I trust that Dr Frank Stableford approves that, every year, 20 or so of his devotees gather rather rowdily to celebrate his immense contribution to golf.
His points system of scoring is blessed by millions of golfers around the world and nowhere is he appreciated more than at Wallasey Golf Club on Merseyside and The Glamorganshire in South Wales where special annual tournaments are held.
When we at Glamorganshire marked the Centenary of his first attempt with a commemorative event, Wallasey sent down two teams of four and the bonds formed over a few drinks until 5am have led to an annual fixture.
Last weekend was the 12th such meeting and it was our turn to be hosts. In recent years, Wallasey have played a preliminary game at Royal Porthcawl to where Dr Frank moved when he returned from the Boer War. There is no record of him trying to develop his system there but he won the Club Championship and reached the semi-final of the Welsh amateur to prove he was a tidy golfer.
This year we put out a team of Porthcawl members in a match of greensome foursomes. It was a hot, sunny day and the course was in great condition having staged a European Tour Seniors tournament the previous weekend.
The club has purposely not watered the fairways because it wanted to foster fast-running links which they were – especially when the ball was running backwards. At the holes that required an uphill approach shot, you had to be sure to land the ball well on to the green otherwise it would roll back into a bunker or soon join you at the foot of the hill. I am told it builds character.
I was partnering Bob against Les and Neil whose combined handicap was 18 compared to our 40 (my 28 comes in handy sometimes). That meant we had 11 shots and, in a close game, made the most of them to be one up coming down the 18th. I hit my drive miles to the right but Bob was straight down the middle. Unfortunately, we couldn't find either so we shook hands on a half.
Since Porthcawl had lost the other four games, it was a solid victory but it was only a friendly. The real match was the following day at Glamorganshire in which I couldn't play. On holiday in Exmoor, I made a special journey back to play at Porthcawl but I couldn't stay for the Sunday.
Sadly, we lost 3-2 and the bow-tie award went back to Wallasey. The award is a bronze replica of a polka-dot bow-tie beloved of the doctor who drove a yellow Rolls Royce. Immediately after the presentation the teams sat down to watch the England-Germany game and it was sad to see our visitors' euphoria gradually disappear.
In accordance with Wales' proud record of never taking pleasure from the sporting disappointments of our neighbours, we didn't laugh until at least 30 minutes had gone.
I am not sure Dr Frank would have approved of such rank bad sportsmanship.
Peter Corrigan (a. k. a. “The Hacker"), Chief Snake (1982 – 1987)
(Republished from the “Independent on Sunday”, Sunday, 4 July 2010, with grateful thanks)