Hong Kong Cricket Club

Golf Centre

The golf centre comprises two golf simulators with a small putting area in between.

Golf Simulator - Open Daily 9:00A.M. - 10:00P.M.

Our Annual Match against the American Club, moved to the East Course. The individual results were as follows:

Many thanks to those who participated; it’s always good to bring back the Trophy.

KSC,Saturday, 24th July: nice hot conditions for all. New course specialist, Robert Barber, produced the goods again to win with 38 points, Ian Cochrane showed a return to form, finishing as runner up on 35 with Eamonn O’Connell in third.

Fanling, Friday 30th July: We were given an opportunity to play the old course which is always a pleasure. This was played in stifling heat that did not seem to affect most players, as the scoring was very good.

Darren Tucker was the victorious winner with a fine 43 points and John Shelley runner up on 41 points.

KSC, Sunday 15th August: around the South course. Course specialist, Robert Barber, once again, took the honours with 37 points - close on his heels was Eamonn O’Connell with 36. Longest Drive: Will Hale, Nearest Pin: Ian Cochrane.

Robert has now won the last three outings on the South course and has surged ahead in the order of Merit.

This day however will be better remembered for Bob Bettridge scoring a hole in ONE (his first ever) on the 5th hole. Many congratulations to Bob who is only our second member to score a 1 while playing in the Society.

My Golf Clinics will recommence in early September.
Please look out for the Flyers in this issue of The Pinkun.

Forthcoming Events
Monday 27th September - Discovery Bay
Friday 22nd October – KSC South Course
Friday 19th November – Clearwater Bay

For enquiries concerning Golf lessons, e-mail golf@hkcc.org and matters relating to the Sports Annexe Building, please contact me on 3511-8698, e-mail recreation@hkcc.org

Adisparate group of HKCC members and a semidressed Plucka arrived at the Calcot Hotel near Reading on Saturday 31st July for what was promised to be a week of great golf capped off by the first ever match between HKCC and MCC. During the week, we were joined by the odd hanger-on who was looking for what he hoped would be a free game. Stormy and Bob Bettridge (Tour Leader) had organized a different course for each day so that we could be in top form for the BIG MATCH over 36 holes at the famed Berkshire.

Sunday, we played Donnington Grove. The round took 5 hours due to the fact that we were following the Slowest Golfers in England Golf Society annual outing, and also that there was a 3 mile walk between most holes. Macca outstayed the field and won with 34 points. This was due mostly to Clinch insisting that beer rather that putting practice should precede the game. The Tour Leader forgot to bring Plukka and was about to be awarded a night with him but was saved when the Italian Stallion's daughter insisted he (Calo) would like to sleep with a duck.

Monday was the beautiful East Berkshire course. We were late due to the SAT NAV breaking down. The canny Scot, Ray Kennedy, won with 32 points, Macca and Clinch not having had time to embrace the traditional pre-match ale. Stormy got Plukka for getting lost.

Tuesday saw us at magnificent Worplesdon, one of the premier courses in Surrey. This was courtesy of one of our members, Geoffrey Green, who is a member of that august Club. It was a miracle that we arrived at all, the Tour Leader being totally unable to pronounce the name. Stormy won with 33 points, no doubt with a little help from his duck. Martin Clinch won Plukka for losing his cash, blaming an innocent damsel and then finding it (the money, not her) under his pillow.

On Wednesday we went to Sonning, another beautiful course. By luck, we arrived on time. It was a magnificent English summer's day, the biting wind and rain punctuated by a few minutes of bright sunshine. Due to the typically Scottish winter conditions, Ray Kennedy naturally won with 41 points. Tour Leader regained Plukka for trying to worm his way out of an indefensible situation.

The last course before the BIG MATCH was Temple. It was noted that the best two things about this course were the view from the bar and the EXIT sign on the gate. Needless to say, Simon Davies conquered the unconquerable and won the comp with 36 points. Tour Leader got Plukka'd again for directing us to the wrong pub, in the wrong village, for dinner.

Although the golf was to be played at The Berkshire on Friday 6th August, the contest actually began the night before when the MCC entertained us for dinner at the Brickmakers Hotel in Wildersham. MCC were one up when we arrived an hour late, having first gone to The Brickmakers Arms at Burnham (only 15 miles away) due to a "clerical error" by our Tour Leader. As he had been referring to the venue all week as The Brickmaster, it was, in fact, lucky that we got to dinner at all.

MCC went 2 up when Jelly Roll confidently predicted he and Stormy would thrash 2 players who were in fact playing The Postmen (more of that later). Then 3 up when John Barclay, MCC Chairman, in his formal speech referred to Jelly as "Bob". 4 up after 4 was looking pretty grim when Plukka was nicked by the MCC. We staggered home a sorry lot.

The actual golf was played the next morning. Miraculously, without incident, we found the most famous course in Berkshire and arrived roughly on time. Morning foursomes on the Red course was followed by beers, lunch, wine, kummel and afternoon foursomes on the Blue course. Needless to say the Chairman and Macca (universally known as "The Postmen" because they always deliver) won in the morning. Even the Chairman could not carry Jelly in the afternoon, although Macca naturally delivered yet again.

Macca and Stormy won both matches - 2 points each
Tour Leader, Chairman, Jelly Roll, Hodgson - 1 point each
S Davies and The Italian Stallion - halfpoint each
The rest - zilch

That somehow adds up to 4 points from 12 matches. MCC won the Perpetual Trophy with 7 points.

Thereafter, followed significant drinks, some boasting and a lot of soul searching by the less successful of us. It was a magnificent day and the MCC really did us proud. We can only hope that the relationship forged on this tour continues and that the trophy is played for regularly and is soon in HKCC hands.

The tour ended with a fairly subdued dinner in Reading, the day's 36 holes and the events of the previous week having finally taken their toll. Presentations for the week's efforts were made. Ray Kennedy took overall honours with 104 stableford points from his best 3 days, a street ahead of Simon Davies with 97. Needless to say the Tour Leader retained Plukka for the long journey home.

As a footnote, those of you who know Berkshire will have fathomed that we stayed a very long way from all the golf courses we played. Had we stayed at Ascot, for example, we would have saved about 3 hours a day travelling time. However, there was a perfectly rational explanation for all this. Our hotel was close to Storm's mum's house and he could take his washing there after each round. Thanks Mate!

The Golf Simulators have been up and running for a while. I hope the members are enjoying them.

PLEASE NOTE that we will have monthly updates to the software so anything you would like added or changed, please let me know and we will do our best to accommodate.

• BALL CLINIC
• DRIVER DEMO DAYS - many different brands
• HYBRID DEMO DAYS - many different brands

For a full demonstration of the Simulators please contact either myself or any of the Recreation staff.

The “new” Sports Annexe has been in operation for two months during which there has been a settling in period. We hope you have enjoyed the facilities now on offer.

Due to Member demand, we have introduced football, hockey and netball into the booking system. At present, these sports can only be booked in person or by telephone 3511 8698.

All comments from Members have been taken on board and, where possible, we will implement them.

We will shortly be offering Members a chance to compete in an indoor Football and Cricket league. Please look out for the emails and posters.

Jeans are NOT acceptable; neither are non-sporting clothes. Please wear non-marking sports shoes ONLY.

For enquiries concerning Golf lessons e-mail golf@hkcc.org and matters relating to the Sports Annexe Building please contact me on 3511-8698 , e-mail recreation@hkcc.org

Dear Member,

My name is Adrian Waters. I come from England. I have now been the Facilities Manager for the Sports Annexe Building as well as the Golf Professional for the Hong Kong Cricket Club for nearly three years. I am a Class AA PGA Golf Professional with 19 years of teaching experience and 12 years managerial experience.

I am currently available to the Members for golf lessons or matters relating to the Sports Annexe Building six days a week.

Details of Junior Programmes and Group Lessons will be posted on Golf Notice Boards and in the monthly issues of the Pinkun.

It is great to see so many members using the Golf Simulators and other facilities in the Sports Annexe on a regular basis. I am looking forward to meeting you in the Sports Annexe Building. Should you wish to start to learn Golf or want to improve your skills, or just want advise on golf equipment and etc., please feel free to call me on 3511 8698 or 9548 8169 or e-mail me at golf@hkcc.org.

Adrian Waters
Sports Annexe Building Facilities Manager
HKCC Golf Professional

Clinics
Induction Courses:
Applications to attend Golf Simulator - Induction Courses can be made to the Club's Recreation Department (Tel. 35118699 or e-mail recreation@hkcc.org or Book at Reception Counter).

Golf Lessons
Introductory Offer of Free Assessment
Individual - 1 times 1 hour $500.-
Individual - 5 times 1 hour $2,250.-
individual - 10 times 1 hour $4,000.-
Couple - 1 times 1 hour $700.-
Couple - 5 times 1 hour $3,000.-
Junior - 1 times 1 hour $250.-
Junior - 5 times 1 hour $1,000.-
Junior - 10 times 1 hour $1,750.-