Thought I might add a lighter moment to the trials and tribulations of the Stock Market in general and have arranged a Golf Challenge, fully supported by Money AM to be held in the heart of the Midlands at Leicestershire's renown golf club at Longcliffe.

Date: Monday 27th June

Practise round tee off 9.30am
Lunch 1.45pm (Sandwichs and soup or chips (cost 4 included in the entrance fee)
Competition round, tee off 2.30pm
Dinner & Prize Giving 7.30pm


PRIZES:

All entrants will get 3 months worth of Shares Magazine sent to their home every week.

Winner will get the MoneyAM Annual Golf Challenge Cup to keep for one year plus 1 years worth of MoneyAM Level 2 service worth 550+.

Second and Third will get a medal to keep, plus 6 months level 2 worth 225+.

Additionally, closest to the pin and longest drive.


Longcliffe Golf Club
Snell's Nook Lane,
Nanpantan,
Loughborough, LE11 3YA

http://www.longcliffegolf.co.uk/the_course.htm

The big day is now but tomorrow. Here is the starting line up:

Morning: Tee off 9.30

Team 1

PTH
Tallsiii
Paul Jacobs

Team 2

Ken Kennison
Paul 1812
Predateur
MG

Team 3

Stuart Lane
Eric Robson
Markus
Canary 9

(Eric will be a wild card for Team 1)

Format will be, maximum handicap of 24 for each player, stableford, best two scores for each hole to count. Thought about the 'orange ball' idea, which we can discuss tomorrow morning, but personally, would rather keep it simple.

Afternoon: Tee off 2.30

Group 1

PJ
Stuart Lane
Predateur

Group 2

Eric Robson
Paul 1812
Tallsiii

Group 3

Bob Colby
MG
Canary 9

Group 4

PTH
Markus
Ken Kennison

Format: Maximum Handicap 24, Stableford. Nearest the pin, holes 5 & 15, longest drive, hole 17. As stated previoulsy there will be a 5 fee to enter the nearest pin and longest drives to purchase some balls, plus a few bottles of wine donated by moi and Eric.

Remember to bring jacket and tie for the evening. If wearing tailored shorts, white socks must be worn.

Also no headbutting, gouging or biting and may the best man (me!) win.

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow. I will be at the clubhouse by about 0815, so suggest everyone else gets there not long after so we can have a chat over a cup of coffee. Eric, will find out today if any food will be available on arrival.

BobColby,

please let me know if you are still intending to bring two guests, 10 each, you can pay on the day. (Might not be able to get steak and ale pie though, see comments above).

pth

Paul.
Thank you for kind thought, unfortuantly am unable to join you this
tine. Maybe another time.
cyril

So with the texas scramble out the window, shall we go for the orange ball game, fairly basic rules:- stableford scoring the person that has the orange ball their stableford score is the team score and the ball has to be passed on to th next man after every hole, once the ball is lost team scoring stops. But obviously you will be counting you individual stableford score, So it's kinda team play and individual wrapped into one.

what do you think??? shall i bring some yellow/orange balls??

pjacobs

The ball doesn't have to be the colour orange/yellow. The orange/yellow ball can be any designated ball. I prefer to play with my own balls as I prefer to play with a particular make, Titliest pro v1'.

A variation on the orange ball and easier to calculate for the team is the best 2 from three scores on each hole with the yellow ball scoring. Yellow ball rotating in order after each hole. What do you think?

Paul

Guys

I don't mind what we play in the morning, it's just a bit of fun and course familiarisation. Quite happy to go with the 'orange ball' concept.

pth

paul - there is far more pressure when you have the coloured ball and also the fact that if the ball gets lost the scoring finishes at that point! and you continue as normal. or alternatively we could mark a Pro v1 for each team with Team 1,2,3 etc etc.

i'll try and get some umbrellas from somewhere for the winning team, even more prizes, if someone wins nothing i'll be very surprised.

pjacobs

I am happy to go along with any game that makes for a pleasent days golfing, beats working. The loosing the coloured ball seems like too much pressure for a high handicaper on a fun day.

I noticed you've not posted your handicap. Be interested to see who I am playing with in the afternoon.

markus is very quite, is he on holiday or getting some practice in. I don't do practice!!

My handicap is 18 (and a bad one at that).

I have a request can we mix the groups up so that we have low/mid handicaps mid/high handicaps its always good to play with people that are better than you (not sure if you would agree on the reverse tho)

PTH I now have a second player - Ken Kennison of Halewood will be coming along in place of Geoff Langham. Ken hadicap is 18 as is mine.

pj

Great job, well done, assuming everyone turns up, should have 12, which is a nice round number.

Plan is to mix everyone up in the morning with regard to handicaps, but in the afternoon will let the lower handicappers go first. As you say, it may help some, but may also hinder others.

pth

pth, pjacobs

I'm happy to go out with anybody (what is anybody's handicap?) high or low. I believe the day is about having some fun, good company, good conversation and to relax away from loosing money on the markets. (loosing that's me).

Lower handicapers don't usually make the best company because they tend to have single track minds when they have a sniff at a prize. In this case that will not happen because pth and eric are earmarked for the 1st and 2nd prizes. We will have to be content with fighting ower the minor prizes hence making better company.

Paul

Paul im playing just to take part as im a rank outsider for any prize what so ever, you never know a lucky shot on a par 3 might get me nearest the pin, saying that longest drive i might be a contender :)

Trophy has just arrived and looks top notch, the tension is getting high :)

paul,

the way I'm playing I could shoot 75 or 95! No idea what's coming off the club next. Spent a whole round on tuesday without any woods or driver, hit some lovely irons. Medal yesterday, hit the driver great and couldn't hit an iron?

Stupid game!!

pth

Peter

did you get my mail?

fundy

mail received, will reply tonight, many thanks, sorry you can't make it.

peter

looking forward to meeting you all and having a great day.

Sorry Fundy can't make it on monday.

so what are the numbers as we stand today?????

pj

Spot on 12.

So, four three balls morning and afternoon. Unfortunately, a few people put their name down and didn't bother to confirm their attendance or otherwise.

pth

Paul1812, You asked where I was, I believe (post: 333)? Actually I am retired. Also just returned from 2 days on the NW coast battling the Links again (social rounds).

Having been in horrendous form of late, round 2 this afternoon saw me beat my handicap for the first time in aeons, incl. being back in just +3 gross. The heavens opened up just after we finished so we were very lucky today. Still think I am in serious danger of creeping up to 12 though after this weekend's imminent 36-hole 2-day Medal. But will give it my best shot.

Golf and investing have been absolutelty DREADFUL for me recently so I'm just hoping for an enjoyable and relaxing ensemble with like minded people on Monday. Myself and PTH hit it off straight away with some great banter over our 2 social games and really hoping for the same on Monday with the rest of you guys, as well.

Agree with Paul: reckon we are all playing for 3rd. prize (plus spot prizes) after PTH and Eric will be hot favourites to fill the top 2 positions! Either way I'm actually starting to get in the mood for it now....!

Pete, do you have tee-off times/pairings sorted out yet for at least the Main p.m. Event?

markus

you can tee off in the morning and then again in the afternoon!!

Will be collecting some score cards tomorrow and working out the pairings over the weekend. As I recall you said, 'don't pair me with that bandit Robson in the morning!'

Will post again over the weekend. Hope everyone is going to turn up, quite a few entrants have not posted for quite some time!!

See you all soon.

pth