This was our last match of the season and the format was a little different from previous ones. For one thing our opponents were men and we played on handicap. From past experience, matches against men can be fraught: how to sort out the shots given and received; do we add courtesy shots to make up the difference between the men’s and ladies’ cards; do the men play off the whites or yellows; do we play full handicap or a percentage and, if a percentage, which percentage? So, we went back to basics. The men played off the white tees: after all that’s where their handicaps came from. We all had full handicap, and we played Stableford matchplay off our own cards – ladies off the red stroke index and gentlemen off the white. I think it worked quite well. All the matches were close. In fact, Pat’s and my match went to the 9th before a hole was won. Of course, we couldn’t escape without a bit of a moan – the ‘huge’ distances between the whites and the red tees! The day before had been very wet in south Norwich. So much so that I telephoned Dunston Hall in the morning to make sure it was open for us. The greenstaff had obviously put in quite a bit of work but it was muddy. Preferred lies were the order of the day. It was a slow round, only to be expected on a hotel course, but we kept a steady pace and stayed dry throughout. Thank you to all who played, in particular to Janet and Glenda in their games for the Vets. We were well looked after by Dunston with coffee on arrival and a two-course meal and coffee after our game – cost £12. Lemon chicken in a leek sauce with roast potatoes and vegetables followed by warm treacle tart and custard. Our meal finished about 7.00 p.m. with the gentlemen looking forward to 2016 to avenge their defeat.

Wednesday 19th August dawned a lovely day when the Norfolk alarm clocks started ringing, telling us it was time to set off on the road to Spalding Golf Club. Our match tee-ed off at 11 o’clock and by 10 we had all arrived safely to enjoy a welcome cup of coffee. Some of us had made such good time that breakfast was on the menu! This match format has, in the past, consisted of eight pairs and more recently six. Unfortunately, I had not read the ‘small print’ and based our team on four pairs. So panic stations two weeks before the fixture when final arrangements were being confirmed. However, Norfolk Vets did not disappoint and an extra four players stepped up at short notice. Thank you Angie, Sue, Judith and Heather – not forgetting the rest of the team. Thank you. It was a pleasure to play the lovely course at Spalding. Once again the matches seemed to be close and played in a friendly spirit, a hallmark of Vets fixtures so far this year. Our delicious meal was baked ham with honey and mustard sauce, salad and new potatoes, choice of two desserts and coffee. During our meal, I realised that the Lincolnshire non-playing Captain Norma and I had been members of the same golf club in Aberdeen thirty or so years ago. What a small world the golfing world can be! Unfortunately, the final result was a loss so vowing revenge next year we said a very friendly goodbye and set off on the long road back to Norfolk.

A special request was made last year by Cambs & Hunts Team Captain that the 2015 match be at Eaton and on a Friday. Unfortunately, as it turned out, this match clashed with County Week so she was unable to play. However, she gave us a glorious summer day on a course in splendid condition! Thank you Edie Douglas. After our previous matches, it was a joy to play in warm, sunny, balmy conditions. Our President Barbara was there to send us off with a lucky Werther or two and, even more welcoming, a much needed glass of iced water to refresh us at the tenth tee. The course was in superb condition, inviting us all to play well. The matches were played in good spirit – a trademark of these Lady Veteran matches – and ended in a friendly draw. Many thanks to the Norfolk reserves who were called in to play. We thoroughly enjoyed our match tea of Lasagne or Brie, Mushroom and Cranberry Wellington, with garlic bread and salad, followed by fruit salad and chocolate cake – beautifully presented by the Eaton catering team. A few words of welcome and thanks, then off into the evening setting sun for our safe journey home.

Again the weather was a bit of a talking point for this match. June 10th might be considered to be summer but from the outfits donned in the changing room – waterproof trousers, woolly hats – it was a bit more like autumn or winter! It was a long trip over to Bedford, although the journeys were pretty smooth and trouble-free – as long as the …… sat nav took you to the correct course. There are three courses in close proximity to each other, The Bedford, Bedford & County and The Bedfordshire, the latter, our venue, being opened by Laura Davies in 2000. The land of the original course had been sold for housing, so the members moved from a flat well-established course to an exposed site of rolling countryside. A member told me that their golf had improved greatly with the move as they learned to cope with wind and sloping lies! By 10 o’clock we were all in the clubhouse enjoying a bacon bap and coffee before our first pair teed off at 10.30 a.m. The course looked very interesting with fast, sloping greens – a course that you had to think your way round. The matches were very close, all going to the 18th green and played in friendly spirit. Although we played 4BBB off scratch, Bedfordshire don’t have too many very low handicap players so, in fact, our teams were well matched, making for good competitive games. Our meal after the match was chicken with red wine sauce followed by homemade cheesecake and coffee. It was delicious. Thanks to the Norfolk team who made the journey over there, and to Angie who filled in at the very last minute.

I wonder whether the weather is going to be a feature of our matches this year. Last month we worried about wind. This month it was a little different! The previous day was one of stair rods from morn till night, but the match day forecast was better – sunshine and showers. So at 12 noon our first pairs set off and soon we were all on the course, enjoying the sunshine and beautiful views over the North Sea. About one hour into our games…. the sky darkened dramatically. Shelter was sought as thunder and lightning crackled above us. Then we had a terrific hailstorm which turned the course completely white. One of our number, in her haste to reach shelter, forgot to put a cover over her golf bag – half full of white hailstones! After a delay of about 20 minutes, the sun came out again, the greens melted and we set off again in determined spirit. Scratch matchplay can be an uphill struggle for Norfolk Vets. Our county opponents can have access to larger, lower handicap memberships. I knew we were in trouble when my partner, Sue Hill, whispered in my ear that she recognised one of our opponents – an England international hockey player! The course was in lovely condition. Recent rain(!) and sunshine has promoted the new season’s growth all over the golf course – including brilliant yellow coconut-perfumed gorse. We had the course virtually to ourselves, perhaps the thunderstorm had something to do with it, so were able to recover most of the time spent in our shelters. Our day finished in the clubhouse having a seaside special fish’n chips, goat’s cheese and red onion frittata or egg ‘n chips, followed by lemon tart and vanilla icecream. All the matches were played in good spirit, and a lighthearted ambience throughout our meal made for an enjoyable occasion. Of course we did not like the result, Suffolk having their revenge over last year’s heavy loss at Bungay – so look out next year at Gorleston! Special mention must go to Mary and Judy who managed to keep their Vets partnership’s unbeaten record. Thank you to the Norfolk ladies, most of whom had a distance to travel, for playing in this match.