HAYLING ISLAND - 16th APRIL 2024

The Kangaroo Cup was started in 2004 to enable me to keep in touch with friends I had made during my 4 years as Manager/Club secretary at Windlesham Golf Club. Most events have a field of 24 players but this event was smaller with only 16 players, of which 8 were players from my days at Windlesham. Ali Maciver is the sole other player to have played in all 40 events winning the title 9 times – thank you Ali for your support.  

This was the 12th holding of the event at Hayling and I do not recall the course ever playing tougher! Having cut back the gorse 3 years ago the extremely wet weather of the last 3 months seems to have given the gorse perfect growing conditions and the course was a sea of yellow bloom if you strayed off the fairway! The prevailing westly wind was into the players’ faces from the first few holes with only one tail wind hole on the front 9 - even the seagulls were walking!   

Preparation is key in life and Pritchard seems to be a master! Upon arrival many players’ first words to me are, “my handicap has gone up”! Pritchard having done his research managed to add another .1 to his handicap giving him that extra shot which happened to be the 1st hole. Pritchard was the only player to Par the 1st hole both rounds for 3 points and got his team off to the ideal start. Pitchford/Pritchard had the best scores on all the better ball holes with 10 points both nines. The Par 3 5th straight into the head wind, was the first of the ‘both scores counting’ holes as well as the closest-to-the-pin hole.  Taylor hit a 3 iron to 10’ but missed the birdie for 3 points while partner Hedges was one of 5 players to put zero points on the card! The Par 4 6th which is the hardest hole on the course was showing its teeth, with 5 players writing Zero points on the card. The best of the first 9 holes was 25 points with an average of 22 against the usual 28 in previous years.

Players were relieved to have a tail wind hole at last to start the back 9!  New boy Turton drove the green and sunk a 3' putt for the eagle for 4 points - coming home with 28 points with the 2nd best back 9 score. The 12th & 13th were both back into the wind but scoring was helped being better ball holes. Jackson sunk a long birdie putt on the 13th banking 4 points. The turn for home was welcomed by all with Par 5 14th with 5 teams scoring 5 points or more with Lumley birdie 4 banking 4 points to add to Nicholas 3 banking the only 7 pointer hole of the day. At lunch the leaders were Lumley/Nicholas on 55, with Watson/Simpson 48, Naylor/Jackson 47, with 2 more teams on 46 so looked it was Lumley/Nicholas to lose.

The wind seemed to have increased in strength during lunch which would make scoring even harder with only one tail wind hole! After a good lunch Nicholas found the restart tough finally adding to the team score on the 6th but feeling all was lost. Pitchford/Pritchard continued the morning theme banking 12 points on the better ball holes but succumb to the wind on the 5 ‘both scores count’ holes, only scoring 10 points. Defending Champions Hedges/Taylor had the best of the afternoon rounds with 26 points to Turton & Crech 24 points helped by Grech’s 4 iron on the 5th to 3’ to win closest-to-the-pin - yes he did sink the birdie putt. Sadly this wasn’t enough to secure Runner Up spot losing out to Hedge/Taylor on countback. Lumley/Nicholas scored 25 points helped by a 6 pointer on the final hole to take the title.