Ignore the odd shower, forget a bit of mud - the Seniors’ away day was very, very good!

08:15 hours o-clock (I actually heard that!) at Kilgetty on Monday, May 15, and a 55-seater coach was being loaded with the accoutrements of golf belonging to the Tenby Seniors, who were popping off down the M4 for a spot of golf at Radyr Golf Club.

Our most excellent secretary - and the organiser of this Away Day - and the acting treasurer, because Stan Hudson was absent - Derek Cole - was calmly counting heads, locating those who had yet to pay the balance of the cost and quietly cursing Carol, who had forecast the rain on BBC Wales. Undaunted, he circulated among the barely awake Seniors, who were huddling down in their seats, until he was satisfied that the roll call was correct - then he pinged the bell, and we were off!

Now it has to be said, despite Derek’s best endeavours, that it was raining as we headed out, and I heard several phrases to the effect that “Last year at Pontardawe, now at Radyr” with reference to the precipitation - what can you do?

Well, actually, I have been doing a little light reading about the Mayan civilisation in South America, and they had a unique way of sorting out the weather. The God who dealt specifically with the climate was Aren Toketepol, and he responded to serious worship by the Mayans, and the odd sacrifice now and then at one of his pyramid temples - by providing the weather conditions that the priests asked for! What a neat arrangement!

Sadly, Toketepol fell from favour with the Mayans, the devotions and sacrifices ceased, and as history shows us, there was a climate induced catastrophic famine and the Mayans just died out!

Now I think we can learn from history, particularly in respect of Away Days. All one needs to do to get Toketepol to provide guaranteed sunshine for a given day is to pop down to your local pyramid, say a few prayers and sacrifice the odd virgin! - I’m just saying....

Actually, the rain turned out to be no more than a minor annoyance. From the traditional bacon butty on arrival to the post-match catering, Radyr Golf Club was thoroughly enjoyed by all of the 27 players.

The day was not without incident, however, most of the Seniors were playing the hilly course for the first time, and a tad of directional incompetence crept in, causing at least one of the groups to play the holes in a sequence not intended by the designer! Mobile ‘phone GPS apps were very useful - I actually found a mobile on the course, luckily it had been lost by my playing partner Newman Vincent, who put it back into his golf bag for safe keeping. A few holes later, another player found Newman’s mobile and returned it - this sequence of events could have continued all day, but fortunately Newman discovered that his ‘safe keeping’ golf bag had a hole in the pocket - all’s well that ends well!

On the subject of losses, one can reasonably expect to lose the odd golf ball, perhaps drop some coins and possibly leave a club out on the course - but lose a buggy? Yes - it can be done, just ask Alan Yates and Jim Martin. They shared a buggy, but apparently suffered simultaneous ‘brain fog’ and could not remember who had parked it or where it was parked! They found it eventually - just in time before they forgot what they were searching for!

Eventually, 27 Seniors finished their games and changed out of wet waterproofs into ‘smart casual’ ready for the meal - which was really very good! Of course, everybody wanted to know who had conquered the course and who was in line for the booby, so we were all agog when captain Dudley stood to announce the results, which were:

In first place, with an enviable 36 points - vice-captain Idwal David.

In second place with a respectable 32 points - Richard Davies.

In third place with a satisfactory 30 points - Des Stone.

Twos - just the one, John Hancock on hole 14.

Nearest the pin - on hole 14 - John Hancock, who obviously sank the putt!

Finally - The Captain’s award for Endeavour - Alan Yates, who endeavoured to lose a buggy!

When the tumultuous applause finally died down, the Seniors posed for the traditional group photograph, every picture tells a story - everybody is smiling!

M.F.