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Why does Palairet always have to be so close?

04 Jul 2010

We thought the game in the 2nd round at Thurlestone was close. Well, that was nothing compared to what we went through today at Dainton against Honiton.

It was clear that Staddon would be conceding shots right through the match; 4 in the top and bottom games, 3 in all the rest. For once the early stages seemed to go pretty much Staddon's way. In the top match Tim Aggett and Gary Box had forged a 3-hole lead after 8 holes, Chris Moulder and Mark Fowden had fought back from losing the first 2 holes, Andy Place and Jamie Easton-Johns were already in cruise mode, and Dave Roberts and Lee West were even. Boy, can things change fast on a tree-lined course, with fast ground conditions and a strong wind.

Tim amd Gary contrived to lose 3-holes in a row around the middle of the course, and although they got ahead again at the 13th promptly lost both the par 5 14th (against a shot) and 16th and were still 1 down playing the last. Sheer bloody-mindedness got them into extra holes as they won the 18th, but another visit to the trees at the 19th proved their undoing. Dave and Lee had also stumbled on the back nine and lost 2/1.

Fortunately, Andy and Jamie cruised on to a 5/4 win, and Chris and Mark ploughed on to a victory on the 17th. 2 matches all, one game left; Staddon dormy 3-down. Hmm, not good.

So the drama began. After winning the par 5 16th, Paul Llewellyn and Neil Hailey still had a huge mountain to climb. Paul hit the tee shot on the par 3 17th hole high but right; Honiton well over the green and hit a poor chip. Neil ran a very tough putt 4 feet past, but got it below the hole. Honiton made 4 but Paul hammered the 4 footer in; back to 1. Neil hit a superb drive at 18, but the Honiton guys got it into good position as well. Both pairs were long, into the rough at the back of the green, but where the Honiton guys ran their pitch 12 feet past, Neil coaxed the ball down to around 3 foot. Honiton missed, Paul holed. Suddenly its extra holes.

Paul hit a long-iron a little left, and the Honiton guys boomed one down the middle. From an unfavourable angle Neil put the ball on the back of the green, but the Honiton boys responded with a great shot to around 4 feet, but a nasty downhiller. Paul and Neil spent a huge amount of time reading the line on the putt, then forgot to hit it, leaving it 5 feet short, but Neil stepped up and knocked it in, before Honiton missed the opportunity to close out the game, the putt taking just that little bit more break as it worked downhill.

Just the motivation the guys needed. Neil pounded an enormous tee shot over the lake at the 20th. Honiton took a more cautious route as they were in receipt of a shot, but left a very long second shot to the green. Which proved their undoing as they found the water to the right of the green for 2. Paul fashioned an excellent pitch and run second to leave the ball crucially below the hole. Having dropped out of the water, the Honiton boys had to to chip over a bank onto a downslope, and not surprisingly could not hold the ball near the hole. Neil ran the ball stone dead, and when the long range attempt for a half failed Staddon were through.

Spare a thought for Staddon's many supporters who came to encourage the side - that was really hard to watch, albeit very entertaining. Captain Mike Eastel is definitely going grey watching these matches, and the selection team of Keith Rendell and Grahame Sanford looked at stages thrilled, sick and finally elated. As Keith says, playing is fine; watching is hell.

We await news of both our next opponents and the venue. We will play the winners of the Saunton Artisans and Tiverton game at Royal North Devon. We will know our opponents tomorrow; the venue probably later in the week.

On the downside, the Ladies superb run in the Mail on Sunday came to an end at Cape Cornwall on Saturday. It was always going to be a really tough ask, but the girls gave it everything, and turned in the best result any visiting team has made at Cape Cornwall this year, losing by 3 matches to 1, plus Jayne Wright accepting a half in her game when all square with just a few to play but with the tie decided. It has been an absolutely magnificent run in the tournament again, almost matching that in 2008, and Ladies' Captain Janet Ellis and her troops deserve every congratulation on their tournament.