Tom Webb v. Andrew Gammon for the 2013 final.
Jeremy Findlay (from Edinburgh) v. Stephen Bois for the 2014 final.
The four of us set off on the Friday from LHR by the BA midday flight for Gibraltar, much closer than Malaga to our destination, with keen anticipation and some trepidation for our 2 finals at the world famous Real Club de Valderrama, in order to have 2 clear days of golf to follow over the designated weekend. On arriva, we managed to pick our way through the border into Spain on foot, fully laden with equipment, to collect our hire cars across in La Linea. We then made our way straight to Anthony Speelman’s magnificent house in Sotogrande, a short drive from the course, where we were welcomed and looked after in the warmest and most generous way possible. Anthony took us to the course and gave us breakfast each morning, plus a sumptuous buffet lunch at the club on Sunday – note long sleeved shirts and jackets required – while we gave Anthony dinner each evening when he drove us to suitable restaurants on the quayside.
We decided to acquaint ourselves with the course on the Saturday when most of us played 2 rounds, helped by a buggy for two, to prepare for the matches the following day, which proved to be a good decision as the course is quite different from anything any of us know over here, being extremely challenging, i.e. cork trees consistently in the way of approach shots following any drive only slightly errant, thick damp rough where the balls sits well down making chipping to the lightning fast greens very exacting, especially as anything short would come back down the slopes in front of greens, sometimes up to 100 yards. And of course the 2 holes with greenside water present their own particular challenges.
Both matches on Sunday morning proved to be very even after strokes were distributed against full handicap difference, 5 by Andrew, 7 by myself. Because of a busy course and inevitable delays, Tom and Andrew had to resort to settling their game on the putting green having evened up at the 18th, when Tom came out the winner. I was slightly more fortunate in being able to hold off Jeremy’s challenge and win on the 18th green. Great matches and good company, both won this time by the older brigade, note, though the quality of our play did suffer somewhat at the behest of this tricky course. However, a great experience and privilege to play on just a week after Garcia had won the Andalucian Masters there, and be hosted so perfectly off the course by Anthony.
I am hoping some of this information might be of help in giving some feel for the place and procedures to future finalists.
Stephen Bois, (OHGS Captain).
