Malta retains 'The Sword'

BoV Team Malta beat The Rest by the narrowest of margins in the 2005 edition of the annual Malta vs The Rest match held on the Marsa course recently. With 49 points at stake, the final score line 25-24 testifies to the closeness of the match. This is Malta's fourth win in a row and 16th overall against 14 for The Rest, with three matches halved.

The three-day match started with foursomes on Friday afternoon.

Six two-player partnerships from each side vied for valuable opening points for their respective teams. In foursomes, two players form a side, drive alternately from successive tees, and play alternate shots with one ball. Handicap allowance is half the difference between the aggregate handicaps of each side.

With seven points out of a possible eight from the first four matches Malta was on the verge of establishing a very good lead until the Borg/Mangion tandem lost out to Han Proell's massive putt on the 18th green. The day's score still went Malta's way 7-5.

The format on the second day was 4-ball better ball in which two players form a side but each plays his own ball throughout. The score of the side is the better ball of the two partners.

Handicap allowance is calculated off the "back marker" - the lowest handicap player in the match - who concedes three-quarters of the difference between his own handicap and that of his partner and playing opponents.

As in foursomes, finding the right parings is extremely important and usually has a big bearing on the outcome of the matches. Malta again came out tops, winning three and halving one of the day's six matches. Another 7-5 scoreline and 14-10 aggregate for the two days.

With Tom Davies winning the supplementary Stableford competition for non match participants and awarding a point to The Rest, the final scoreline going into the third and final day was 14-11. A very slender lead considering that 24 points were at stake on the final day and taking into account the strength of the individual members of The Rest.

The all-important third day of the match sees the 12 members in each team pitted against each other individually. Twelve singles matches each with two points and much personal pride at stake.

Malta started the day well when the first two matches brought in three points, the more significant being Maurice Gruppetta's win over John Payne. The Rest, sponsored by HSBC, retaliated by winning the next four matches in a row, overturning the overall score to 20-17 in their favour.

Then Malta's strategy of playing their stronger players last started paying off. With a further three wins and two halves, they had garnered the necessary 25 points and retained "The Sword".

Special mention must be made of the two juniors who were part of BoV Team Malta - Christopher Bergedahl and Nicholas Beck. They held up their end of the bargain by each scoring three points out of a possible six for their team.

The Malta team was made up of Victor Satariano (captain), N. Beck, C. Bergedahl, K. Borg, M. Gruppetta, N. Laferla, A. Mangion, P. Satariano, E. Sullivan, J. Sullivan, N. Urpani, A. Zammit. William Beck was team manager.

Short putts

¤ The draws for the KO competitions have now been made. Participants are reminded that it is customary for the first player drawn to contact his/her opponent.

On the other hand, those drawn last should write their contact number on the draw sheet next to their name. The first round of The Glover Cup and the Scratch Cup must be played by November 27. No extensions are allowable for any reason.

¤ The R&A has again extended an invitation to the club to send representatives to attend a Referees Course in St Andrews in February.

Anyone interested should contact club secretary Tony Bonello for full details.

¤ The annual Creasy Cup dinner will be taking place at the Putters Inn on Friday and is an occasion not to be missed. The Creasy Cup is the only knock-out without handicap limits so all have an equal chance of winning.

¤ All running competitions are now under way.

First blood was drawn by teams Pedigree, Bio-diesel and Beck Graphics in the Fenston Cup, while a team made up of Malcolm Vella, Franco Degabriele, Don Mifsud and Steve Jones leads the HSBC Challenge with 107 points.

The Captain's League first round was played over the last weekend. In the Order of Merit Nathan Farrugia leads with 49 points.

¤ The golf induction courses initiated by the club last year have been resumed after the summer break and are proving to be a huge success. Places are still available in the November intake and details can be obtained by phoning 21-227019.

¤ The Members' Survey Questionnaires are now being analysed.

Results will be published soon.