On Friday 22nd March, 2019, a grey and chilly day, months of planning came to a head when the touring Bishops Golf team took on the UK ODs on the wonderful Old Course at the RAC in Surrey. The School's efforts to cajole the ODs to form a squash side was almost as exhausting as the game itself would have been but availability and medical advice prevented the ODs from rising to this challenge. Instead, the squash team played a scratch RAC doubles team and won 3-1. Our thanks to RAC convenor Charles Fuente for arranging this.
And so, with a little help from some friends, 12 ODs enjoyed the company of the Bishops boys for the last match of their very successful UK tour. And although going down 3-8, we appreciated very much the opportunity to get to know the "modern" Bishops boy, although our own Fergus Alexander (S, 2018) only just scrapes into the OD ranks and is almost still "one of them". It was great to have him play for us, as it was to have Andrew Bourne (O, 2003), both on holiday from Cape Town.
We were very pleased, too, to have Ali Bourne (Old Herschelian, Merriman, 2003) and David Walsh (Chairman of the Old Tonbridgians and great friend of the UK ODU) adding glamour and gravitas (respectively?) to the OD team.
To the School, the boys and their MiC, John Knight, go our thanks for making the time to play the ODs. And to the ODs for supporting the day which was enjoyed by all.
Our thanks go also to Charles Jillings (F, 1973) for being our sponsoring member at the RAC. Without his support we would not be able to play at this magnificent club.
There are two known UK ODU golf fixtures still remaining for 2019: against the Old Tonbridgians (our fifth match) and The Old Haileyburains (our second). We look forward to over-subscribed fields. Dates to be advised.
The full OD team appears at the end of this posting.
Click on the pictures to enlarge
Before the first shot is played, tactics are discussed in the Clubhouse and players paired:
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| Caelim Parkes and David Walsh |
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| Graham Llewellyn and Dermot Commins |
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| Andrew Bourne, Ali Bourne and Caelim Parkes |
This is how great teams are selected:
The OD Team (in action, most of them):
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| Dave Riches, David Walsh, Caelim Parkes, Greg Baldwin |
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| John Wyatt, Graham Llewellyn, Dermot, Commins, Ali Bourne, Andrew Bourne |
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| Fergus Alexander, Max Alexander, Nick Stirton and Chad Cruickshank |
Then to the fairways:
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| Chad Cruickshank, John Knight (staff) and Mervyn Walsh (staff) |
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| John Wyatt, Caelim Parkes and Greg Bladwin |
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| Dave Riches, David Walsh and John Knight |
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| ODs: Andrew Bourne and Mark Butcher on the right |
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| ODs: Dave Riches and David Walsh (middle) |
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| OD: John Wyatt (right) |
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| Mervin Walsh (staff), Caelim Parkes, Greg Baldwin and Glen Gibbon (staff) |
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| ODs Max and Fergus Alexander on the left |
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| ODs Chad Cruickshank and and Graham Llewellyn on the left |
Ali Bourne (left) and Dermot Commins (second from right)
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| Dave Riches (left) and David Walsh (right) wending their weary way to the halfway house |
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| Dermot Commins giving (or receiving) advice) |
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| Chad Cruickshank and Graham Llewellyn |
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| Ali Bourne |
The Halfway house:
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| Mervin Walsh, Glen Gibbon, Caelim Parkes and Greg Baldwin |
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| David Walsh (left) and Dave Riches (right) |
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| Nick Stirton joins his three-ball with John Wyatt |
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| The adjacent Epsom Downs Racecourse looking gray and foreboding |
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| Graham Llewellyn and Chad Cruickshank (to the right) |
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| Mark Butcher (back to the camera) |
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| Ali Bourne |
And then - what it's all for:
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| Mark Butcher and Greg Baldwin |
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| Dave Riches, Chad Cruickshank, John Wyatt, Dermot Commins and Graham Llewellyn |
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| Mark Butcher, Max and Fergus Alexander |
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| Nick Stirton, Ali and Andrew Bourne |
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| John Wyatt and Caelim Parkes |
And sparing a thought for the Squash Players:
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| John Knight (staff) on the left and Charles Richardson (OD) on the right |
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| At the after-after party: Mark Butcher, Chad Cruickshank and Graham Llewelyn |
On Friday 22nd March, 2019, a grey and chilly day, months of planning came to a head when the touring Bishops Golf team took on the UK ODs on the wonderful Old Course at the RAC in Surrey. The School's efforts to cajole the ODs to form a squash side was almost as exhausting as the game itself would have been but availability and medical advice prevented the ODs from rising to this challenge. Instead, the squash team played a scratch RAC doubles team and won 3-1. Our thanks to RAC convenor Charles Fuente for arranging this.
