Upon our arrival at the White Hart in Aldborough for our yearly trip to Thorpeness, we were greeted by glorious sunshine for the 17 Venerables. Adhering to tradition, we enjoyed a pint or so, accompanied by superb fish and chips consumed on the seafront, complemented by a glass of Chablis generously offered by Dave Watts. Steve King was present to guide the newcomers through our activities and ensure a seamless experience. The excursion was a resounding success, and we extend our gratitude to all who made it possible.

 

Everyone arrived at the first tee on time, and Andrew Wyatt had the honor of taking photos. Despite the sunshine, a cold sea mist loomed occasionally, leading to frequent robing and disrobing. Nevertheless, the first round was enjoyable for all, with the gorse claiming only about 50 golf balls. Dinner was delightful, accompanied by a cordial group; the food received high praise, and the wine was plentiful. The announcement of the results was met with some astonishment. Kudos to David Baker.

 

Feeling slightly under the weather on Wednesday morning after the wine from the previous evening, breakfast preceded a putting competition efficiently organized by David Baker, which was quite the feat, akin to herding cats. The second day outshone the first, with the need for suntan lotion—though it wasn't always used. Scores improved from day one, and David Baker demonstrated that his initial success was more than just a lucky streak.

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Steve King kindly invited everyone around to his room for a very cordial pre-dinner drink of whisky and prizes for the second day were awarded.

 

Day 3 commenced with the final putting contest among the four players who had tied for a playoff the previous morning. Congratulations to Roger Smith, who demonstrated a masterful performance and secured the prize. The tee was filled with good-natured teasing, especially with Steve Board's voice turning squeaky, prompting a series of impressions that likely made us seem quite mad! Nonetheless, Steve accepted the ribbing with great humor.

 

Another fine weather day on the course was followed by prizes awarded and farewells for an excellent trip and many more to come.

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We extend our gratitude to Steve King for his diligent efforts in ensuring the trip proceeded without a hitch and that everyone was well-informed, to Dave Watts for providing the fish-and-chips and managing the scorecards, to Ken Rowbotham for arranging the trip and coordinating the attendees, to Andrew Wyatt for documenting the event, to David Baker for overseeing the putting competition, and to Dave Sephton for his work on the website design and updates.