Field's hat-trick in Cotswolds

ST Mellion Veteran Golfers SEPTEMBER arrived with glorious summer weather (and high temperatures) and heralded the autumn tour of the Fossils to the Cotswold Hotel and Spa, Chipping Norton.

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Over three days, eight ladies and twenty three Fossils played on a long, excellent track with a course rating of 71 and a slope rating of 133, ie. rated the same as the Nicklaus yellows and just a couple of hundred yards shorter.

The 'Nic' sets a standard of preparation against which other tracks cannot really compete, and this was no different. Fairways were long and bordered by trees and the greens non receptive to holding a well-pitched ball but nonetheless the players returned some excellent sores.

One in particular found both the course and the weather to his liking! After all tourists assembled on Sunday a straightforward Texas Scramble was a gentle introduction for the golfers with each one required to make four drives and three from four scores to count.

Monday's challenge was a three from four to count Stableford Betterball and finally on Tuesday, a Fossil's Advance.

On all days there were two opportunities for Nearest the Pin for both ladies and Fossils together with prizes for first, second and third. As this was a 'Fun Tour, Capt. Ian Edwards had determined to cut winners by two and runners up by one.

Sunday's Scramble turned out to have a twist in the tail as the captain had been put on the spot by three teams who submitted incorrect cards so much that both 'first and second' teams were disqualified.

Coupled with partners John Raphael and John Clement and Ghost, Chris de Beaufort, Keith Field not only then took first place with points but also bagged a nearest the pin. True to his word Capt. Ian cut the winners two strokes and so to day two.