WEDNESDAY 27th JUNE 2007
This is the Kingston University MBA Annual Golf Day which FSL manage and partially sponsor along with other high profile Companies and what a day….
Tony Blair leaves office, Bernard Manning gets buried and the biggest golf day in history kicks off. A record 64 individuals were involved (52 registered players) in a day of drama.
The winners came thick and fast with Andy Minshaw taking the ‘Polhill Communications Best Dressed Golfer’ award with tartan trousers and 1972 Engelbert Humperdick brown shoes.
Soon all players were out on course with three buggies flying around containing the MBA Marshalls who were throwing accusations of dangerous driving at each other. The anticipated ‘logjam’ of players occurred as lost balls and sliced hacks slowed the pace down as only the Kingston MBA Golfers can. Many witnessed golf swings which produced strokes which from a cricketing perspective would equate to square cuts/covers/square leg. I think I even saw an attempt at reaching fine leg. On top of that a new Technical Analyst emerged as David Leadworse (aka Colin Grant) introduced his advanced coaching techniques on anyone that was listening….
Expletives were also the order of the day, with I believe from reports, joint leaders being Julia Carmichael/Paula Croucher (an expert)/Julian Knott (consistent)/Bill Fleming (legendary). We retired our Ethics advisor for this event, however, we may bring Kate Tettmar back in that capacity.
All of this just highlights the day as being about ‘fun’….. despite the wonderful prize that we’ll read about a few paragraph’s down!
The ‘Financial Software Longest Drive’ winner was Wasim Haq with a huge 293 yard drive; a distant 2nd was Duncan Ross with 250 yards. An odd occurrence took place on the 4th hole (328 yard par 4); Iain Jensen smashed a drive which landed past the flag representing a 335 yard drive!! Sadly no prizes on this hole, however this achievement has been referred to the Kingston academic Committee for unusual acts and its hoped they will reward in some way; see Helen Trott (Kingston Ambassador) at the next event!
The ‘Citisoft Nearest the Pin’ was a hotly contested event with many different leaders (Mark Monteiro/Matthew Lockwood/Imran Khan/Paula Croucher) before the grace and elegance of the 2nd leading solicitor in London (Number 1 in London was sitting next to him at Dinner) as Adam Makepeace came through with a superb 8 iron that bounced over various mounds and bunkers to land close to the hole.
Perhaps the smoothest and most stylish swing of Julia Carmichael won the ‘Sungard Best => 28 handicap golfer’, while David Crush was able to wipe away the pain of last year’s Wooden Spoon by winning the ‘Techniquest/Financial Software Most Improved Golfer’ with an improvement of 41 shots. The emotional scars of last year were passed on the new ‘Wooden Spoon Champ’; Richard Palmer who is already getting ready for next year.
Perhaps the shock of the day was the ‘Sebastian Sachs Ladies Champion’. After three consecutive wins Sally Coulden was beaten by Claire Evans a fantastic new find to the Golf Day. Welcome and thank you Claire! We now have 10 women competing in event (higher than any golf day I’ve come across). The ‘Kingston University Team Event’ was carried off Captain Neil Park.
Finally dinner commenced under the bright lights of Duncan Ross’s excellent maroon shirt, accompanied by Wine from Techniquest. followed by the announcement of the ‘Elephant Shrew 2007 MBA Golf Winner’. This was a hotly competed event with defending champion Marc Geduldt narrowly losing on countback to Matthew ‘I’ve never been under a 100 before’ Job! Matthew’s prize courtesy of Elephant Shrew was a free all expenses paid trip for him and his wife to South Africa playing on beautiful sun kissed golf courses…. What a prize, what a company; Elephant Shrew.
So while all players walked off with their Kingston MBA Polo Shirts, healthy round of golf and plenty of food and wine; the two legendary MBA records are still intact:
1. 17 shots in a bunker (Simon Ayres, November 2004)
2. 21 lost balls (Dr Thomas Obidairo, March 2005)
Thanks to the following:
· Marshalls – Graeme Crockatt/Sophie Lewis/Dee Muldoon/Anna Byers – critical to the whole day (just learn to drive).
· Sponsors – Elephant Shrew/Techniquest/Sebastian Sachs/Polhill Communications/Sungard/Citisoft/Financial Software/Kingston Business School/Kingston University – always needed and I look forward to hearing of your success this coming year.
· Scorers – James Hornby & Rebecca Hardie – good luck!
· Weather – no rain until dinner; superb.
· Players – a bunch of talented people from diverse backgrounds showing creativity, tolerance and above all an excellent sense of humour. Without these people there would be nothing. Thank you.
Lastly and most important – the one casualty (literally); David Pirrie is in good spirits and in rehab and is looking forward to next year’s event; particularly the imported wine, which went down well (thanks again to Techniquest).