Late in the afternoon of Friday August 17th under threatening skies, two of strongest teams ever assembled in the history of the Waterfield Tray completion met to determine supremacy (and year-long bragging rights). Fred and Bob came in with a sterling record that put them at the top of the standings while Steve and GMcD were seeking to extend their winning streak (of one in a row) on their drive to make the playoffs. 
First, the headlines:
Fred and Bob go par or better on 15 holes!
Fred and Bob out-putt their opponents by nine putts - 57 to 66!!
Steve can’t buy a putt over 6 feet!
GMcD misses s crucial 3-footer on 10!
Okay, Steve and GMcD were somewhat out of their league and didn’t really have s chance. Or did they ... ?
Here are the details:

#1. Fred gets things started by rolling in a long one from off the green to salvage a tie against Steve’s par and GMcD’s net par. All square. But not for long.
#2. Fred gets it down in two from off the green at the back and makes the only par. F&B 1 up and the rout has begun.
#3. The rout continues. Fred and Bob make pars. Their opponents do not and it’s F&B 2 up after 3.
#4. All stroking against Steve. Bob not a factor but Fred makes yet another great up and down for par/net birdie. Steve also pars but it’s not good enough. GMcD has made a good third shot from the willows left to pin high and two putts for par/net birdie to stop the bleeding. F&B 2 up
#5. Two excellent shots by Steve put him in birdie range. He comes up just short and taps in for par which is looking very good. That is until Fred andBob both get it up and down. Again. No blood. Fred and Bob 2 up.
#6. Fred and Gord are stroking and lay up right. Bob and Steve are long down the middle. They both have long birdie putts. They both have pretty long par putts. Okay, Bob’s was only three feet. But they both miss. Fred also three putts. GMcD makes bogey/net par and graciously accepts the kind and unexpected gift. F&B 1 up.
#7. Fred and GMcD both on, Steve and Bob close. Four pars. Still F&B 1 up.
#8. Steve on in reg and his birdie putt comes up just short. Bob makes another great up and down (as does GMcD) and it’s a push. F&B 1 up
#9. Steve on in reg and his birdie putt comes up just short. Bob makes yet another great up and down for the push. Is there a pattern here? F&B 1 up at the turn. Bob has had 12 putts, Fred 14!
#10. GMcD stroking. Rolls his 80 foot third from off the green to three feet above the hole. Fred andBob have both made up and down pars (so what else is new?). But a make by GMcD will give his team the win and tie up the match. It does not happen. The ball does not even scare the hole. Ouch! GMcD is cursing and asking the Golf Goddess for one more chance. Soon. F&B 1 up
#11. GMcD’s second chance comes immediately. He leaves his tee shot three feet from the cup and this time strokes it solidly into the hole for birdie. Bob comes close but no cigar. Finally, after F&B have held the lead for two hours, the teams are back to all square.But not for long,
#12. Everyone is either on or close. Steve and GMcD get theirs close from75 feet. Bob and Fred do not and they cannot convert. For the first time all day it’s S&G 1 up. But not for long.
#13. Bob and Fred make solid two putt pars. GMcD goes brain-dead and makes double. Steve can’t get up and down from the fringe and its back to all square, 
#14. Bob goes AWOL, Steve rolls into back trap. GMcD is on but 70 feet away. Fred is 15 feet behind him In the fringe. Fred makes a fine chip to 12 feet,GMcD makes a fine putt to 4 feet. Fred makes the uphill putt (was there any doubt? No). Then GMcD makes his (was there any doubt? Yes). Still all square.
#15. All stroking off Steve. Advantage Fred and Bob. But they squander the advantage - Fred goes hazard and Bob goes o/b left. Steve makes routine par, GMcD makes net birdie and for only the second time all day it’s S&G 1 up.
#16. Fred and Bob make superb chips and have makeable par putts. Steve is chipping from the front fringe and has to get it close. The tension gets to him, he looks early and HE SCULLS IT. It’s going to go 30 feet by. But the line is good and the speeding ball strikes the flagstick. The ball could ricochet anywhere. It chooses to go down. Into the hole! BIRDIE!! Instead of being all square, all of a sudden it’s S&G 2 up and dormie.
#17. GMcD is stroking. Fred and Bob decide that they need a birdie. And damned if Fred doesn’t do just that! He drops a 20-footer from above the hole. Bob also comes close.That should send the match to 18. But wait. GMcD has hit his his 160 yard approach to pin high 18 feet left and slightly downhill. He leaves the lag four inches away, taps in for net birdie and it’s all over. S&G 2 and 1.

A match for the ages!

Fred 40-39 79 net 67
Bob 39-41 80 net 70
Steve 39-38 77 net 69
GMcD 42-39 81 net 65. 

         Your humble scribe
               GMcD