Bristol 2018
2018 – Bristol 29th June – 1st July (World Cup Russia)
(The Players, Celtic Manor – Twenty Ten Course & The Kendleshire)
Courses 9/10 Hotel 8/10 Location 8/10 World Cup 0/10
Hotel DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City
Take M4 join the M32 towards Bristol. At end of the M32 , turn left at the traffic lights onto Bond St. Go past Temple Meads Station and continue to the large roundabout. Go all the way around the roundabout and bear left at Redcliffe Way
https://goo.gl/maps/z1nLXYZvrCk
Rooms
Brits and Etere
Chipper and Riggers
Norms and Monkey
Panky and Ginge
Itinerary
Fri 29th June The Players – Codrington Course 13:00
Sat 30th June Twenty Ten Course – Celtic Manor 13:10
Sun 1st July The Kendleshire Course – 10:36
| Player | Notes | |
| Mark Brittan | 5 | (less 1 shot for 2017 SGC win) – Lowest handicap for the SGC – usual moan but confident. |
| Richard Clancey | 5 | No penalty for 2017 final dat 37 pointer, one to watch but after under going minor surgery is weakening |
| Ian Pankhurst | 14 | One step ahead of the handicapper at present, one to watch based on current form |
| David Etere | 12 | the senior member of the tour, defies age and is 3 shots worse off than 2017, playing well but has the handicapper caught up with him? |
| Paul Brittan | 11 | The struggler amongst the pack, never finishes near the top, but always in a battle for the wooden spoon. can he steer clear this year? |
| Charlie Norman | 10 | A has been. There used to be competitive golfer here once upon a time. massive outsider |
| Riggers | 15 | New to the Tour, but now into his second year. Can he handle the social side of the SGC? competitive handicap. |
| Lee Howell | 28 | Dark Horse. 2017 played off 33, this year down to 28 but new clubs and lessons could see a massive swing in fortunes. |
Handicaps will be reviewed after each round.
Friday 29th June – The Players
The Players Club, Codrington, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol, BS37 6RZ http://www.theplayersgolfclub.com/courses/codrington/
The Codrington Course was opened in 2002 and since then has developed the reputation of being one of the toughest courses in the South-West. From the back tees the course stretches to 7106 yards (SSS 75), however from the medal tees measures 6625 yards. With a par of 72 and a SSS of 73 the Codrington offers a true test for any level of golfer and is a venue for over 150 professional members.
The course has been framed amongst woodland combining an eclectic blend of modern and links style design with numerous bunkers and lakes coming into play on almost every hole which only further adds to the exciting character of the course. The greens have been built to USGA standard with many testing contours and undulations. The course was ranked 113 by Golf World in 2006, ‘Best Courses in Great Britain and Ireland’.
Saturday 30th June – Twenty Ten Course – Celtic Manor
Coldra Woods, The Usk Valley, Caerleon, Newport NP18 1HQ https://www.celtic-manor.com/
What a way to start the SGC by playing the 2010 Ryder Cup course.
Sunday 1st July – The Kendleshire Course
Henfield Road, Coalpit Heath, Bristol BS36 2UY https://kendleshire.com/
Three 9-hole courses – Hollows, Ruffet & Badminton. Each offer a brilliant test of golf with a fair share of water hazards and memorable holes to challenge the SGC leaders.
SGC 2018 Review:
Most of the boys decided to start the SGC early by driving down to Bristol Thursday night. The last starters were the Perry Bar Crew Chipper, Riggers and Panky.
Brits and I chose an idyllic country retreat to rest up, watch the England V Belgium game and get an early night before the chaos ensues.
Monkey, Ginge and Norms decided to perform a reconnaissance of the Bristol night life in readiness for the boys Friday and Saturday nights. As the picture were coming through at 2:00am on whatsapp it became clear the boys had made a little error in judgement.
After a refreshing breakfast of freshly brewed coffee, Croissants followed by a traditional English fry up, brits and I had a stroll around the grounds discussing how badly Chopper plays golf considering he plays 5 rounds a week. We just agreed it was lack of natural talent and the fact he is burdened with sporting handicaps in all areas.
So off we all went to the first course. An easy warm up for the SGC weekend. The Perry Bar mob decided to play the par 3 course for a warm up (remembering the temperatures were currently hovering around 28c) Brits and I grabbed a few balls and warmed up on the range, soon to be joined by the slightly hungover Bristol boys. Monkey especially seemed under the weather.
A light lunch in the clubhouse and balls were thrown for the blind pairs competition. Brits organisation so far ok.
As is usual tradition, the current SGC holder tees off first, so Brits had the honour and off we went.
| Mark Brittan | 5 | 34 | |
| Richard Clancey | 5 | 32 | |
| Ian Pankhurst | 14 | 32 | |
| David Etere | 12 | 28 | |
| Paul Brittan | 11 | 32 | |
| Charlie Norman | 10 | 28 | |
| Riggers | 15 | 34 | |
| Lee Howell | 28 | 32 |
Riggers and Brits scoring well, whilst Norms and I had a bit of a scramble, but generally all players within 6 shots of each other (Big pat on the back to handicap secretary).
The Blind pairs were won by Riggers and Monkey, with Brits and Etere in second place.
Right so this is where Brits organization started to be found out a little.
No food available in the clubhouse! nothing, just crisps! This is worst than the debacle the previous year of eggs and may sandwiches followed by crinkle chips! We found a local pub luckily enough who could fit us in.
Table for 8 outside in the sun garden, steak and chip, and a pint before the 30 min drive back to Bristol.
After eventually getting back to the hotel we had to check in…..
Hotel 8/10
Ok, so well done to Golfbreaks (lucky Brits) for moving us to a decent standard hotel (not the ramshackle dump of 2017). Check in done, shower and air con on, then down for a beer to watch the World Cup…..
Now, onto the subject of the World Cup, in the 18 years the SGC has been running we have ALWAYS arranged the golf around the football allowing us to play and then watch the games. Especially the knockout stages. Imagine missing France 4 – 3 Argentina or Uruguay 2 – 1 Portugal? In fact imagine missing every single match played on the SGC. We even had one night when there was no football! Such great organization.
Right, first night out, normally the biggy. Start off with a couple of beers in an ok, place, then off to a few other livelier places and then into what could only be described as a parallel universe A Weatherspoon’s where you actually had to pay to enter!! Watching 70 year old men dancing away next to 16 year old girls whilst spilling their beers was as surreal as it gets, oh then I think I saw brits and clancey on the dancefloor and safe to say they blended in perfectly!
Cue Riggers “I know Bristol and I know this place which is on a different level” “wow Riggers that’s so cool, take us there please we need this new level now !”
45 mins later after trawling round we found this ‘paradise’ location to be closed.
the rest is still a bit of a blur…. But I know that I walked in at 5:20 Saturday morning after spending the night at a couple of casinos.. Brits and Panky were still up talking to some scary women. Riggers and Chipper were in bed for 2am.
Saturday – Celtic Manor Twenty Ten 2010 Day..
Bets course of the SGC and what do we do? get pissed and have 3 hours kip! Ridiculous. I have officially never felt worse than that morning..
Breakfast and we leave for Wales around 10:30 – Brit’s drives – result!
Arrived early, had a little tour of the changing rooms and the pro shop. Had a beer to settle the stomach and some food was taken by the guys who could face it.
Trolley today!! Some idiot decided to spend £40 on a buggy, even though you cannot drive it anywhere near the golf course and have to stick to the cart paths. Made for some long walks from cart to ball….
Mini bus from clubhouse to first tee and practice area. Photos on the first as well,
