On the first warm sunny day of the year the Downshire set off for Hoebridge with more hope than expectation following last weeks performance against Wycombe Heights.

On the course were to be seen short sleeves and in some cases long shorts revealing pallid white flesh for its first airing of the year.  Fortunately the Downshire players decided not to display their knobbly knees (even John Cash).

In the first match Mike Smurthwaite and John Stringer were defeated by a pair that lured them into believing that they were in with a good chance of winning a hole only to chip in from impossible positions.  At these points they were treated to language not heard at the Masters by Mike – the Berkshire is obviously having a influence on the normally quiet and calm Mike that we all knew.

Match 2.  Mark Tovey and Mike Margetts were mugged by a little old man who taught them the merits of being in the middle of the fairway and demonstrated how to thin 60 yards approach shots into the hole.  Those Hoebridge players must practise these shots!

Match 3, John Cash and Alan Pantling found that giving lots of shots was just too much and lost on the last.  Perhaps John needed those shorts after all.

At this point, as the results came in, the Downshire players in the clubhouse feared the worst.

Match 4, Peter Goodes and Ian Butler raised the spirits with a convincing 3&1 win. (Goodsy even arrived in time for breakfast albeit after it had been served and someone had stolen his orange juice).

Match 5, Steve Auton and Lance Perkins provided more good news with a superb 6&4 win, experience obviously telling.

In the final match, Nick Laugharne and Lee Dalton battled against giving away several shots and were all-square on the eighteenth tee.  Cometh the hour and a birdie secured an invaluable point for the Downshire.

The final result was Hoebridge 3 v. The Downshire 3

Congratulations to Steve and Lance who won the lowest net (by four strokes) with a score of 63.5.

The return match is in August and hopefully we will be able to take advantage of playing at home and secure a win.

As a footnote, Hoebridge apologised for the state of their greens, as they had been spiked and top-dressed during the week.  Apparently they were superb last week – aren’t they always.  Those playing the April Medal on Sunday can be forgiven for thinking they weren’t that bad!