The Autumn Hunt was held on 29 October 2023 at Sheafhayne Manor. Sixteen players assembled to take on this historic course in rural Devon.
The prize was the coveted Golden Cock. Fortified by Bloody Marys, the players split into four groups. Some used the latest Golfington app technology to record their scores and others stuck with more traditional paper scorecards.
One by one, the groups filtered through to the “Children’s Lounge” for the first tee. The first hole was kind to most players, although the proliferation of beer bottles and kegs on the beer shelf did pose a slight challenge.
The second hole was indeed Otterly Twisted, and required a lot of craning round corners on the stairs. The third hole was a more straightforward play between two rooms, but only resulted in three birdies.
The fourth hole provided a great birdie opportunity for those who could keep their shots on the straight and narrow down the hallway.
The fifth hole twisted through a number of rooms, culminating in what should be an easy target in the large mermaid-adorned bath. It proved challenging, with even players who had done well up to that point dropping a shot. The sixth hole provided for some inventive play, with a number of players choosing to attempt shots through the bannisters of the staircase.
The seventh hole was the only one with any play outside the manor house, with a brief sojourn into the courtyard. This did provide a tempting opportunity for a hole in one, which only Lars managed to take advantage of!
The eighth hole rewarded players who got their approach right, as the wood basket hole was a tempting target from the drawing room doorway.
The ninth hole presented a good opportunity for big hitters to play down the length of the drawing room towards the hole in the corner, particularly when cheered on by the enthusiastic crowds enjoying a drink at the table!
The game finished with Lars winning on -4, Stephen second on -3 and then Jan, Tim and Gaf all on -2. Jan won an epic four-hole playoff to take third place.
The best-dressed vote went to Stephen, swayed by his Golfington x Converse trainers.
Then there was a historic moment to celebrate the 10th anniversary of modern Golfington, where Jan and Tim were presented with Lifetime Achievement awards for their invaluable work in bringing the great game back for all of us to enjoy.
