Today was the day ,

Today was the day when after 13 years playing this wonderful game I achieved one of my goals, to shoot level par in competition.
I was playing in the Weedons Golf club Tuesday tournament for the princely sum of $7, yup that's right 3.50 GBP at today's exchange rate for a course that would command at least 45 GBP/ round in the UK !!!

It was a cool start with plenty of dew on the ground but the promise of another fine day with no wind and temps of 19 forecast.
I played with my regular partner, a Weedons member and a lady from Christchurch whose course is out of action , match of the day Stableford .

Second off the 1st and mutterings from group behind as why was I waiting , get on with it, which i answered with an arrow straight 3 wood sent out some 220 yards. Mutterings now replaced with " good shot mate "
52 wedge to 18 inches and easy birdie.

Par 5 next and split the fairway, 3 iron to 80 yards and then lob wedge to 6 foot and drained the putt , easy money

Par 3 next , 8 iron which was one club short, rolled the putt up for a tap in.

Another par 5 and just short in 2 with my 3 iron, chip on and 5 footer for birdie.

So 3 under and still no shots of my handicap used, so yes some fairly easy holes with reachable par 5 's.

Into the harder holes now, put my tee shot in position A although on a slight upslope. Took PW but pulled it and long left (worst shot of the day)5 here so dropped shot.
Par 3 3
Par 4 4
Par 4 5 , didn't get draw with 3 wood and ran out of fairway into trees .
Par 3 3
par 5 Long one this one 540 yards. came up short with an 8 iron instead of using a 7, 15 footer for par grazed the hole but didn't drop.

Front 9 37 and 21 points

Par 4 4 Birdie putt stopped 2 inches short
Par 5 4 reached in two with driver,3 wood, green guarded with trees left and right , eagle putt went 8 foot past and very happy to make birdie putt back.
Par 3 4, tugged 2 shot,chipped to 5 foot but missed
Par 4 4
Par 4 4 very tricky downhill left to right putt that I was very happy to leave a foot below the hole.
Par 4 5 tried to cut too much off the dog leg and caught the trees, chipped out forward some 40 yards then 3 to get down, although 30 footer putt shaved the hole.
Par 3 3 114 yards PW to 8 foot below the hole but committed the cardinal sin of being short, all be it 3 inches
Par 4 4.
So shortish par 5 left , very tight driving hole and ripped my best of the day to leave a 5 iron to the heart of the green.
So now decision time, go for the eagle putt and risk missing the birdie putt coming back ??? 20 footer with 2 breaks !!!!.
Well ended up missing by an inch on the left but some 6 foot past with slight right to left break. Sheesh this was some pressure now, but picked my line and stroked it in
Course length 6500 yards, par 73 73 and 44 points.

And the Weedons member off 18 shot 37 coming back with 25 points !!!!

There we go thanks for sticking with it, never driven better or putted better than today, one to live long on the memory banks

All safe

If you've been following the news you'll know we've had a massively damaging earthquake but by luck/fate both Clare and I had the day off. me because it was raining and Clare then swapped to be off with me.
We were coming out of Rangiora and were thrown around in the car and then the radio went off so we knew straight away the region had been hit yet again by a BIG one.
Thankfully all our friends are safe and were in the CBD when it hit and ran for their lives.  Some of their houses are not looking so flash and we're hosting them till we find out more , whether it's safe for them to return.

The response has been amazing, so many many people working together, so many volunteers shovelling silt all day long, cooking meals , filling bottles etc etc.

Cheers Ben

Clare's 50 th

Well it was Clare's big birthday a while back and we had a " do " for her on December the 11 th

We did  a spit roast, a first for Clare and I. We're well versed now in the pig feeding and slaughtering side so things went very smoothly on the Friday night with many thanks to Toby and Tony.

T and T came round again on Saturday morning by which time I'd been to fetch the spit roaster. It took us about an hour to prepare the pig and about 11 o'clock we fired up the burners and then waited. It took about 5 hours to cook at a slow heat, 140 from memory. We let it rest before serving up to our guests, around 85 adults and 45 children.
We also had two BBQ's going and many thanks to those who manned them and all of you who brought food to share.
Verdict on the pork? Awesome , excellent, so tasty, more please, oh wow that's good :-)
All in all a great party

 

 

Many thanks to Amanda for the superb cake, all edible

The pig "resting"

Chief carvers Clare and Jim

Grab a seat

The new Boule court

Got a bit chilly later on so rubbed a couple of boy scouts together

NICU a go go

Clare's 50 th

It's a cake time

Cheesy grin !

Happy Birthday Clare

Partied till the small hours

............new arrival of the four legged variety :-D

Well many of you will know we are expecting ............. a baby that is !! Well actually Helen & Daves baby who will be arriving any time soon (in the UK). We have also had a new arrival here in NZ - namely Griff . A gorgeous boy who we have had as a friend for Sky from the Dog Watch Rescue/Rehoming Centre. Griff arrived today amongst much excitement. So far so good after 3 hours he has met most of the animals (except the cats!) is having a great time playing with Sky and his only misdemeanor  is pinching a loo rolll and hiding it under a rose - not a very good thief though as he had mud all over his nose!!!

Anyway here are the pics :-D

Shaken but not stirred

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/

Well as with the rest of Christchurch and surrounding districts we were shaken awake on early Saturday morning with THE Canterbury earthquake. Boy when Mother Nature means business there no mistaking the power. We have been extremely lucky where we are as we seem to have escaped any damage (just rattley bones!) whereas neighbouring Kaiapoi and Christchurch have been hit really badly. The after shocks are also a stern reminder that the danger is not over and that such things are unpredictable. Above is a link to the local media and the photos make for shocking viewing especially in places that we frequent which will surely never look the same again. The lovely Victorian façades of the inner city buildings are pretty much destroyed and many of the old landmarks have crumbled.