It took 5 months but I am finally putting together my recollection of the 2007 Putter. It was my first time attending this fascinating event. This is truly an honor – there are few colonists that still play – in fact, this year 3 Americans crossed the Atlantic for the event. David Stewart (DJ) played quite well and made it to Saturday morning. He was one of the few that made it to Saturday from the 2006/07 Oxford team. The rest of us had early exits and enjoyed the Niblick – a foursomes event for the unlucky. As you can imagine after 5 months it’s a little difficult to recall all the details but I’ll recap a few:
- Many would say I had an unfortunate draw – I was matched against Glynn (G A Jones) and after his 5 birdies through 15 holes my run for The Putter was ended.
- Ian Henderson won The Putter – he won 7 consecutive matches (maybe even eight) in the wind, rain, sleet, and sun. It was impressive to watch someone play such consistent golf for 4 days in the elements. Not only that but this was his 2nd or 3rd title.
- Several of us stayed in a vacation rental in downtown Rye. Very quaint indeed. (picture coming soon)
If you get a chance to play Rye, do it. The history in itself is worth the trip not to mention the traditional links layout. And don’t forget to bring your rain gear, there’s not too many days you get out there without a little sprinkle.
I thought I’d publish an excerpt from an article in Golf World on The Putter:
SUSSEX, England (Feb. 24, 2004) — Just as mad dogs and Englishmen went, according to Noel Coward, out in the midday sun, the same may be true of those golfing oddballs who like nothing better than braving the worst of the winter when sane folk stay indoors.
They are all members of an exclusive club, the Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society. These doughty university men (and three women) of all ages have gathered every January since 1920 at Rye to play for the President’s Putter.
Rye is the spiritual home of the Putter which exerts a magnetic social attraction as old chums re-unite and maintain a stiff upper lip when temperatures plummet. This year 164 competitors laid siege to the 1,000 year-old red roofed town on the East Sussex-Kent border. In the freakish period of long nights, early-morning starts at eight o’clock sort the men from the boys.
