Monday, 20 September 2021

INAUGURAL GOLF TOURNAMENT BETWEEN THE UK ODs AND THE OLD BOYS OF MICHAELHOUSE AND HILTON

 

The ODs: Dermot Commins (G, 1980), Seb Franke-Matthecke (S, 2003), Dan Linegar (K, 2010), Stu Commins (F, 2006), Dave Riches (K, 1996), Nick Stirton (F, 2002), James Pickering (O, 1997), Doug Mallett (M, 2007) and Bruce Good (F, 1993).  Note the new OD golf shirts (white)

Building on the long and close relationships between our four schools and the recent launch of the LinkedIn career and mentoring group, it was inevitable that matters would come to a head in the world of sport. Golf, to be precise.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Alex Price (M, 2008), nine ODs went up against the best of the Kwazulu-Natal midlands — and lost — just — to Michaelhouse. The uneven numbers meant resorting to a new handicapping and scoring system which makes the Duckworth-Lewis model look simple, but after much scrutiny and double-checking, all that separated us ODs from the winners was 0.4!

Many of the old boys from each of the schools know each other and so the day felt more like the renewing of old friendships than a cutthroat golf tournament.

Played on the Silvermere course in Cobham, Surrey in excellent conditions, a rematch next year and the every year onwards is a "must". With big thanks to Hilton and Michaelhouse for being a part of this.

The three teams
Stu, Seb and Nick

Dermot and an Old Hiltonian

Doug and Dermot

Doug - not his most attractive pose

Stu and Doug

Stu, Doug, Dave, Seb, Nick and James

Seb, Dave, James and Nick

Dave and Nick

Nick and Seb

Relaxation and rehydration at the end of the day