This year the clubhouse at Brancaster was closed for refurbishment and we had to use the temporary clubhouse locally referred to as “Whites” due to its colour. Very high tides were forecast and everyone was warned to walk to the club along the bank from the village. However, on the first morning, the wind kept the tide off the road whereas on the second morning, the tide was very high indeed. Such are the vagaries of the weather.
We had a very nice curry in the Brancaster Staithe Sailing Club on the night before with many coming straight from the warm-up event at Royal Worlington, organised by Tim Parsonson. An early start was required to get to the clubhouse for a bacon roll before teeing off in the Stableford singles. The best two scores of 35 were by Graham Dunbar and Adrian Gracey and Graham won the Aubrey Edward Challenge Cup on count-back. But in the scratch competition, we had an excellent score of 34 by Aidan Wong playing off scratch; the age allowances built into the scoring system for the George Rothman Special Scratch Salver could not dislodge Aidan from winning on his first visit to Brancaster.
In the afternoon we began two knockouts, one for lower handicappers and one for higher handicappers with the finals to be played the next morning. The worthy winners can be seen below.
Those not competing on Thursday afternoon played foursomes with some revised rules (half set of clubs etc.) for the Sunley Salvers. The best score was achieved by Rupert Patrick playing with Ben Goddard who was playing at his very first meeting.
On Friday morning the foursome’s competition was a similar format for the Secretaries Salvers and appropriately the best score was by our Hon Sec William North playing with Alaister Orchard.
As always, the highlight of the meeting was the formal dinner and Songs using Songbooks presented by Bernard Docker in 1935. Due to the high tides, the event was held at Manor House, Docking with kind permission of Colin and James Amies. We had an excellent meal and wines and enjoyed Songs with Charles Bonas on the piano and Jeffrey Bonas doing the “put-ons”. Jeffrey had organised the composition of a new verse for “October” as follows:-
The tide is out and the wind is light,
So off to the links we hurry,
The course looks green in a tranquil scene,
Today is not to worry.
You might try hard to mark a good card
Or simply putt for pleasure,
And nothing's as great as a drive hit straight
And the memories we will treasure.
October, October,
March for the dull and sober,
Let school girls play their games in May
But golf's for the boys in October,
October. October.
