Staverton Park
25 - 27 April 2009
After 4 consecutive years in France, we decided to stay in the UK for the 2009 Spring Trip. Ron Buss organised a long weekend at Staverton Park. He reports:
The weekend started well with everyone arriving to tee off by 10.40. There was a light drizzle, which quickly cleared up. The course played well and was in good condition, though some of those walking found it heavy going with many opting for buggies on the Monday round. Dave Tulloch won for the men on Saturday with 37 Stableford points and Carole Ollington for the ladies with 35.
Sunday saw us off to Hellidon Lakes, a hotel and golf complex about 4 miles away. Despite maps and directions some had a couple of tries before finding it... The view from the hotel and course were fantastic as it is located on a hill with views for miles in all directions.
It was a beautiful summery day with wall to wall sunshine. The course proved something else. All sloping fairways, "roll-on-roll-off" greens that would not have been out of place in Augusta, slopes and borrows that were hard to read. The tee on the last hole was cut into one hillside, the green into one opposite - over a lake occupying the ground in between. Dot Buss takes one look and heads back to the bar (left).
Mike Davis took the honours for the men with 37 points with Val Jones besting the ladies with 32.
Sunday evening our private dining room allowed Captain Peter Breakell to enlighten us on a few more of his lookalike observations (which he refuses to reveal to those who weren't there - ed.). The evening was rounded off by Les Rose with a recitation of ‘Three Halfpence a Foot’ which caused great amusement.
Pictured (click photos to enlarge):
Back row (left to right): Ron Buss, Rick Jones, Dennis Ollington, Les Rose, Tom Heneghan, Ivan Dally, Martin Smith, Mike Davis, Dave Tulloch, Myles Coleman, Peter Breakell
Front row: Sue Tulloch, Sandra Chamberlain, Rosemary Heneghan, Dot Buss, Marise Smith, Carol Ollington, Libby Coleman, Val Jones.
Dave and Sue Tulloch may wonder how they got in this picture since they were "out praticing" when the photo was taken (at 11.00 p.m...).
Monday did not start so well, the round getting underway in intermittent and sometimes heavy rain which fortunately cleared up by about half way. Conditions didn't bother Ron Buss who brought home 32 points or Libby Coleman with 28.
For the weekend overall, Rick Jones took first place for the men with a total of 99 points on countback from Dave Tulloch (all that practicing must have worn him out). Rosemary Heneghan won the Ladies' prize with 89 points, nudging out Carole Ollington on 85.
On Saturday, Nearest the Pin was won by Carole Ollington and Ivan Dally while Libby Coleman and Dave Tulloch took the honours on Monday.
Myles Coleman won the only 2 of the weekend.
Ron Buss
» Download full results from the Spring Weekend