Rain puts a dampener on ‘Districts’ party

HEAVY rain is threatening to make a very damp squib of the SA Country Districts party at San Lameer Country Club this week.

Yesterday play was washed out completely.

In fact, a big portion of the par five 13th fairway is under water, as are numerous other parts of the course, some totally flooded.

While some local farmers may be rejoicing, this is not what the boys from the country areas had hoped for when they arrived to play one of the gems of the ‘Golf Coast’.

Points were shared for Monday’s abandoned matches, but the local team had a bye, so whether or not this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen.

“It could work in our favour, but could also count against us,” said KwaZulu-Natal’s manager Wynand de Swardt.

Play will only get under way at lunch time earliest today and that’s if things have cleared and green staff have been able to cut the greens.

It’s now the third major event that has been affected by rain at San Lameer, including this year’s Interzone, and last year’s KZN Open.

But this week’s rain is way more. Some say it’s at least 150mm but De Swardt reckons it could be more.

“I’ve heard Richards Bay has had around 380mm (at time or writing) and it feels like we are heading that way too,” he said.

Team captain Corné van Deventer said the team had tried to get in some practice on the range on Monday afternoon.

“We have a good bunch of guys and had a few giggles so far, but need to play now. Home course advantage could help now as the other teams have not really been able to get in practice rounds,” he said.

De Swardt said the players had killed time by going tenpin bowling, watching movies and heading for the local shopping malls.

“Some of the players, not our guys, were so desperate for some golf that they played San Lameer’s little mashie course,” he laughed.

If there is no play at all today then it could be reduced to a three-day strokeplay format, to make it as fair as possible for everyone.

If the whole tournament is washed out, then there is a strong likelihood it will return to San Lameer next year.

KZN’s foursomes pairings will probably be Derek Scullard and Jens Hillermann, Tom Lovett and Van Deventer, Graham Fabricius and Sean Baker, and Koenie Erasmus and Ryno Crous.

But like all golf teams, there will be last minute discussions and strategy planning.

Singles will be simpler, most likely Scullard, Lovett, Hillermann, Van Deventer, Fabricius, Baker, Erasmus and Crous.

The weather forecast for Wednesday is looking up, so hopefully enough play can take place today to make it a worthwhile tournament.

For one thing, the course is (otherwise) in magnificent condition.

Which just makes sitting around staring at it all the more difficult.