REPORT BY DAVE TWEED - MARCH 1st 2015
Up to date MM league table has been circulated by email, but it is worth pointing out that the author/organiser is no longer top of it! Frans Bus has taken over with 5 wins and 1 A/S from his 7 matches, with Colin Hynd in second place just 1 point behind (4 wins and 2 A/S) from his 7 games...
Still 4 Thursdays remain this quarter, but remember only your best six results of Q1 count, so the maximum is 12 points. Therefore any of the top 17 men, who have 4 or more points can win the €50/€30/€20 prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd respectively.
Special mention to my two Scottish buddies from Aberdeen, Euan Pyper and Stuart Deans, who have struggled on Thursday mornings this quarter with only one win between them in their 15 appearances. Clearly they are not used to playing winter golf in temperatures above freezing and winds below 50kph!!
As new members are joining Serra de Monchique all the time, here is just a reminder that Mens' Matchplay Mornings are NOT an official Club competition, so as long as each one is a matchplay related game with members' guests encouraged, every 4ball can do what they want within (within normal golf rules!) - e.g. play from whatever tee you decide on, use rounded up HCP or slope rates, pair up with guest/buggy partner/any HCP mix, etc.
My original brief to put life (and numbers!) into the now extinct "Thursday Roll Up" was fivefold, as it was struggling to attract players for more than 2 or 3 tee times by the end of 2012 - these days we have upwards of 40 players many weeks, so it has clearly worked!
1 - Our first aim is to play Matchplay with man against man, rather than a card against the course.
2 - Encourage new members and give them opportunity to mix with existing SdM men by having drawn games.
3 - Enable Silves/Alto only members to have reserved tee times for a social game ouside the official competitions.
4 - Have a bit of "male bonding" at the Clubhouse after the game and mix with fellow Mens' Matchplay guys.
5 - Let the Lady members do their own thing after the men - and do not interfere with their plans!
So, as there have been several new members joining SdM recently, please bear the above in mind and give us a try!
Report by Dave Tweed on Sunday 1st February 2015
Silves was closed this week for the European Seniors Qualifiers, so the Thursday regulars were off to Alto for the morning. Many members were marshalling for the Seniors, leaving 15 of us hardy souls to do battle against each other at Alto - as we played the "split 6" 3-ball game.
Most of us found Alto very "challenging", to say the least! However there are usually human winners in matchplay related games (rather than the course winning!) - although Euan Pyper & Gwynne Jones did finish up with the same score to half their match. The other four games were won by Gerry Davis, Dave Underwood, Frans Bus and Richard Whiteley's guest Stuart.
After four games highlights of the league are as follows. Dave Tweed & Frans Bus are at the top with 6 points and Peter Chapman has 5. Four men with 4 points - Charles Bradshaw, Dave Underwood, Ian Wakenshaw & Colin Hynd.
A further six men have 3 points - Steve Morgan, Euan Pyper, Gwynne Jones, Stuart Walker, Wim Hofmann and Gerry Davis. Copies of the actual league will be at Silves this coming Thursday
Report by Dave Tweed on Sunday 25th January 2015
After a lengthy break, due to heavy Serra de Monchique work commitments by the author last year, 2015 sees the return of what is hoped to be a regular Mens Matchplay newsletter.
The first Thursday of the month was on 1st January, so understandably there were not many takers! Silves was closed, so Larry Pratt, Stuart Walker and myself had a very relaxing and enjoyable round at Gramacho - although me and Larry enjoyed it more than Stuart, who had a "nightmare day"!
Report by Dave Tweed on matches of January 23rd
Early tee times were allocated by Pestana to us today, so it was a joy to turn up at Silves shortly after 7.45am to see 24 men (and a few of their wife's), arrived and ready to play golf on what was a cold, but sunny morning. So, the ideal number for a matchplay competition, with six 4balls playing the MMMsome game (preferred drive, pairs betterball matchplay).
Peter Chapman continued his winning streak, with four wins out of four, as did Steve Edwards - but Steve has only played 3. However, still early days, as the maximum is 14 points and there are still 18 to play for. All yesterday's scores are below:-
Steve Edwards & Ken Shelton beat Charles Bradshaw & Stuart Monks 3 & 2
Russell Lloyd & Stuart Walker beat Chris Nickels & Stu McGill 1up
Gerry Davis & Bernard O'Reilly beat Keiran O'Brian & David Taylor 3 & 2
Warren Tennant & Peter Chapman beat Don Forrester & Larry Pratt 3 & 2
Dave Tweed & Frans Bus beat Pete (Marieke's Dad) & Wim Hofmann 3 & 1
Pete Steward & Richard Emrich halved with Peter Vaughan & Stuart Deans
Full league table is available on request, but "leading lights" so far are listed below. Just noticed that a special mention must go to
Larry for his "hat-trick achievement" yesterday (three losses in a row!):-
NAME PLAYED POINTS HOLES WON
PETER CHAPMAN 4 8 9
STEVE EDWARDS 3 6 11
DAVE TWEED 4 6 8
FRANS BUS 3 4 7
BERNARD O'REILLY 3 4 6
STUART DEANS 3 4 3
STUART WALKER 3 4 3
CHRIS NICKELS 3 3 4
RUSSELL LLOYD 2 3 1
ADVANCE WARNING - Silves is closed for much of next week for the European Seniors Qualifying Competitions, so the Matchplay Men are at Alto with spaces for just 12 players. Contact Dave Tweed as soon as possible if you want to be included, as at the time of writing there are only 2 spaces left.
Report by Dave Tweed for mens' matchplay games on 16th January 2014
15 of us played on what was probably the best day of the week, from a weather perspective. Quite bright, fairly warm, no rain and little wind. Unfortunately Pete Steward had to drop out due to a twisted knee, so the other Peters' (Chapman and Vaughan) played the "split 6" game with Russell Lloyd. The remaining 12 of us played the MMMsomes matchplay game.
Russell and Peter V had not played the spilt 6 game before, so Peter C used his wisdom to win comfortably, by out scoring the other two on the front 9, back 9 and overall game - giving him 3 wins out of 3 so far this quarter. Consequently, Peter Chapman now heads the league table with a 2 point gap. Full results as follows:-
Chis Nickels & Bernard O'Reilly beat Charles Bradshaw & Stuart Monk by 3&2
Dave Tweed & Frans Bus beat Larry Pratt & Stuart Walker by 4&3
Peter Chapman beat Russell Lloyd (2nd) and Peter Vaughan in the split-six 3ball game
Stuart Deans & Stu McGill beat Richard Emrich & Don forrester 2up
Leading positions after 3 weeks are listed below, but the full lague table has been sent to the Mens Matchplay participants - and is available on request to other members.
1 Peter Chapman 6pts
2 Steve Edwards 4pts
3 Dave Tweed 4pts
4 Chris Nickels 3pts
5 Stuart Deans 3pts
Charles, Frans, Bernard, Stuart W, Stu, Larry & John P all have 2 points
2nd game of the year yesterday, and we had 13 players - although Richard Emrich and Pete Steward had to put in their 3rd qualifying cards, so did not compete in the matchplay games. Results of the three other games are below (two played the "split 6" threeball game), and the current league leaders. Full table is available on request.
Another great social day on Thursday 28th, although organiser Dave Tweed was feeling somewhat delicate after self inflicted damage to his liver the previous day! There were 15 men and 11 ladies playing (Mel & Karen Huxtable had to withdraw).
Three of the four mens' games were extremely close, as you can see below - but new members for 2013, Stuart Walker and Chris Nickels beat current Captain Geoff Cox and 2012 Captain Steve Edwards by 4 & 3.