The rain stayed away, a sizeable field turned out, and for once the biggest navigational challenge of the day wasn’t finding a golf ball in the rough. There were birdies and eagles to keep everyone’s card ticking over.

Antonio deserves special mention for actually finding the right golf club this week. After setting off for our recent match at Alton and somehow ending heading to Olton near Birmingham — missing the match altogether — simply arriving at Boundary Lakes must have felt like a victory. Golf is difficult enough without adding the M40 to the course management.

The skipper added a little extra spice with nearest-the-pin prizes on 11 and 18. Jock pulled out the stops to take the honours on 11, while Derek clearly believes in leaving the best until last and claimed his on the 18th. Thanks to the skipper for putting up the prizes and giving everyone something to play for when the scorecard had already started suggesting an early visit to the bar.

Division One was a close affair, Bob Fanstone taking the honours with 38 points, just one ahead of Mark Amandini on 37, with Steve Palmer another shot back on 36.

Division Two was rather less subtle.

Nigel Hearnden came home with an incredible 43 points, leaving Doug Watson to contemplate one of golf’s great injustices: shooting a superb 40 points and discovering it still isn’t enough to win. Rex Carpenter continued his excellent recent form with 39 points for third. Somewhere, the handicap computer has just cleared its diary and rolled up its sleeves.

And then there was the Twos Pot. Ten players managed to get their hands into it, which meant the traditional dreams of early retirement were reduced to perhaps a packet of crisps and half a pint. Jim Schwodler, spotting the problem, sensibly made two twos and dipped into the pot twice.

A cracking turnout, some excellent scoring, two nearest-the-pin winners and Antonio successfully completing a round trip without entering the West Midlands.

All in all, a very good day.