Let’s Celebrate (photo above) — Party goers gather around a marquee set up on Goswick’s practice ground.
Saturday was billed as one of the biggest days, and nights, in Goswick Golf Club’s more than 130-year history. And the reality of it did not disappoint.
During the day, two-player teams of members faced off in the Captain’s Day competition. Half of the field represented the men’s and ladies’ captains — Paul Holmes and Sandra McGonigle — and the other half the men’s and ladies’ vice-captains — Mark Rogerson and Jane Johnson.
Charlie Elvin and Morris McGongile posted the highest combined individual Stableford score of 71 in sunny but very breezy conditions.
Along the way, the combatants had the opportunity to partake of various fun features:
- Complimentary bacon/sausage rolls and beverages at the turn;
- A ‘Hit the Pro’ contest, in which members could have a go with a 1-iron to try to hit a likeness of Paul Terras, Goswick’s head professional;
- A putting contest, in which participants attempted to get their ball to come to rest within one of two 18-by-18-inch boxes on the practice green, including a shorter putt for a £5 payoff and a longer putt for £10;
- Closest to the pin prizes on the four par-3 holes.
Then at night, everyone (many along with their significant others) reconvened within a marquee set up on the practice field large enough to accommodate 200 people as well as the live band Pulse (whose keyboardist just happens to be Paul Terras) that served spirited renditions of pop favourites guaranteed to fill up the dance floor.
The original impetus for the gala was to celebrate Terras and his wife Shona’s 30 years of service to the club. But it also created the perfect stage for the club’s annual captains’ driving contest (postponed due to the COVID lockdown at the start of the year) and the presentation of the championship trophy to Goswick’s victorious team that claimed this season’s Division 1 title in the Northumberland League.
Whew! An action-packed Saturday, to say the least. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 30 years to do it all over again.