January 11th, 2024

Everyone is only too aware of the high rainfall totals through most of December and into early January. Pannal GC Course Manager Neil Horton had now reported the full year figures for 2023 when 1024mm of rain were recorded: this compares with 753mm in 2022 and 768mm in 2021, an average increase over the two prior years of no less than 35%.

Anticipating this widely predicted increase the Club decided in 2021 to embark on a comprehensive drainage programme with £150,000 invested to date. Consequently, the course is forced to close for shorter periods and dries out more quickly when better conditions prevail.

As a result, players entering the Fourball Betterball competition on Saturday January 6th encountered a fully playable 13-hole layout with the greens in particularly good condition. After such a long layoff over the holiday period members were glad to get back to the tee and 44 pairs returned a score.

80% of the field achieved the par score of at least 26 points and the overall result yet again was close. A score of 32 points needed a countback to split places two and three. Neil Taylor and Rob Memmott were disappointed to find their 32 points only good enough for fourth: brothers Callum and Jordan Jonas made into third spot pipped only by Peter Ingham and Richard Burcher for second. But the week’s winners by one point with 33 were Gareth Whiles and Steve Duffy