Hola AMIGOS
A new Golf Year starts and how good it was to welcome back so many Amigos not seen for quite some time. And with an elite ‘A List’ of golfers expectations were exceptionally high, that is or was on paper. Your first day back at the office was something completely different though and with you recent hectic schedules and overindulgences it certainly wasn’t memorable! Let’s see:-
Category 1 : Individual
I can only mention Darren Bakes, 31 and Andy Duffield and Kersten Rammeloo, 33 stableford points being close to the zone, well done; but your podium place returns would not have gotten you out of you seats on other occasions! Congratulations for picking up the prize money though:-
Winner : Jonathon Thompson : 36 points
Runner-Up : Lucy Hole : 35 points (Lower handicap)
Runner-Up : Ellis Butler : 35 points
Category 2 Individual
Pretty much the same as Category 1 with mentions for Maria Bathe and Ron Weller, 32 points, well done. I suppose that you never quite know what score is going to be good enough. Some weeks there would be many entries in the Forties Club but not this week. Congratulations and maybe a surprise or two for taking the money:-
Winner : Jon Webster : 35 points
Runner-Up : Lynn Lalley : 34 points
3rd Place : Stuart Ellis : 32 points (lower handicap)
Category 3 : Individual
Steve Nicholls, 32 points and Tiina Hurst, 31 points, you are hereby mentioned and again with some suppressed returns but nevertheless congratulations. But for leading the field in this Category these Amigos deserved there awards:-
Winner : Dave Hughes : 36 points
Runner-Up : Paul Best : 35 points
3rd Place : H Clarke : 33 points
Team Competition
Not complicated for this first week of the year with 2 x stableford scores counting on par 4’s/5’s and all four on par 3’s but with a standard par of 88 for this format and it was pleasing to see that you combined very well to achieve some excellent total scores, well done all:-
Winners : Team 14 : 102 points
Ellis Butler, Stuart Ellis, Marc VanderCruyssen and Dave Hughes
Runners-Up : Team 5 : 96 points
Mike Wilks, Bradley Rees, Lynn Lalley and Ros Hastings (Ghost) (Lower combined handicap)
3rd Place : Team 8 : 96 points
Darren Bakes, Paul Taylor, Steve Nicholls and Caz Clarke.
Other team scores were: Teams 2 & 6 = 92pts, Team 3 = 89pts, Teams 10 & 13 = 87pts, Team 1 = 86pts, Teams 7 & 9 = 85pts, Team 12 = 84pts, Team 11 = 81pts, Team 4 = 78pts.

Sharpshooting was your forte: Lucy Hole, Hole 6; Jim Douglas, Hole 9 and Lynn Lalley, Hole 15 not only getting closest to the pins on Hole 3’s but converting for ‘Two’s’ too. Many congratulations and also to Andy Duff closest to the flag on Hole 12 and Ellis Butler a ‘Two’ on Hole 15.

That was your first ‘Race to La Finca’ game but nothing will happen until at least two monthly games are recorded and averaged but do watch this space for updates.
We were very pleased to award the newly sponsored Individual Platinum Order of Merit Trophy to Steve Fitzpatrick not only for his consistency over the last 4 months to Dec’23 but ‘back to back’ from the beginning of May’23! That is quite a record Steve, very well done and a record not achieved before.

Well done too Andrew Smithurst (Vietnam Country Club), Lynn Lalley (Royal Malta Golf Club) and Rod Howarth (Hale Golf Club) and organiser for the Amigos On Tour gathering, all supporting the Amigos-Shirt-World Tour Competition, receiving your framed mementoes. Do keep this fun idea going, send us a picture where you have played wearing your Amigos shirt with a logo or sign of the Golf course you are playing and lets see how far we can go. After 9 months, collectively, you have played on 90 golf courses in 20 Countries! Wow, that’s amazing but there are some many many more to add to that list.

Vistabella comes up next on Friday, 12 Jan’24, followed by Saurines on Thursday 25 Jan’24 and a course for you to try, Camposol, where we have not been for many years on Thursday 01 Feb’24. Keep the registrations coming.

Finally it is with concern that we report that following a fall on the course yesterday Liz McReynolds has fractured her right wrist. She will have to make many adjustments and unfortunately will be out of golf action for a while. She does appreciate those Amigos who her helped her in her four-ball and thanks all of the best wishes sent through. Please do send her more good will messages but do not expect a reply as she is right handed!
See you next week
Graham