Page 189 - Bugle Autumn 2014

NI Tour 2014
The TRGS Tour to Northern Ireland (NI) to play 2 matches on three outstanding courses was again a huge success and great fun.
links players whilst RCD members had the advantage of local knowledge! Al Field, as an RCD member, played for the
more manageable. The party played among themselves with James Jackson using
local knowledge to good effect triumphed with a Stableford score of 38 points. The afternoon offered the majority the chance to play Castlerock, a real gem of a links course on the other side of the estuary from Portstewart Golf club where the final match was to be played on the morrow. Henry Hughes played some excellent golf including 3 birdies and won the game with 36 Stableford Points.
The final match against a mix of Ulsterman recruited by James Jackson was played at the beautiful and challenging Portstewart GC, with its new and impressive club house overlooking a huge
Notwithstanding the
absence on operations
of the Tour Manager –
A/Lt Col Al Field was in
the Congo | MONUC –
between him and Lt Col
(Retd) James Jackson
the package was put
together: Day 1 a
match against the Royal County Down GC; Day 2 an opportunity to play the Portrush (morning) and Castlerock (afternoon) courses; Day 3 a match against Portstewart GC. Inbetween, James Jackson threw open his house as the “home” watering hole. Other Tourists were: Hugh Dumas, Henry Hughes, Michael Phillips Cameron Reeves with new faces this year, Patrick Smith and Robin Thorne.
The first match was Lost against RCD. The younger element of the team stayed the night before in a deserted 2 Rifles Ballykinler welfare cottage (Easter stand down). It was a shame not to stay in the Mess and have a crack with the subalterns but the tour was over the Easter stand down. With 2 Rifles move to Lisburn this may have been the last overnight stay at Ballykinler. After a legendary Ulster fry in
a nearby garage the team assembled amongst the immaculate and impressive surroundings of the RCD at Newcastle. We were playing 4 ball better ball. Weather forced a delayed start but with the sun out at 11h00, there was every opportunity for some good scores. The RCD is a tough course and with lightning fast aprons, greens and with some wind presents a tough challenge for occasional
opposition against Henry Hughes and Robin Thorne. It was all square on the par
5 18th with Field and Hughes going head to head. Tragically for the Rifles, Henry buckled under the pressure and topped his second
fairway driver into the rough. Field managed a par and secured the first of 4 points for RCD. Lunch was excellent and the wine decent and much appreciation was shown to the hosts. Those
Tragically for the Rifles, Henry buckled under the pressure and topped his second fairway driver into the rough
that survived this gastronomic challenge had the opportunity
to replay the course during the afternoon.
Henry Hughes played some excellent golf
sandy beach, it was new to the Tour as none had played there previously. Undaunted and with some Links practice now under the collective belts,
Army Officers’ Golf Society Championship
This “challenge”
continued through the evening at a dinner chez Jackson and the following morning the party played the Valley Course at Portrush GC. The Main Course was unavailable
this year but the Valley Course was no
poor alternative. In fact many of the Rfn actually preferred it as it was both in immaculate condition and a bit shorter/
impressive efforts achieved a 2:2 Draw leaving the Tour balance sheet at 1 All.
– The Argyll & Sutherland Bowl
Following the first round exit in 2013, the RIFLES team was determined to reach out further into this competition. With only four teams entered, the amended format whereby all teams played each other to determine the Finalists, it gave the slow starting RIFLES the opportunity though
a 4&1 Loss to the strong Guards A Team first up left no margin for complacency. So the strong showing against the Guards B Team, winning 7&6was timely and led to a keenly fought ‘decider’ with the RSCOTS that went right down to the last hole where TRGS was unable to hold on and Lost. In the Final, Guards A beat RSCOTS to retain the Argyll & Sutherland Bowl.
So it is back to the drawing board to plan a campaign for 2015 at the Royal St Georges GC in Deal.
The one bright piece is that Julian Byng won the Super Veterans Trophy during the individual Stableford events played around the Inter Regimental matches.
C4C Charity Day Lanhydrock Golf Club
This is the second year that the Bond family have organised a charity event at Lanhydrock Golf Club in Bodmin which took place on 4th July. Clare and Graham Bond have a son serving as a rifleman with 3 Rifles who was injured in Afghanistan and they were so impressed with the support offered by The Rifles that they decided to raise funds for C4C. This year they had over 100 players and raised over £5K which will be shared between C4C and TRBL. For the first time Battalion teams participated and those players from 1st and 4th RIFLES thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. It is hoped that their fun will be broadcast around the Regiment and the Bond Family will see greater RIFLES support next year
THE RIFLES
RIFLES SPORTS 187