PHCGCO 2020
In 2001, just under a dozen people took part in a new tournament ,the oddly named Planet Hastings open, The few hardy souls who turned up got a proper British drenching from the swirling grey clouds that hovered overhead
Now in 2020, 45 people took part..but the weather stayed the same.
It isn’t often in a tournament that you can stand in a hail storm and also have to be mindful of your shadows on the course.
Over the years not only have players come and gone, but also courses..Clambers at White rock and the minigolf course on the seafront are long gone
It used to be a four course tournament, now it’s a 3 course one- but a look at the trophy is a who’s who of past greats (and Andy Exall)
Aceman Davies, BigTop Ted, Trevor Exall, Marc Chapman, Michael Smith, Steve Lovell all appear on the claret jug.
Who was going to face the expense this year of getting their name engraved on the trophy
Sunshine was promised by the event organisers, and sunshine was what we got along with fierce winds, hail and rain
The worst of the weather hit the players on the last few holes of the Adventure course, reasonable looking scores started to expand like a middle aged man’s waist line
But serene amongst the squall, fragrant amongst the floods there strode one man..James Rutherford, who steered his ball through these growing seas of water into the safe harbour of the hole
A 37 put him at the top of the mast, while jigging up the rigging, hot on his heels, were his two CEMGC team mates Martin Greenhead and Andy Wilde.
No one else managed a sub 40 round
As everyone set off to play the pirate course, the water sprayed out by the pirate ships mixed with the several drenchings sent from the heavens
Tiger showed he could still growl by hitting the best round of 32-with no dropped shots- remarkable as the course at one point was taking on water faster than a storm savaged schooner
James managed a damp thirty six
At the commencement of the  final round on the crazy course a dozen people still had a chance of reaching out and  winning the tournament,
Welsh putting dragon Seve Kulkielka roared to 4 under, Hastings wunderkid David Hartley bagged four aces in a row- but with just a handful of holes to go, James Rutherford left it late to hit  a couple of aces to win his first tournament in 6 years. Seve unfortunately carding a 3 right at the end
A new name appeared on the trophy , James Rutherford. So excited was James by his triumph  that he  left his putter behind on the course ( happily it was found and now resides safely in the Hastings adventure golf hut as a star prize for next year’s tournament. Which .takes place  Sunday 28th February 2021
12 players managed to get 7 aces ..and a crack at winning £200 on hole 11 (a fine feat considering the wintery lashings of hail) —
Much to Ted McIver’s obvious disappointment no one succeeded.
Several players balls got near the hole, but Ted remains confident that if any errant putt does start heading bang towards the hole then Martyn Williams will run out from the crowd and fling himself head first at the ball to stop it dropping
However If it does drop next year in the hole in one challenge then its £300 vanished from Ted’s beloved wallet
The top 20 players all then took turns at Ted’s Tombola.. some went home with £55, others with a 1970s nylon handkerchief and tie box set
It was, hopefully, a symbol of what the Planet Hastings Open represents..chaos, unpredictability, challenging conditions which only the best will overcome and of course
The most important ingredient of all,,,fun..and lengthy meandering speeches.
(Report by PHCGC Ted McIver)
Next BMGA tournament is the British Adventure Golf Masters, Sunday 29th March, Mr Mulligans’, Sidcup
