THE HEMISPHERE CUP
Founded 2000

4th Hemisphere Cup - Turnberry, Scotland.  April 10th/11th

 

Singles Match Write Ups

 

Thank you to the individuals who took the time to write up their personal perspective on their matches at Turnberry

 

David Whiteing

Having halved my opening fourball, after being 4 up at the turn, and lost my second four ball, after being 3 up after 6.  I was under pressure to perform, on a personal level, as our team had a handy lead.  I had a sense of confidence when I was drawn against Ross in the singles.  I was relieved, and perhaps a little sad, that I did not have to go mano a mano with Pete for the 4 year in succession.

The first tee and my confidence increased when it was apparent that Ross had not done his full warm-up and appeared to have left his swing in the bar.  After going two up and having a drive down the middle of the fairway I relaxed and started to think.  I began to realise that Ross had started the day with a blood curdling yell of "lets kick some Southern Hemisphere arse".  I also noticed that Ross, while carrying no noticeable injury, was wearing a wrist guard.  Was he intending to physically maul me as a means of getting ahead?  These thoughts played on my mind as well as the fact that Ross had no respect for reputations or historical cup performances.  Suddenly I realised this was a dog fight.  Ross displayed some remarkable scrambling ability (a family trait) and after playing so well from the runway beside the 12th declared that he wished he could play all his shots off tarmac. 

The ebb and flow continued and even the arrival of a spectator (Charlie) did little to shift Ross' focus.  We walked off the 17th all square.  Rest as they say, was history, but I have to congratulate Ross on a top battle.  Thoroughly enjoyable!  We now had a night of food, wine and bawdy entertainment ahead of us.

Oliver Jones

Having trounced Paul M in the morning (with just a little bit of assistance from Rene) and watched him scatter Pro V 1s all over the yellow stuff on the Kintyre course, I felt quite happy about being drawn against him in the singles.  My hopes were raised even further when I spotted him with a pint of lager over his club sandwich in the Tappie Toorie bar. Was he drowning his sorrows or had he given up hope completely? Remembering the sacrificial tactics employed by Sarge at Connemara, I offered to buy him a whisky chaser.  "No thanks, Ollie" he responded "I find I play much better golf after one pint of lager. It relaxes me". I was not convinced by this theory as I was sure that Harvey Pennick did not mention a pint of lager in his little red book.

The match teed off at 2.20 pm. Six holes later, I was six down. My bogey golf was no match for Paul's lager fuelled level par golf. He was playing like a man possessed, with towering drives that split the fairway and raking long irons that landed within spitting distance of the hole. It was then that I remembered that Paul M had thrashed Sarge in the singles at Connemara, reaching the turn 8 up. I was in danger of an even more humiliating defeat. Suddenly at the 7th the lager started to wear off, I won the hole easily, then we halved the next and I won the 9th. 4 down at the turn, things were looking up, was this going to be the mother of all comebacks?

But then at the next tee disaster struck. Paul wandered off to the Halfway House for more lager. I decided that I would have to test the pint of lager theory on my own game. It was to no avail, whereas Paul's game improved mine deteriorated. He won the next three holes to ensure a convincing 7&6 victory. The only comfort was that the Northern Hemsiphere won the other singles game 7&6. Globally we were level.

I understand that Paul M celebrated his victory Alan Shearer style - re-decorating his bedroom ceiling while watching Red Hot Dutch (or was it Driving Miss Daisy?)  three times. No wonder he turned up for breakfast the next day wearing Ross's wrist support.

Ross Simpson

Dave was expecting to draw Simpson in the singles, as has happened on the previous three Hemisphere Cups, and this was no exception. Fortunately for Dave, it was Ross and not Peter (Ross, the older and lesser talented Golfer).  Dave has recently become a Father but did not let this affect his Game. To prepare for the Tournament he sent his wife and child to Australia. Now that’s dedication!!

Dave is a very skilled golfer who did not play as well as he can. His Driver was not as accurate as his 3 wood and his game improved when he decided to ditch the former. The game was all square at the last where Dave produced a majestic Par to take the point in front of the adulating crowd (Well Charlie and Dave’s Caddie, everyone else was in the bar).

Hugh Richards

Mid way through the Thursday afternoon fourball, four points ahead, Charlie exclaimed that the Northern team would be so pleased with Rene's performance that they would probably want to give him a good buggering.  From that precise moment, Rene had a punishing tour.  He punished his bag and clubs alternately as he watched his form and lead dissapear in the fourball.  He punished himself on Thursday night with several drams.  Replenished, on Friday he punished Mr Richards in the singles with a powerful display of par golf that sent his opponent to therapy.  And then, on Saturday, he headed to the Mackrie to punish that course for its role in the history of the Hemisphere Cup.  "This has been an emotional experience.  I want to return to the cup in 2004 spiritually replenished" said Rene.

Greg Caster

My singles opponent was none other than the lowest handicap Scotsman, Mr. Graham Fraser.  And I mean to tell you he was scared shitless of this match, particularly as we halved the first hole.  I could see it in his eyes.  He as a 6 handicap, me as a 24 handicap, and all the pressure was on him as the South was already so far up from the doubles.   After the first hole, he questioned my 24 handicap a bit, but I went on to show him the brilliant shots, or lack of them, that leads one to a 24 handicap.  In fact, I probably played to about a 36 on that afternoon, while he was 4 over.   But the fear was in his eyes all the way around the course, especially when I actually started to hit the ball after a brief stop at the halfway house for a big beer.  He was so pressured, that he bought some wine at the halfway house, along with a bottle of Scotch to chase it down with (most people do it the other way).   But he did finally get the better of me, in a nip and tuck match, 6 and 5.  Well done for him; he should be proud...

Philip Graham

Leaving American shores on Thursday I started to think of the task ahead – 3 rounds of fiercely competitive golf in a fantastic setting complimented by a huge amount of drinking in a girlfree environment.  A virgin Hemisphere cupper was thinking how good will this be!

Well nothing went wrong until the singles draw – I had looked at the field and decided playing singles against a golfer with a handicap close to mine would be a test.  Well surprise, the only guy with a handicap close to mine was Mr. Burns – I knew from the start this was going to be tough.

The match had all the trimmings of a fun round – 2 established caddies who laid bets on us to keep themselves amused and a pairing which saw Hughie (20 something) matched against a Scottish legend.

From the first tee it was evident the nerves were present – both players seeking advice from there caddies and clearly taking themselves and their golfing prowess way to seriously.  The first hole saw the caddies take sides and I think up their wager – the players meanwhile were thinking this was not a joking matter – there was a lot at stake and we both thought if Hughie was thinking about winning each of us could clearly try a little harder.

By the third hole our caddies began to question their betting judgments – the two players were so focused on keeping the match even, the caddies were suggesting we knew about their wagers and were attempting a little “fixing”.  Alas if only we had a cameraman to record the bunker play on the 4th hole by one combatant (and I must admit a little chuckle) that was only bettered by the water play on the 16th hole (which I wasn’t laughing about)!! These two performances draw golfers back time and time again – not!

By the end of the first 9 – the score was close with a bee’s dick between the confidence levels of each player.  I would suggest my lack of getting off the tee versus Mr. Burns’ inability to close out the hole become more fun to our 3 Scottish friends (2 caddies and Graham) than Hughie’s absolute focus and dedication to winning at all costs!

It was the 12th hole which found tactics enter the play – after two bad tee shots, a coaching lesson on holding the club from a caddie and a wayward 2nd shot, I found myself blind to the green searching for a lost ball to save around 50 yards of distance – why because my competition had reached the green in 3 and would be putting for par.  It was then my caddy put added pressure on me by saying they had started taking bets on winning holes with triple bogies!  Somehow the whole was tied and we moved on.

Hughie conceded to the Scott on the 14th after a near miss at a 50 yard putt which was disappointing, however paved the way for less distraction on the main event!  We had managed to scrap and battle our way around near misses, bad chips, fearful putting and missed opportunities to be lying even at the 14th. Dave took the 15th, I had the 16th covered until I laid up at the water – who ever lays up on a par 4 water carry at a guy only golf outing!!!!  I paid the penalty and found myself teeing up at the 17th with my caddy as frustrated as me!

A lucky putt at 17 made for a tactical finish to the match.  Having on hit 3 drives straight all day – my choices were easy - an easy 3 iron and hope the pressure works.  Execution was good, the pressure was too much for Dave with an out of bounds lost ball proving to hard for a recovery.

A fitting finish for 2 players with similar handicaps – but very different strengths and weaknesses around the course – if only I had his long game (maybe he was wishing he had my short game – at least that’s what I would like to think)  –as for the caddies – I think they just cancelled all wagers and pondered what could have been!