The 18th island green at West Midlands Golf Club provided a fitting climax to the Golfmagic.com North v South 'Sham Trophy' on Sunday, where regular visitors to the 'Shambles Club' forum thread met up for their annual challenge match.
The event, superbly organised by James Morrison (Jahmoo), was inspired by Jim Haworth (Sham 28), the site's most prolific poster with more than 11,000 visits in almost five years, orchestrating daily reports of life on and around his local course in Leigh and encouraging others passionate about the game to contribute to his thread.
More than 30 members took part over an exposed course where a chill wind played havoc with creaking golf swings and enhanced the sound effects of aircraft taking off overhead from Birmingham airport and trains roaring out of the nearby NEC station at almost one minute intervals.
While with a seven points victory (439-432), the Northern members wrestled the Sham trophy back from the Southerners who had claimed it at The Warwickshire last year, it was 11-handicap 'Southerner' from St Neots, Tim Ellis - a member at John O'Gaunt Golf Club in Bedfordshire - who claimed the individual prize.
While his 39 points included no birdies, accurate driving and solid putting, combined to keep his score ticking along on greens that proved unpredictable after a heavy frost. The points also played a major part in helping his team (Sham, Jay-Jay and Bob Warters) secure the best group score (104 pts) among the eight fourballs which teed off.
The final hole, demanding a 140-yard carry over water to an island green, proved a stiff test for most of the players, especially into the cold, prevailing wind and attracted both cheers and groans from the watching gallery.
Most shots suffered a watery ending but it was Jo Power (Mae Hem) from North Shields, one of four women competing, who claimed the nearest the pin prize, clipping her 100-yard shot from the ladies tee, to within a few feet of the flagstick.
You can read more about the day by visiting
The Shambles Club thread and reading the most recent posts.
