Well, it as been a very long and enjoyable season with the Caribbean Golf Society.

The final round of the first annual ‘Order of Merit’ title, was held at the ‘The Abbey Hotel and Golf Club’, where thirty five golfers representing the ‘CGS’ gathered together to play the final competitive round of the season with some players hoping to win the title of being the first winner of the CGS Order of Merit.

The CGS were provided with the usual society beverage of hot teas and coffee accompanied with egg sandwiches to provide the necessary energy to get the round off to a good start.

The committee chose the best calendar date for this final event, the weather conditions was perfect for the start of the round. Sunshine was a missing commodity for most of last season, but we have really blessed with some truly fantastic weather on CGS days out this season. Today was probably the best weather conditions we have had all year and most of the guys made the best use of the playing conditions or so they said until the scorecards started coming in.

The groupings on the day were done in the usual Pro Tour style format of pairing the top players in the title standings in the last group so each player were able to keep in touch with each others round but unlike those tour stars we don’t have that second gear when we need to blast that drive down the right, middle or left side of the fairway at will, in order to knock it on the green and make birdie. Oh well!…at least we have something to aspire to.

There were some good and bad starts to the round with certain individuals posting some good early scores whilst others were cursing their luck at missed opportunities. Today it was important to put the points on the board early to put your fellow players under pressure. Some guys were very hot early on, posting some impressive scores of 19 & 20 points on the front nine. The pressure of the occasion got to the other players some of whom posted some of the worst score all season of less than 11 points on the front nine holes.

Big hitting Junior Harris was one of many who started slowly but soon got into his stride by driving the ball very long and straight, it got to a point when his clubs were so hot his electric buggy and clubs decided to go for a dip in the pond on the 16th hole, man you should have seen Junior and his three playing partners run to save his clubs from the watery abyss after the electric buggy decided to go on solo run.

The final four ball out were all in the running for first, and second place honours, so you can imagine how fired-up everyone were around the first tee, all looking to produce their best golf of the year to try and take the title. Those putts where going in on the practice green and those irons shots were straight and long on the range but as usual can we bring that game to the course…anyway it would be a tall order considering the lead captain Jacko had attained leading up to the event. So in order to beat him someone would have produce the round of their life. So was Jacko worried?..I think not, he scored his worst round of the season.

This last event saw a new player in the prizes, one of a few who played some reasonably good golf, well done to Barry Nettleford who scored an incredible 20 points on the front nine and picked up the days runner up prize with a total of 33 points……did you see how far he hits the ball! Again well done Barry we know you don’t play much golf, hopefully that will change next season so we can cut that handicap.

The main prize for first place went to a regular CGS event attendee Mr Steve Mullings with a score of 34 points. We all know when Steve gets on a run he can score really well especially with that handicap but that’s if he can stay out of his own way, keep it going Steve if you can play all the events next year I’m sure you’ll have a shot at the title. Along with the win comes automatic entry into next seasons “Ryder Cup” match against the “Chris Morris Golf Society” well done again Steve.

Longest Drive Winner:

Don (John Coffee) Bramble, the gentle giant This guy can really drive the ball long and straight with a nice draw at the end of it. Some drives came close but not close enough. Another big hitter Junior Harris who was driving the ball well all day, ripped his drive down the fairway again with a draw, looked really close to Don’s drive but he was just short.

Nearest the Pin Winner:

Billy Banga with a great shot inside 10 feet of the hole. I wonder who will be first to record the first CGS ‘hole in one?’

The CGS also welcomed two new comers to the society membership in Dr Josh Johnson and Trevor Lewis both members of Perton Park GC in Wolverhampton, they will be great additions to the CGS, welcome guys.

The CGS would like to thank Abbey Park golf club for their hospitality and warm friendly greetings before during and after our round for the way they looked after us. We all agree this is a very good golf course but one we need to play a bit earlier in the year.

Event Result: