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Orange Juice with Guinness chasers?
A report on the annual Ryder Cup matches v Chippenham - 15/17 April 2016
With a degree of trepidation, having lost on the previous 4 occasions, 24 players from West Wilts Golf Club (WWGC) set off on Friday 15 April for their annual Ryder Cup format match versus Chippenham Golf Club (CGC). This battle of the Titans goes back in its origins 13 years, representing the camaraderie and friendly rivalry which exists between the two clubs.
The venue on Day One was 18 holes of 4-ball better ball at the Player’s Club, near Chipping Sodbury, beset with a multitude of water hazards which sent the lost ball count soaring and tested the nerves of even the most skilled amongst us. The intrepid golfers then hit the road for the St Pierre Marriott Hotel & Country Club in Chepstow, just over the border in Wales. After an excellent dinner and sufficient slumber our slightly befuddled warriors attacked Day Two, namely, 18 holes on the Mathern Course. The fairways, in places, were subject to standing water which certainly reduced driving distances but, on reflection, a good day was had by all. Missed putts and sliced drives were all forgotten in the true spirit of the 19th hole which extended slightly past normal bedtime.
Day Three saw the contest reach its denouemont on the magnificent St Pierre 18 hole Old Course, steeped in history where many European PGA competitions have been hosted. The harmony with nature was stunning and on several holes pairs of one year-old cygnets were in evidence grazing in front of the tee boxes, luckily none were on a collision course with errant golf balls! Both the fairways and greens were in perfect condition which led to better scores and happier faces in the barmy, shirtsleeve weather conditions. With a sense of achievement and joie de vivre the teams sat down to a scrumptuous buffet lunch to await the prizegiving. As captains of WWGC and CGC respectively, Dieter Wakeling and Paul Lye exchanged club ties and reflected on the total success of the 2016 Ryder Cup and the aspiration that it continues for many years to come.
Ray White from WWGC must be congratulated for masterminding the whole event with his attention to detail and ability to control 48 players all going in different directions. There followed a prizegiving with too many names to mention save for WWGC's Jim Dufosee as best scoring first timer, Bert Weedon and Ken Bailie as best returning scorers together with Stuart McGregor-Johnson. For CGC Clive Burnell completed the tournament undefeated and deserves a mention.
The overall result was a convincing 33 to 15 win for CGC, however, the friendships made continue to be a tribute to the enduring ethos of Wiltshire’s two premier golf clubs. Roll on 2017.

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