DUGS vs The Moles

DUGS v Moles – Match Report
Royal St George’s GC – Sunday 19th March 2023
This was the first time The Moles have played The DUGS and afterwards it was agreed that this won’t be the only match we play as there are too many friends on both teams who share the same love of foursomes played keenly, with the same zealotry, not to pursue this game in Ireland and long into the future.
We couldn’t have been at a finer venue than Royal St George’s, laid out by a relative one-hit-wonder architect – Laidlaw Purves. Interestingly, Purves was also responsible for bringing the handicap system into the UK, which means absolutely nothing to The Moles, the gauche subject of handicaps, who are all scratch men and excellent players.
DUGS have been trying our best over the last few years to get on the radar of and to compete against the premiere scratch societies in the UK, and there are none finer than The Moles.
On Saturday evening, both teams were warmly hosted by a Mole known as “Jumbo”, who’s rather large house was only a stone’s throw from the Royal St George’s. Both teams watched on as Ireland beat England to win the Grand Slam. Unfortunately, Jumbo was ill and had to rest up, so he could not compete in the match the following day and so the Moles were a team of nine.
From there, the teams proceeded to dinner at the club where pleasantries were exchanged, pairings were announced for the morning’s play, and the double-agent, Aidan Neill, member of the DUGS and Moles, gave The Moles a copy of the DUGS’ Centenary Book as a small token of our appreciation for hosting us.
On Sunday, the weather was ideal, a moderate breeze and mild temperature, and the brawny links with its heaving greens presented the perfect stage. DUGS took 1.5 points from the first two matches but lost the last three to leave us with a lot of ground to make up … nothing a few afternoon Kümmels could not make possible! But it was not to be, although the DUGS won the afternoon 3 points to 2, they fell just shy of retaining their unbeaten record which has stood for over three years. When records like that fall, it calls for pause to reflect on the achievement that made it happen and not the failure that caused it to end. Congratulations to the Moles, a truly marvelous society both on and off the golf course.
When all was said and done, it was concluded that the double-agent, Aidan, was actually playing for the DUGS all along as he earned the side 1.5 points.
Morning
1. Richard Knightly & Ruairi Kennelly (4/3) beat Will Shucksmith & Karl Gilbert
2. Aidan Neill & Andrews Stokes halved with Jamie Richards & Alex Fiott
3. David Conway Snr & Daire Creavin lost to Ollie Daws & Minnow Powell (5/4)
4. Darragh Garrahy & Fran Quilty lost to James Day & Steve Seman (2/1)
5. Darragh Coghlan & Harry McHugh lost to Jan Brugelmann (2dn)
Afternoon
1. Ruairi Kennelly & Darragh Garrahy lost to Ollie Daws & Jan Brugelmann (3/2)
2. Richard Knightly & Aidan Neill (3/2) beat Will Shucksmith
3. David Conway Snr & Fran Quilty (2/1) beat James Day and Jamie Richards
4. Harry McHugh & Daire Creavin lost to Steve Seman and Karl Gilbert (3/2)
5. Darragh Coghlan & Andrews Stokes (5/4) beat Alex Fiott & Minnow Powell
Final Scores: DUGS 4.5 – 5.5 Moles