Alhaurin ouch!

Lost : at Alhaurin Golf course...Sat 29/3/25..between 100 and 150 golf balls! To Alhaurin golf...if found, please keep them, we won't be coming back!

For Sale: 19 sets of golf clubs, including bags ( but no balls)!

Alhaurin G.C. stands out as a beautiful gem in the countryside. The sweeping views of rolling hills and lush greenery is a photographers delight. The course however, although in great condition proved almost unplayable. It has to be said in all honesty....a course where you cannot drive on the fairways and which has so many blind spots was impossible to play.

Normally if you have a blind shot, your mates can drive to a vantage point and spot your ball, with the "no buggies on fairways" rule, this was not possible, hence so many good shots were punished. Golf rules dictate that if you cannot find your ball then you go back to where you last played from, because of so many blind shots, you didn't know you had lost your ball and then you didn't have the luxury of driving back to the previous position....this would have taken forever to play the round. This is why so many courses use the "red markers", you see where your ball goes into a hazard so you drop from the nearest point of entry ( with a one shot penalty ), this is supposed to speed the game up. Of course if you cannot see where it went into the hazard your are royally stuffed!

A course which has so much chicken wire around the hazards tells it's own story, why not have a first cut and a second cut that stops the ball from running away?

I guess each group has it's own story to tell so lets not dwell on it too much.....rant over!

Our group were a great bunch to play with, the girls ( Tone and Sandra ) hit some cracking shots, we had some laughs especially when Tone putted ever so gently, only to see her ball gather speed, go off the green, down the banking, through the windmill, in the clowns mouth and oob....that was a tough one to take. She did however have the last laugh on Lobo, courtesy of a NTP immediately after Lobo had put his ball pretty close on the 5th. Not as close as Richard's tee shot on the 9th though...a fantastic 9 iron on the 14th to within "kick in" distance.

I must offer congratulations to Bob Thompson for a great win..apparently he holed everything he looked at. Once known as "Blobby" I now have to refer to him as Oneblob. (the boys back) Well done lovely boy.

Unlucky Ricky, just edged out on countback...always great company is Ricky.

Also a mention in despatches to Paul Ellis and Richard Taylor, really good to see you up there on 32pts..those scores were much better than they look.

Team 1 comprising of Richard T/Ricky B/Steve G/ably assisted by Casper the ghost aka Sandra cleaned up with the best team score of 85pts...second place going to Team 5 captained by Pete Rafferty, including Charlie/wee Jimmy and Per with 80pts.

And finally...an official and personal welcome to Phil Gordon. I hope this has not put you off Phil...it was a toughie to start with.

Next month we are at Santa Maria....look forward to seeing you all there.

Onwards and upwards. Taff

The beauty of Alhaurin Golf Course on a sunny day.

An unusual sight..ball middle of fairway!