Streetwise Top Dog - Antequera

Streetwise magazine is holding a "Top Dog" competition for all local Golf Societies. The format is a better ball stableford with teams of 12. The top four teams scores from each society makes the team score. The first round was held at Antequera and some how I made the team.

It was a beautiful sunny day in Antequera. Earlier discussions of other societies using "bandit" handicaps was forgotten and I was determined to enjoy the day come what may. I was partnered with John Kilroy and was hoping to post a decent score.


Dreamteam! Me and John Kilroy.

We were playing with a team from the GINS, the Nerja golf society. It was a "shotgun" start so we headed to the 8th tee to start. At least I wouldn't have my customary bad start at the first on this course. First tee short of the day set the pattern for my driving. Not bad at all for a change. However, a good start was ruined with careless shots around the green. We managed to score 1 point from the first two holes. The GINS pair, Jack and Phil, were looking to run away with it with 5 points already.


Plenty of Agua on the course.

As we started to mess up the next hole thoughts turned back to handicaps. John was convinced that he couldn't play to his new handicap of 11. Capped with that it looked like the GINS may have a "ringer" with Jack playing off 23, giving him 26 shots on the day. He was in his 70's but after the first hole, never looked like duffing any drives. Still, the Sun was out and we had a little laugh and started to relax and enjoy the day.


Long Par-5 down hill.

Looking back, this turned out to be the turning point for us. We started to pick up points but so where the GINS. We were convinced that we were well behind throughout the match. However, we kept racking up the points, the GINS excellent play probably helped us to respond. John chipped in with two great birdies. The final one coming on our last hole was for a crucial 4 points. Totting up the scores at the end and we were in for a pleasant surprise. We had tied with the GINS with 40 points.


Driving up the slope.

40 points turned out to be our teams top score. Other teams came in with impressive results and we ended up with 157 points to take fourth place. We didn't come away with any prizes. The Vinuela society seemed to sweep the board, taking the individual team score with 46 points, and a combined team score of 166 points. A few whispers of "Bandits" were heard and a few tales were told. One of which was that a member of the winning team was on a handicap of 36. But at the end of the day who cares. It was a great day out and beats work!


On the first Tee (Our 12th hole)