Gord and Nick to Play Ken and Steve. Gord starts a series of questionable emails because a drizzle is in the forecast. Ken shows up and is prepared to win by default. Eventually everyone shows up, the skies clear and 18 holes are played in a hot, humid calm weather.

Steve gets 5, Ken 6, Nick 7.

The good

Nick plays the par 3's in three under.

Gord is a par machine

Ken plays the back in 38

Steve's ball does a 180 on 11 for the camera.

The bad

Wait for it

The ugly?

Glen and Rob tag along as observers! 

Holy start. Steve drives the ditch but still isn't on # 1 in four. Gord knocks it to 10 feet but never threatens the hole. Ken lags to a couple of feet and calmly sinks it for a starting push.

#2 Steve drives over onto 8 but is close man putting for birdie. Nick and Gord miss from about thirty feet but so does Steve from fifteen. Push.

Three good chips on #3 from Gord, Ken and Steve. Pars look certain. No matter. Nick has hit the green and coaxes in a thirty footer for a winning birdie. 1 up G/N

Stroker alley. Everyone in play on #4 near the hundred yard marker. Gord goes long and with no stroke doesn't matter. Ken lags from well away to give Steve a free run at his 18 footer. He runs it twelve feet past. Net birdie. Nick has wedged to fifteen feet and when that drops for a birdie - net eagle it's a quick two up lead for G/N

#5 sees Nick in the right trap with a blast out to ten feet. The putt stays high and net par for all is a push.

Four good tee shots on #6. Steve gets his wedge on the green forty feet away. Gord has about a fifteen footer for birdie. Nick is nine feet on the fringe and stupidly tries to putt. Bad choice. Way short. Bogey net par. Gord misses. Par. Steve two putts and the net birdie means the lead is one.

Back blue pin on #7. Three on the green. GT is ten feet tight. Ken and Steve both have to putt before Nick chips. They get par. Nick is no longer putting from the fringe. Bingo. Birdie. 2 up G/N

Four good drives on #8. Four poor seconds. Bad lag from Nick is to ten feet and a miss. Ken chunks and is out of it. Steve is aggressive and eight feet away. Gord is the best of the bunch at four feet. No worries. Steve sinks and Gord misses. 1 up G/N. Picture by the plaque.

Nick strokes on #9 and after Ken misses his twelve footer and Gord misses his four footer, Nick two putts from fifteen feet for a winning net birdie.

The Good - Front Nine

Gord 37

Nick 37

Ken 40

Steve 41

#10 Nick drives in the creek. A drop and a 7 iron later he is closer than Ken after 3 shots. Ken misses. Nick sinks for par - net birdie. Steve stays focused on a three footer and the hole is halved in net birdie.

With the honour Gord hits his 135 yard shot on #11 to four feet. Ken and Nick end up with par. Steve hits a shot that looks like it might end up in the front trap. It barely clears and caroms forward to the back left blue pin. Glen is up filming for posterity and lets out a woop! The ball has circled the hole and is a gimmee bird! Gord dials in and does what is expected. Hole halved with real birdies. 2 up G/N

Ken Gord and Nick play #12 well. Ken does it the best by coaching his left to right fifteen foot slider to a front left pin into the hole for yet another birdie. That beats two pars and the lead is now one G/N.

Three on #13 green. Ken just off and putting. Steve's long attempt comes up way short. Gord slides by for an easy par. Ken looks and looks but ends up just on the edge. Par. Nick has hit another green. This time to eighteen feet. Gord has the team par so why not sink it? Nick's third par three birdie of the day! Some sort of record. 2 up again.

THE UGLY

Nick doesn't play 14, 15, and...

Putters from hell.

Where did all the birdies go?

Steve is playing Gord on #14. Gord clips a tree branch on his second but his 80 yard wedge ends up six feet away. Steve is on in regulation but a muscle spasm first putt leaves him five  feet away. Gord's putt is low and never threatens. Steve and Ken consult but Steve doesn't execute so the hole is halved in bogey. Nerves? Lead still 2

Steve talks to his wedge on #15 likes it's a piece of ****. It ends up two feet away max!. Gord nearly holes his third but stops about six feet away. Gord misses. But so does Steve!!! Lead is still 2 with three to go.

Stroke hole on #16 for all. Steve on in two but at the front to a back middle pin. Ken short in two and chips on to twelve feet. Nick in the sand in two and watches as his sand shot spins and stops instead of running out. Fifteen feet. Magic confident stroke dead in the middle from Ken means par net birdie and the lead is down to one.

Gord is in the right trap on 17. Ken is ok on the fringe. Nick hits a good iron and has a birdie putt. Not as good as Steve's wedge. Again pleas are issued to the ball to behave and again it listens, stopping ten feet away. Pars from Gord and Nick mean Steve can win with a good putt. As if. Push. G/N lead by one going to #18.

The third match to go to #18 with a team dormie.

The Really Ugly #18

Nick and Ken stroke.

Nick plays safe then snaps his second out of bounds.

Steve is nearly in the ditch, hits the willow. comes up short, chips long and makes bogey.

Stroker Ken is good in two but after stick handling has six feet for par net birdie. Nope. Net par.

Best Ken and Steve can do is a net par. And they must win the hole.

Gord is fine, fine, quite long and off the green left to a front right red pin. Lying three. Fourth is a downhill lag putt is inside Ken. His fifth is for the WIN.

His fifth is a five foot dead push that never has a chance. Mr Par makes bogie on #18.

The third tie!

Gord 76 -72

Nick 79 - 66

Ken 78 - 66

Steve 81 - 71

Some fabulous golf on a fantastic fall day.