Levante Golf Society

Alicante, February 7

On the anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens 19 Levante Golf Society members travelled to Alicante Golf with ‘Great Expectations’. With yellow tee positions unusually far forward the men were virtually playing off the ladies’ tees, so there was little prospect of ‘Hard Times’ for their performances and the scoring showed that most of them gave it ‘The Complete Works’. Enough of that!

Both the weather and the course conditions were good. The competition format was individual Stableford, qualifying for handicap purposes and Player of the Year points. The day was dominated by the theme of consistency – certainly for three of the players;

Firstly, Mike Harding who achieved eight gross pars for a score of 38 points and a 0.8 handicap cut which would have been greater had he not visited the water twice on the eighteenth. Even that score was only good enough for third place.

Secondly, Andy Price, who also scored 38 points – exactly the same score and on the same course as two days earlier with White Coast Golf Society. Andy came fourth on countback earning him a 0.8 handicap cut, his second of the week reflecting his excellent run of form.

Thirdly, Dave Collie who had a gross score 5 on ten of the first eleven holes, regardless of whether their pars were two, three or four. Surprisingly, the hole which broke his sequence was the ninth – a par 5!

The overall winner on the day with an excellent score of 39 points and a 0.9 handicap cut was Kevin Waterland. Kevin also achieved the Desmond of two 2s, on the sixth and twelfth. One other two was achieved, by John Cook on the fifteenth. In second place, leading the pack of 38 point scorers on countback, was Brian Barden earning a 0.6 handicap cut.

Moe Farouky won the seniors’ prize on a score of 36 points.Winners of the nearest the pin prizes were Peter Ketteringham on the third and Neville Richardson on the twelfth.

The next three weeks are individual stablefords at Oliva Nova (already oversubscribed for the 36 available places) and El Saler, followed by a team game at Benidorm Levante.