Knee is better, Scratch Team Practice Session and Mail On Sunday Results

So the Knee is feeling a little better now. The Anti-Inflammatory drugs have worked and I am back on the course, the Gym may take a little longer but I may try something tomorrow.
So I decided not to play on Saturday to protect my Knee, but Ryan and Nick had put together a training session for the Scratch Team. Nick Baker is team captain this year and invited all players who are 10 or under to come to the training. Nick put together a great session and explained to everyone that this year you need to earn your place and we will be having two trials and then a practice match against Mid Sussex prior to the final team selection. I think this year we will have a great team and if team spirit was to win the matches we would bring the trophy home. Ryan and his colleague Adam Keer, a Sports Scientist who just happens to  look after all the Premiership referee's too, started us off with a great warm up routine and then we had a skills session on the range. This was followed by some discussions as to where we all need to practice better and some ideas to get your mind correct for playing in scratch matches. It is fantastic for these guys to give up their time for free to help us and I think it will give us an edge when we play in the PAV this year. Of course I was then persuaded to go out and play 9 holes, a good test for my knee, and John Jordan and myself took on Gary and Nick Baker, 4 ball better ball. I think Gary must be a better listener than us as we lost the nine holes 3 & 2 and Gary was 2 under gross after 7. The best I can say is "The Knee Survived".

So Sunday was our second round match in the Mail On Sunday Competition. This time we had Mannings Heath at home, and as last year they beat us 4-1 at their place we wanted some revenge. I played Brett, the Mannings Captain and I was out  last. I managed to loose the first after taking 4 to get down from 60 Yards, but then I managed to win the next 4 holes with a couple of birdies included, and when I won the 7th I was 4up and level par, maybe I did listen to what Ryan and Adam were telling me after all. I then managed to throw away 9 and 10 with 2 Double Bogeys but recovered and won 12,13 and 14 with Pars to win 5 & 4. The rest of the team, Richard Kindon (1up), Brian Johnstone (L-6&5), Nick Baker (W-2&1), Paul McHale (W-4&3), had also played very well and we ended up winning 4-1, nice revenge from last year and we are in the third round. I think home advantage is probably worth a couple of shots so lets hope for another home draw and see how far we can get in this competition.
I did not say how well I think the course is playing at this time, in the last week it has dried up so well and the greens have really quickened up, I know next week they will be tining again and it may be a little difficult for a couple of weeks, but in the long run they will be better greens and I am looking forward to them being fast and true in the summer. Also it was great to se they have finished a lot of work by the 16th tee, much tidier now.