Morning all,
With Mike's new weekly 'predict the winner' comps gaining in popularity, I thought I'd throw an extra one into the mix for early next week.
The GM team is off up to Brancaster for our annual fixture - foursomes in the morning followed by singles in the afternoon, both Stableford.
I will offer up a suitable prize from the equipment cupboard for the forumer who can predict both winners, with tie-breaks to be settled on closeness to the winning scores.
The action takes place on Tues 29th and to aid you in your selections, here is a little more info on the various runners and riders, in their morning foursomes handicap pairings
Kevin Murray (photographer - 9) + Stephanie Atkinson (designer - 32)
If ever anyone was the perfect foil for our solitary female competitor, snapper 'Muzza' is the man. The smooth-talking, lens-wielding lothario will undoubtedly take the nervous big-stage debutant safely under his wing and put her mind at rest over a glass or two of Pinot the might before. Working against this pair, it is Steph's links course debut, and Muzza is nursing a gammy leg, though this didn't stop him reeling off 5 rounds in 3 days on a recent Abu Dhabi trip
Jezz Ellwood (5) + Tom Clarke (18)
In many ways, the perfect blend of 'yoof' and experience, with Jezz boasting a victory in the same event last year with Tom's brother off a slightly more useful 24. Cricket-loving Tom can throw up a few wides on the golf course too (think: narrowly missing the starter's hut at Sunningdale) but should have a little room to manouevre at Brancaster where the rough won't yet be up. Jezz has hardly played in the last 2 months, with bursitis of the right elbow taking him out of action for the last 5 weeks, so may just be a little match-rusty putting too much pressure on his guile and cunning.
Mike Harris (6) + Neil Tappin (5)
When the GM dream team came out of the hat together there was a mixed reaction as to their prospects. Could there possibly be too much work talk on the way round for them to really concentrate on the task in hand; or would they be galvinised into action, eager to affirm their intra-office authority? On the plus side, the editor has probably played more golf than anyone this year. On the downside, he too is nursing a niggling leg injury and may be seduced into a glass of Merlot too many the night before to be truly effective. Neil, meanwhile, has barely spent any time in the country this year and maybe too travel-weary, especially when you factor in that his mind will be full of wedding cakes, speeches and future mothers-in-law as he is now just 7 weeks away from making the future Mrs Tappin a very happy lady.
Alex Narey (13) + Paul O'Hagan (5)
Our hard-working assistant editor and equipment guru are office soul-mates and look a strong pairing on paper. But paper can all to easily be ripped to shreds as we all know. Alex, by his own admission, can hit the ball a country mile, but not always in the right direction and he can get a little down on himself when his ball refuses to do as requested. Paul has some residual form from 2010, won the singles event last year at Brancaster and is filling the last-minute run-up to the event with more golf than anyone. However, with O'Hagan junior no.1 on the way in just a few months' time his mind could be more on nappies and sleepless nights... which is what he will undoubtedly have the night before with his renowned reputation for being last to stumble out of the bar.
So there you have it.
Your predictions please - a winning foursomes pair, a winning singles player, with the Stableford scores you think they'll achieve to settle any ties.
With Mike's new weekly 'predict the winner' comps gaining in popularity, I thought I'd throw an extra one into the mix for early next week.
The GM team is off up to Brancaster for our annual fixture - foursomes in the morning followed by singles in the afternoon, both Stableford.
I will offer up a suitable prize from the equipment cupboard for the forumer who can predict both winners, with tie-breaks to be settled on closeness to the winning scores.
The action takes place on Tues 29th and to aid you in your selections, here is a little more info on the various runners and riders, in their morning foursomes handicap pairings
Kevin Murray (photographer - 9) + Stephanie Atkinson (designer - 32)
If ever anyone was the perfect foil for our solitary female competitor, snapper 'Muzza' is the man. The smooth-talking, lens-wielding lothario will undoubtedly take the nervous big-stage debutant safely under his wing and put her mind at rest over a glass or two of Pinot the might before. Working against this pair, it is Steph's links course debut, and Muzza is nursing a gammy leg, though this didn't stop him reeling off 5 rounds in 3 days on a recent Abu Dhabi trip
Jezz Ellwood (5) + Tom Clarke (18)
In many ways, the perfect blend of 'yoof' and experience, with Jezz boasting a victory in the same event last year with Tom's brother off a slightly more useful 24. Cricket-loving Tom can throw up a few wides on the golf course too (think: narrowly missing the starter's hut at Sunningdale) but should have a little room to manouevre at Brancaster where the rough won't yet be up. Jezz has hardly played in the last 2 months, with bursitis of the right elbow taking him out of action for the last 5 weeks, so may just be a little match-rusty putting too much pressure on his guile and cunning.
Mike Harris (6) + Neil Tappin (5)
When the GM dream team came out of the hat together there was a mixed reaction as to their prospects. Could there possibly be too much work talk on the way round for them to really concentrate on the task in hand; or would they be galvinised into action, eager to affirm their intra-office authority? On the plus side, the editor has probably played more golf than anyone this year. On the downside, he too is nursing a niggling leg injury and may be seduced into a glass of Merlot too many the night before to be truly effective. Neil, meanwhile, has barely spent any time in the country this year and maybe too travel-weary, especially when you factor in that his mind will be full of wedding cakes, speeches and future mothers-in-law as he is now just 7 weeks away from making the future Mrs Tappin a very happy lady.
Alex Narey (13) + Paul O'Hagan (5)
Our hard-working assistant editor and equipment guru are office soul-mates and look a strong pairing on paper. But paper can all to easily be ripped to shreds as we all know. Alex, by his own admission, can hit the ball a country mile, but not always in the right direction and he can get a little down on himself when his ball refuses to do as requested. Paul has some residual form from 2010, won the singles event last year at Brancaster and is filling the last-minute run-up to the event with more golf than anyone. However, with O'Hagan junior no.1 on the way in just a few months' time his mind could be more on nappies and sleepless nights... which is what he will undoubtedly have the night before with his renowned reputation for being last to stumble out of the bar.
So there you have it.
Your predictions please - a winning foursomes pair, a winning singles player, with the Stableford scores you think they'll achieve to settle any ties.
), 
