The morning after Remembrance Day for the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings it seemed fitting for the boys from SBN to take to the seaside for a battle with their Frinton neighbours. The day started bright with a slight wind and remained so till the end of the engagement.

Over a coffee on arrival the Frinton captain gave us all a warm welcome, but with a warning to keep out the rough as he had lost 8 balls the previous day playing the course. Those words proved to be prophetic indeed!

Before going to the battlefield, the SBN old boys were muttering like Private Frazer ‘We are doomed – every team is giving shots!!’ Despite this our ever-valiant leader, Capt. John bolstered his squad with words of encouragement and motivation worthy of Gareth Southgate.

Then the battle commenced…

MATCH 1 - John Parkinson & Kevin Walsh

John started extremely well, avoiding the rough and parring 3 of the first 4 holes. Kevin then found his game and we dovetailed well to keep SBN ahead. An important putt on the 12th kept us 2 up and we closed out the match on the 15th. An enjoyable game with excellent company.

Won 5-3

MATCH 2  - David Seymour & Graham Vandervord

We were warned about the long grass! Seymour at least doubled the number of lost balls the Frinton Captain admitted to losing on his round the day previously.  Vanders game was resilient, but the home team proved their worth. Good company – but the course need’s a lawnmower.

Lost 5-3

MATCH 3 - Brian Rolloff & Ian McKay

As always great game but outplayed even with their handicaps. Ian and Brian both got birdies but only when the game was over.

Lost 5-4

MATCH 4 - Iain Gault & Mick Henry

Mick won the first hole with a net 3. Sadly, that was the end of the good news. Mike & Terry, our opponents then had a really hot run with net birdies and pars – and that was it.

Lost 7-5

MATCH 5 - Peter Jay & Phil Boyland

One comment from this intrepid team ‘It was tough in rough!’

Lost 5-3

MATCH 6 - Eric Fisher & Terry Mitchell

Tery’s petrol buggy had seen better days but he did look good bouncing down the fairway. SBN had 9 shots whilst FGC had 5 and 13.

First hole saw SBN take the lead after the 5th hole we went 1 down. On the 6thTony Burnside sank a 30-yard putt – now 2 down. SBN recovered to be -1 after the 7th only to be -4 after the v10th. Then followed 3 halves – could SBN pull it back? Not really – match concluded after hole 16.

Lost 3-2

MATCH 7 - Andy Cracknell & Malcolm Norton

Great fun, especially when you lose holes 5 net 3. 1 down going down to the last and a pressure putt was holed to halve the match.

Match halved

MATCH 8 - Lionel Hatch & Phil Hickley

Good company and good weather. Phil booked an appointment at the osteopath because his back was bad carrying Lionel about. ‘We wozdesperately unlucky!’ said Lionel.

Lost 2-1

Frinton Golf Club 6 ½   Stoke by Nayland 1 ½

Obviously being at the seaside, for lunch we all had fish & chips which was excellent.

The Frinton captain held a charity raffle which raised £175 for his chosen charity, Alzheimer’s Research.

After advising the gathered ensemble the final scores our intrepid captain thanked the Frinton lads for their hospitality concluding the day by saying ‘The last time I saw bushes as thick as those on the course today, was in a 1974 copy of Playboy.’

Many thanks to David Seymour for reporting on todays tough match @ Frinton.