DC 2006 was in many ways a tale of two halves!

Day 1

For many of us our attention was firmly set on the weather. We were traveling to the Western Cape at the onset of winter and we had all planned for cold, wet and windy conditions. Let me make it clear that by this I mean the weather and not the state of our beings – the wet and windy conditions in that regard would take a day or two to set in (except for Bergh’ie of course – who is always windy). With a day or two to go, the weather forecast changed, favourably pointing toward fair and mild conditions - but based on our past experiences with weather on the DC Cup, the majority of us skeptically planned for the opposite. We half hoped for good weather and half planned for bad weather.

We arrived at George Airport to a calm and warm day, not a cloud about. Our hosts were on time and waiting for us when we arrived and we all departed for Pezula on-time.

Playing Pezula was a first for many of us and we were not disappointed by what is arguably the most professionally run Golf Course in the country.

Off the first tee we went for the first round of Betterball Matchplay.

5-1 to the Bokkoms at the end of the first day and the Gud Gize started had DC 06 as they had finished DC 05 – on the back foot. It was Bergh and Geach that saved Louis from suffering the first ever white wash in a DC Cup.

It was then off to the Knysna Log-Inn for showers, dinner and fines. Richard was back in DC 06, and most of us were looking forward to the event The rookies were unaware of what was about to take place and I think that all four of them remained unaware of what had happened the next morning!

Five year awards were presented to the following players that evening.

·         Mike Drummond

·         Jeff Bartlett

·         Keith MacMillan

·         Mike Richards

·         Des Seegers

·         Kevin Venter

Day 2

An early start – and most of us were sick to our stomach’s. Sick not because of the meal we and enjoyed the previous evening, but sick because we had forgotten the “Hoeksma Effect” of a fines evening and the subsequent debauchery that would follow as the effects of the fines lessened our resolve.

Needless to say all were on time and we arrived at Simola in the dark and early hours of the morning. We played a round of Foursomes followed by a round of Betterball Matchplay. The Bokkoms took the Foresomes 3.5 to 2.5, but the Gud Gize came back in the afternoon and took the Betterball 4 to 2.

At the end of the second day the Bokkoms held a 3 point lead over the Gud Gize.

After the golf, we returned to the Hotel for Dinner and Fines – yes again.

Day 3

Another early start – and most of us felt the same as the previous day! We were back off the Pezula for another two rounds. Some of us were a lot worse for wear and had to have a little snooze in the locker-room after the foursomes.

Mike having a little rest!!!

The Bokkoms took the Foursomes 4.5 to 1.5. This meant that the Bokkoms on 15 points only needed another 6.5 points to win the Cup for the fifth consecutive year. The Gud Gize with 9 points in total needed 12.5 points for an outright win on the other hand. The outcome seemed pretty predictable – but herein lay the “Tale of Halves” and how this would affect the final result.

The Gud Gize took the afternoon Betterball 4.5 to 1.5. Of the points won and lost, it is worth mentioning that against all odds and expectation, Monty Mantovan (Handicap 19) and Gavin Dunlop (21), HALVED their game with Richard Hoeksma (7) and Jan Booyzen (13). Proof that the handicapping system works!

We returned to the Hotel for dinner, drinking, fines, drinking, and the all important singles draw!

(Liverpool also won the FA Cup earlier that afternoon).

Day 4

A more civilized start, a well deserved breakfast, and off to Goose Valley for Singles. The Bokkoms on 16.5 points needed 4.5 points to retain the trophy, the Gud Gize needed 8 points to win the Trophy.

Monty Mantovan halved against Johan Loubser and Gavin Dunlop halved against Arthur Brook. Keith MacMillan declared on the 18^th – ‘The moment is Too Big’, the pressure of singles matchplay after 5 years had not changed and this is one of the reasons we keep coming back for more.

As the last fourball approached the 18^th, it became clear that the results had tightened up considerably, and that the Bokkoms were experiencing their second Big Choke in single matchplay (the First was in 2002 at Victoria CC in Pietermaritzburg).

It all finished up with the Good Guys taking the singles 7.5 to 4.5. A Half, and both teams only a half point away from an outright victory.

That night as was the tradition, prize giving was followed by fines and drinking. The Gud Gize had come so close but were still denied the victory the almost claimed. Upon Kevin Venters suggestion, the Best Come Back award was presented to the Gud Gize team for their unbelievable come back in claiming 12 points out of the last 2 games.

And so another DC Cup came to a grateful end..................