Round at Magenta Shores

With Ichiro spending the weekend at Magenta Shores making wedding plans, the lads decided a day exploring the course as a potential pre-wedding destination was in order. The course was tough, though to be honest, only Spud, nursing a bad back, actually played with any distinction. Final result was a win to Spud and Doc over Ichiro and Foca by 3 points.

Ichiro and Doc show the way home












It was a tough day - the big fella struggled with the sticks and managed to get some shut-eye on the drive home

Day Two - Group 2 In Action

Championship Day

Blue skies and a mild day greeted the players with an early call. After breakfast, the tribe headed out to The Vintage for the day that truly mattered.

After getting early instructions and updated handicaps, the 3 groups headed off into unfamiliar and dangerous territory. This would be a true test of golf and endurance for all of the players.

After 9 holes the course was wreaking havoc with most players scoring between 10 and 15 points. It seemed a score of 30 could be enough.

As the teams rolled through the back nine, the signs of attrition were obvious - more wiped holes and single points thinning the players in contention. This was also the point where the true chances put their case forward.

After 13 holes the leaders were Peter (25 points), Ichiro (23 points) and Foca (23 points). The late finishing Billy had also added 9 points on the first 4 holes of the back nine and was a long chance for a come-from-behind victory.

For Ichiro and Foca, with the title on the line, the wheels started to fall off. From holes 14 to 18 they scored 6 points each. The wildcard, Billy, came home with 9 points (and a tragic wipe on the 18th that cost him at least a share of second place). Out in front, Peter carded 8 points over the final 5 holes to retain his lead and the title.

Your 2007 Champion, Peter "The Eagle" Greig, receiving the spoils from event organisers, Foca and Doc.

The final placings:

• 2007 Champion - Peter Greig - can he win a 4th title despite starting with a negative handicap???
• 2nd Place (tied) - Ichiro and Foca - big weekend for these two - unfortunately their golfing success can't mask the fact that Ichiro continues to fail to land Foca the movie parts that we all know he is capable of - why isn't he pitching the big fella for Gladiator 2??
• 3rd Place - Billy - highest placed rookie and early favourite for 2008
• 4th Place - Matt - our suggestion is play more than 4 rounds a year Matt
• 5th Place - Doc - don't you love the whole "it wouldn't look right if I won my own tournament" angle
• 6th Place (tied) - Leo and Digger - for Leo, some indications of hope; for Digger, none
• 7th Place - Ningy - the bookies favourite was friendless by the end of the day
• 8th Place - John - his only trip to a course each year is the FocDoc - perhaps the tactics will change for 2008
• 9th Place - Scott - set a championship record with 10 wipes on day 2 and may have talked himself into a lifetime ban from the tournament after drunken confrontations with the event organisers on Saturday night. The St. George factor doesn't help his chances.

On behalf of the organisers, thank you all for coming along and making the event memorable. Mark your calenders for the 4th Invitational in April 2008.

Foca and Doc

After Hours Action

No surprises that once the sun went down the attention turned to drinking and poker for the boys. With reputations on the line, generous handicaps to maintain and a pot of pesos on offer, the lure of an 8 seat poker table was too much to resist.

The facts surrounding the first night's action have blurred into history, but thankfully no arrests were made and property damage was minimal.

Thankfully, I remembered the camera on night 2 for some memorable shots.

As the night wore on, the pot got richer as early losers bought their way back in. You have to admire the man for his commitment, with The Eagle dropping out twice and then ponying up a double cash penalty to buy in for a third time.

Eventually, the seats emptied with Spud, Doc, Billy and Digger advancing to the Final Four. At the time, Doc was chips leader, just ahead of Billy, with Digger and Spud just holding on. Before too long, Spud joined the casualty list and Doc's lead was cut and then smashed on the back of the longest consecutive drought of playable hands in poker history (editor's note: this is an official lie - Doc was playing like a scared bunny, hoping to win by grinding the others out).

Finally there were two. The cagey Digger and the aggressive Billy. It all came to a final all-in from Billy that Digger graciously accepted. When the cards were turned, it was clear that Digger was in front, holding Q,10 suited against a pair of 5's.

Poker is a funny game:

• The Flop - K,9,7 unsuited - Digger needs a J for a straight and looks confident; Billy just lost the power of speech
  
• The Turn - 5 - Billy hits the lead and begins to breathe once again; Digger just wants to grab the cash so he can go to bed


• The River - 5 - Billy wins with 4 of a kind!!!!

After an emotionally draining night, the players displayed their reaction to the outcome:

FocDoc 2007 - Day One

The teams shook out the cobwebs from the previous nights activities with an 8am breakfast call and stroll around downtown Cessnock. It was clear that many were in town to write some history.

A 10:30am tee time and a first drive over the water at Hunter Valley GCC greeted the lads, quickly seeing some ashen faces as a few of the starters realised they may need to get a few more balls from the pro shop.

This years lineup posed for the starter to set the day in motion.

As dictated by tradition, the defending champion Peter "the Eagle" Greig led off.

After a gruelling test of golf, the HVGCC produced a mixed bag of results for the 2 -man Ambrose competition. In reverse order:

• Doc and Kelso & Ningy and Matt - tied 25 points


• Spud and Leo - 30 points


• Billy and John - 33 points


• Pete and Digger - 38 points


• 2007 Champions - Foca and Ichiro - 40 points

To the victors, the spoils.