Once again North Foreland Golf Club was chosen to be the venue for the Old Ruymian Golf Day 2020. Boasting a fine clubhouse and a well-prepared course, we were looking forward to another fine day of golfing competition and social banter.
For once there were no late-comers and no-one complained about the over-complicated 3/4 handicap provision and whether the results should be rounded to nearest integer, rounded down or rounded up. Whilst the lack of delays and clear fairways were widely appreciated the final outcome was clear from the outset. Ty Harding would certainly be holding the coveted trophy for a third year, on this occasion, unchallenged. For the second year running Terry Gilliland would go home with no prizes and still fewer excuses. All so terribly predictable and with no bounty of lost golf balls for the local dog-walkers.
Lunch was a quiet and sombre affair, lacking the usual chatter and good humour. There were no prizes to be presented: no "longest drive" landed on the fairway, and no "nearest the pin" landed on the green. The default cup-holder had his name already engraved on the trophy from the previous year.
We will all look forward to visiting North Foreland Golf Club again, either in September for the Sporting Reunion, or in April 2021 for the next Golf Day, when I hope that we will be attending in person rather than in spirit.
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