It’s been a long time in the making, but unlike Sharpie, it’s finally come!  Yes Badgers, we are now a 21st century Society and are fully www’d up.  I’m sure all of our wives/girlfriends have been saying this for years (ie worthless wealth of wasters) but sod’em, we’ve finally arrived.  All future Badger happenings will be done electronically so you will never again have to wait excitedly for the arrival of the postman to fill that hole in your life. Wish we could say the same for your misses'……

Have a look around the website and you’ll find that the previous newsletters have been reproduced in all of their technicolour glory, feel free to peruse them at your leisure to see how well/bad/indifferent you have fared over the last three years.  Alternatively it’s interesting to watch how Sharpies stomach, like the hole in the ozone, has grown over the same period.  All of the photos on the website are downloadable, so if you’ve been lucky enough to have graced the winners rostrum at any of the society days in the past three years feel free to get a copy of yourself to put on your mantlepiece.  At least it’ll keep the kids away from the fire.

On the subject of kids, we’re aware that your families may wish to peruse your golfing achievements now you’re all immortalised (or they may wish to view Sharpies stomach for themselves, it does take some believing), so we’ve been through the old newsletters and removed any of the profanities (well the bad ones anyway) that, only very rarely, crept into our musings.  Hence the huge amount of time we’ve had to spend getting the website ready….but ready we are, so enjoy!

There’s a section on this years fixtures, the rules of the society and last years AGM also has it’s own section on the website so have a good look at the information relating to that particular debacle at your leisure and make sure this years date is in your diary - Friday 30th June, location to be confirmed.  Some sections of the website are still under development so be patient, if you have any suggestions (keep them clean) email us at the usual – thebadgersgolfsociety@hotmail.com – and we’ll try and incorporate your views.  Or not.

We've included information relating to the badger charity we support, badgers themselves and a section regarding the Badgers Abroad, so if you are curious as to what the Committee get up to on their annual jaunt abroad to Marbella, feel free to have a look. Be warned though, some of it ain’t pretty…….

Lullingstone was enjoyed by 28 Badgers on a glorious late summers day, and there were more shorts than a night out with Sharpie.  Once all of the Badgers managed to negotiate the god-awful roads to get into the place, a good standard of golf was played and some high scores made. Unfortunately, although the course was in great nick and very enjoyable, the course has been dropped from the Badger circuit as the play was far too slow in front of us and, in comparison to the other courses we play the welcome was nowhere near as good. A shame, but none of us will miss the drive in (or out!).  Shows how far the society has come, we’re now developing standards!

Unfortunately, photographing duties on the day were entrusted to Genty using his all new, hi spec, whiz bang, cor blimey digital camera whose battery promptly ran out after a few photos – poor charging Badger!  Must’ve been all those special, private shots of Mrs Badger…… Luckily, Genty was once a boy scout so whilst he didn’t have a spare camera on his Swiss army knife, he did have one on his phone so this was used.  Apologies to the winners, whose features can just about be made out in their winning photos. 

Just as well, as the Society would be far too embarrassed to publish photos on the web showing in full, horrific detail the completely cheap, rubbish prizes that Healy, the Prizes Badger, cobbled together. Shameful.  Good job only your clients won them eh Mike?  How to endear yourself and get ahead in business.  At least when Sharpie got them they were good quality, even if we didn’t know which lorry they’d fallen off the back of…

The Winning Team was Alan Ruddy, Simon Tuson, Peter Gallagher and Dick Watts.  Longest Drive was won by Richard Maggs on the 18th and Nearest the Pin won by Alan Ruddy.  Not that you can work that out from the photos.  John Deely made a welcome return to the winners rostrum with a hard fought third place on 34 points, only just pipping Phil Priest on countback.  Better luck next time Priesty.  Simon Tuson achieved his first visit to the podium on 35 points (must’ve been that extra shot you got back!) with Winning Badger and a second time to the rostrum that day for Alan Ruddy (when you’re hot, you’re hot).  Once again, sorry about the photos and the trophys….

 

Teams at Lullingstone

 Team 1 - Alec Vallintine, Tim Holt, Phil Tweddle

 

 

Team 2 - John Deely, Dave Bullock, Richard Maggs

 

 

Team 3 - Andy Bawn, Harry Cutts, Spencer Powell, Phil Priest

 

 

Team 4 - Simon Tuson, Dick Watts, Peter Gallagher, Alan Ruddy

 

 

Team 5 - Frank Kingham, Mike Stone, Dave Guildford, Dave Jarvis

 

 

Team 6 - Steve Beasley, Peter Jupp, Eugenio Caruso, Nigel Smith

 

 

Team 7 - Steve Hook, Richard Gent, John Pye

 

 

The Winners Rostrum;

Winning Team - Simon Tuson, Peter Gallagher, Alan Ruddy, Dick Watts (not pictured)

 

 

Alan Ruddy - Nearest the Pin

 

 

Richard Maggs - Longest Drive

 

 

John Deely - Third Place

 

 

Simon Tuson - Second Place

 

 

Alan Ruddy - First Place

 

 

Scores at Lullingstone;

1st Alan Ruddy off 13, scored 35, new handicap 11 

2nd Simon Tuson off 19, scored 35, new handicap 18

3rd John Deely off 28, scored 34, new handicap 28

4th Phil Priest off 11, scored 34, new handicap 11

5th Richard Maggs off 23, scored 33, new handicap 23

6th Alec Vallintine off 20, scored 33, new handicap 20

7th Spencer Powell off 20, scored 33, new handicap 20

8th Nigel Smith off 28, scored 33, new handicap 28

9th Peter Jupp off 22, scored 33, new handicap 22

10th Peter Gallagher off 21, scored 33, new handicap 21

11th Phil Tweddle off 13, scored 32, new handicap 13

12th John Pye off 18, scored 32, new handicap 18

13th Richard Gent off 28, scored 31, new handicap 28

14th Dave Jarvis off 8, scored 30, new handicap 9

15th Eugenio Caruso off 25, scored 29, new handicap 26

16th Steve Beasley off 19, scored 28, new handicap 20

17th Harry Cutts off 27, scored 28, new handicap 28

18th Mike Stone off 23, scored 28, new handicap 24

19th Steve Hook off 26, scored 27, new handicap 27

20th Dave Bullock off 28, scored 22, new handicap 28

21st Dick Watts off 28, scored 21, new handicap 28

22nd Dave Guildford off 25, scored 20, new handicap 27

23rd Andy Bawn off 28, scored 19, new handicap 28

24th Tim Holt off 28, scored 16, new handicap 28

25th Frank Kingham off 28, scored 14, new handicap 28