With the AFL Grand Final being played later in the afternoon, it was an earlier than usual tee time so we could all get to wherever it was that we were going to be watching the big game...

With the groups for the round being drawn by lot, it meant we had some interesting combinations taking to the course and opinion was divided as to which group might start favourite. The only additional rules of note was that each member had to contribute 3 drives and there was no restriction in the order of play within the group.

After the draw, and with apologies in advance to my club mates for refering to them by their handicaps, the favoured group contained our club's 2 lowest markers off 1 and 6, also a fellow off 10 and (luckily for their handicap purposes) our club treasurer who is off 17.

My group consisted of 2 guys lower than my 13, off 9 and 11 and our handicap booster, a fellow off 20.

We birdied the first after taking the 20 cappers drive, which finished centre right of the fairway (won't mention that he was the ONLY one to hit the fairway) and my 7I 2nd shot found the dance floor about 20 feet away.

After disappointing 2 putt pars on the next 3 holes, we went on a bit of a "birdie blitz", with birdies at 4 of the next 5 holes to make the turn at 5 under the card.

The 11 marker and I were driving the ball well and the 9 was getting it done for us on the greens. Our only concern (and it was only a very minor one at this stage) was that we still had 2 more drives to get out of our 20 marker.

Only 2 more birdies (and no more drives from the 20) in the next 5 holes saw us arrive at the 15th tee a little less than pleased. We would take the 20 marker's next 2 drives as he had at least managed to find the fairway on both holes, choices which led to pars on both holes and we were then standing on 17 tee, still at 7 under the card and we thought that maybe 9 or 10 under would be close to enough to win the day.

After we could only manage to 2 putt par the par 3 17th green, talk turned to unleashing the monsters on the par 5 last in search of an eagle. After both the 9 and the 11 found trees in search of length, I knew it was down to me to produce a good one on the last and I am delighted to say I managed it. From centre right of the fairway, the 11 knocked his attempt at our groups 2nd shot onto the dance floor and apparently close. When we got to the green, it wasn't all that close but we had 4 shots at the eagle we wanted and to our collective delight, the 20 marker stepped first up and knocked it straight the heart of the cup....

Once we got back into the sheds, we found out the favoured group with the 1 marker and the 6 marker had shot a 13 under the card, 59 off the bat...!!!

This, however, was not enough for them to win the day...

The last group in consisted of guys all off 18 or over 18 and they also managed a 9 under 63 off the stick to win the day.

All in all, a ripping day......

Thanks for reading
Cheers