Brought to their knees by the Brabazon

Members tee off on the Brabazon

Thirty-six Golfmagic Forum members got together on Sunday (April 20) for a low-key a round over the famous Brabazon Course at the Belfry Golf
Centre. It was a chance for many of us to experience a course we'd previously only seen on the television staging so many dramatic moments, including Ryder Cups and European Tour events.

Last minute practice on the range

As we drove to the course in heavy rain we thought 'Stickman' (forum nickname) - one of the forum's highly-regarded competition organisers had gone out of his way to preserve his reputation of setting up yet another soaking.

However, the rain stopped an hour or so before we were due to tee off and we remained dry all day, albeit that more than one or two balls became wet in the various water hazards that abound this testing course.

Scoring was made more difficult by the cold, swirling wind in a slate grey sky and greens made tricky by a treatment of slit cutting and sand. However, they played a lot better than they looked, although some of the old hands of Belfry conditions reported they were slow and a little untrue. To this first-timer, all I can say is that they must be frightening when they're in good condition as my scorecard testified!

Always need a few putts to drop before you start

All of the returned stableford point scores ranged in the mid twenties to low thirties and the organisers considered introducing the 'Duckworth/Lewis' cricket system in deciding the prize winners as the Brabazon brought nearly every player to their knees.

However, a late fantastic score of 38 points returned by Triple XL demanded someone please tell his club handicap secretary at Camberley Heath before we get to the next GM forum outing! Sean McDonald was second with 31 points overall and prizes also went to Ian Miller and Mr Inconsistant for the best front nine and Stickman and Matto for the best back nine.

Our thanks are extended to Stickman for an excellent day of
predominately social golf – although Triple XL was obviously in
competitive mode – at one of golf’s most prestigious venues. At £60 per head including 18 holes, a bucket of practice balls on the range,
bacon rolls/coffee and a two-course meal it proved excellent value.

It was particularly pleasing to welcome Matto and John Tudor to
their first taste of GM Forum golf - much of it more akin to the popular Shambles Cluib thread - and we look forward to welcoming
more first timers in the future. Keep watching the Forum for details
of the gathering at

Staverton Park on Sunday, July 6 and Greetham Valley in early autumn.