of the most consistent. Eric came in with a score of 32 points along with 3 others but he won the event on count back. Eric was very surprised to win with 32 points but that’s golf for you, you never know what everyone else is doing so just concentrate on getting your golf ball in the whole and add up your score at the end.
Eric was one of five players who had a chance to take the Order of Merit title this year along with Nat Burrows, Steve Mullings, Carl Douglas and Ray Maginley. Nathan as been leading the standings all season and now the pressure was one to see if he could deliver in the final event. Ray Maginley wasn’t able to attend but still had a chance to take the title having played 5 events, but a win today could have been enough. The result of the Order of Merit winner will be announced on the CGS presentation evening on the 21st of November at the Pavillions and will be posted on the website after that date.
At the Abbey there was still the matter of the longest drive and nearest the pin winners.
Picking up two trophies on the day and with the longest drive was Eric Queely, the windy conditions suited Eric’s low drives and he was able to knock one out there surpassing the drive of Clyde Pile which had stood for most of the day.
The winner of the nearest the pin went to CGS captain Jacko Powell with a great nine iron to within 6ft. I wonder who in the CGS will be first to record hole in one!
Other notables:
The trophy for second place went to Ian Higgins. Ian as won several trophies this year, he’s been in the winners circle and he’s also picked up longest drives and nearest the pin prizes. It’s been a good year for Mr Higgins.
The trophy for third went to Winston Clarke, who played in the first group today, so would of had a lot of the early bad weather. Winston along with Ian Higgins missed out on picking up the winners prize due to count back.
The CGS would once again like to thank Abbey Park Golf and Hotel Club for their hospitality and warmth friendly greetings before, during and afterwards for the way they looked after us.
The members of the CGS would like to also thank their committee for all their hard work through out the year, and putting up with all the frustrations of organising and booking all the golfing events throughout the year.