It’s always a good auspice when the start of the season is blessed by the weather gods.  And so it was with the first tournament of the 2014 Golf4Fun summer season as the warm sunny morning beckoned the 65 golfers registered for the first round at Steisslingen GC, by the Bodensee in Germany.  It was certainly a pleasure to be greeted by the sun particularly when looking back at the year before where sleet and hail had accompanied us on at least one round.

 A warm reception awaited us at the first tee, with the tenth also nicely stocked with refreshments. And so the day started.

 The first tournament is always touch and go, at least for some, who put down their golf clubs at the end of September and find them in the same place 6 months later. For the more diligent and perhaps ardent ones, the Golf4Fun winter season or a visit to the south over the winter months helped ensure the swing didn’t get too rusty. Nonetheless the day progressed smoothly, intermittent with calls for golfers practising to the 11th hour before their tee off time.

The half way stop is always something to look forward to and we were welcomed with delicious sandwiches sponsored by Fork and Bottle and fresh fruit, just right to tackle the back 9 which tends to be more challenging with some blind holes and much more water to greet your golf balls.

And so the day progressed smoothly although taking a little longer than planned with the last round coming through around 5:15pm.

But the wait was well worth it as the club laid out their delicious array of tapas and a refreshing white wine on the terrace of the fine golf club, not to mention the traditional and tasty wheat beer.

Congratulations to the wide range of winners of tournament 1 – setting the scene for the aspiring to reach the high ranks in the tournaments ahead. Top ladies brutto was won by (no guessing here) the most solid golfer of the club with an enviable 1.7 HCP Alison Taylor with Karen Zarnack, a newcoming to the club coming a solid second.  Mark Robertson grabbed the men’s prize with an enviable 30 points brutto score with Murray Sparks at second place.  Congratulations to all the winners and to those with a score lower than the temperature Zurich has fallen to over the last week – there is always more to come!

See you in May in Gruyere!

Theresa Patricios, Hopeful Tiger 2014