Players on Friday 3rd of February woke to conditions that were akin to sitting around a fire with a hot toddy than trudging around the Links chasing a little white ball.
But that being said, the dedicated at heart did battle with the elements and probably even surprised themselves with the results that they produced considering the challenges.
Ahmad Mustapha played very solidly to produce a score of 81 to claim gross division honours in the February Challenge despite an unhappy time on the Par 5’s, where he bogeyed 3 out of the 4 on the course.
Fortunately for him, his consistent play was enough to see off second and third placed players, Gerry Gibson and Rob Kennedy, whose gross scores of 85 had to be decided on a count back, with Gibbo claiming the bragging rights for a month.
The Net Division was also a tightly for affair, with Hanif Ibrahim finally crossing the line after scoring net 72 for his maiden win since joining the Club. Hanif, like everyone on the day, struggled with the Par 5 holes which were lengthened considerable by the cyclonic conditions but he battled away and got the job done in style.
Our resident “Golf Pervert” Mr. Oliver Spencer finally found some form despite scoring a trifecta of 6’s on Devils Bend, holes 5 through to 7, but true to form he shrugged of the disappointment and proceeded to soldier on into second place with a net of 73.
The biggest performer on the day had to be Mr. Peter Wortley, who defied the odds to post a brilliant net score of 75. Wortley‘s sheer determination in the conditions was unparalleled, and despite his playing partner running out of ink in his pen twice during his round, Wortley lifted anchor and proceeded to set a course to the 18th hole, where he produced a putt of some 60ft for birdie that not only lifted his spirits, but elevated him onto the podium for the first time at Tower Links.