A terrific 43 points gave him a clear win and his fourth Green Jacket since coming back after the lockdown.

Firkin and Durkan love hearing that combination and this time it was a one- two. Paul Durkan, his handicap somehow getting out to #6, shot a 73 gross for a stableford score of 41 points and ‘only’ second place.

Tommy Marshall has been consistent lately and has filled third spot with a good 38 points from his #5 handicap.

Bob Strutt, also a single figure handicap, came from the boonies of Udon Thani for a quick visit and acquitted himself very well for his first time at Lakeside for three years or more.

He just missed a place on the podium and then was beaten on countback for ‘best back nine’. Billy Buchanan won that one with 19 points, and then, Peter Allen had ‘best front nine’, also with 19 points.

The weather today was nice for golf, with a blue sky, some white, fluffy, clouds and a nice breeze most of the round.
The golf course was, as always, presented in top condition and, although carts kept to the paths because of some dampness on the fairways, there was still good run available on most, and lift, clean and place was available to players.

The greens were a bit different to the usual, as they are quite hard and difficult to make the ball grab. Our players stayed just ahead of the grounds staff, who were doing some light sanding of the greens.

𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞

1st Place – Mike Firkin (22) – 43 pts
2nd Place – Paul Durkan (6) – 41 pts
3rd Place – Tommy Marshall (5) – 38 pts

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 ( non winners) – Peter Allen – 19 pts

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 (non winners) – Billy Buchanan – 19 pts c/back

It is so sad that, here we had this beautiful golf course, and it seemed that our 13 players were the only customers, at least in the five hours or so that we were at the premises.

As more golfers find a way to get back to their home country, numbers are dwindling. A regular caddie of mine, at another course, told me that she was number four in the queue for two days and never got a job. That is quieter than quiet.

Nobody knows the answer on how to fix this, unfortunately.