“For glory’s sake! For vengeance’s sake! War!!!” On 14 October 2019, twelve members of ReMmoho  picked up their weapons of choice, and literally went to war; for the right to be called Chairman’s Cup champions. Hopefully a story that will be told for a thousand years.

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On the opposite side stood none other than the giant-killing act that is JPS golf club. On their way to this final match, they had swept away all before their eyes, ripping to shreds even the aristocracy that is Club 20/20. With their high handicaps and hired guns, their claim to the ultimate prize seemed compelling (it certainly could not easily be brushed aside like a whisper in the wind).  And they had put in the obligatory dry run at Houghton the Sunday before. The big question was whether they could continue their amazing run against hard as teak and battle-hardened ReMmoho Golf Club.

 

Their reputation moves way ahead of them, and when they are challenged and their backs are against the wall, no one else fights harder or wants it more. Remmoho had not lost a single match the previous year on their way to glory; but the defence of this title would not be handed to them on a platter, or without a fight. The chairman was confident, saying that if ReMmoho prepared well, man for man we should carry too many guns for the young pretenders to the throne that are JPS.

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A clear and beautiful Sunday morning finally dawned, the air was thick with expectation and some spring moisture to boot.  As one arrived at Houghton Golf course and saw the whole JPS blue army lined up at the driving range, there was no doubt as to what lay ahead for the chosen gladiators. It was to be man-o-man fight to the end playing off scratch; you stir your adversary in the face and make him take a beating with honour.

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Nerves were almost totally frayed by the time the clock struck 11h46 and the 4balls teed it off on both sides. The obligatory fat lady with an ill-fitting skirt could not be wished away as the exchanges commenced. There was not much to separate the two teams as they trickled into clubhouse for halfway snacks other than the runaway train that was the resurgent Brian Mathibe who was already 7up at that stage. He would quickly go and wrap it up 9&7 in short shrift and enjoy the rest of his afternoon stroll. The ex-chairman’s rise from the ashes should warm all of our hearts at ReMmoho, having watched him endure almost two years in the wilderness where he did not even sniff the top 10 in the League. In this kind of mood only a fool would bet against him as the Masters starts looming large towards end November, and the mercury starts to rise.

 

Word of this must have gone across the golf course because suddenly all of ReMmoho started finding an extra gear where none seemed to have existed earlier, for example Avhashoni having only led his match for the 1st hole started hitting it even longer and straighter. With three holes to go he finally squared his match, with the Howitzer now firing at full tilt and at will. He went 1up on the penultimate hole and all of a sudden his opponent realised that he had run out of holes, and the match would not be extended to allow him to catch his breath. The uncompromising Ngobese also took honours 1up in his match despite facing an almost unbeatable foe playing off a 16 handicap who was not just hitting it long but pouring the birdies in from all parts. Does he even know when to give up, one has to ask.

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TT playing with his friend for life Bruno Mathibe must have been inspired as well. With that grip, not too many opponents are able to stay up toe to toe with this great son of the soil, and he duly delivered the 2nd biggest winning margin of the day, at 5&3. The man has been on top of his game for the whole year, and the captain would not have expected anything less.

His winning A-game never carries any highlights as per usual as we all know but Mindlos duly wrapped up his duel 3&2 as expected. Any other result from him would have incurred a half dozen old school lashes to the backside, and he knows it. With Danzo playing one of his best games of the season under the pump and prevailing 3&2, and Azwi the captain delivering a battling 2&1 result down the stretch, all the matches that started on hole 10 had delivered a point each to the cause. There could be no losing it from here, surely.

 

The other side of the draw was loaded with JPS heavy lifters, and there was going to be no stroll in the park for our gladiators. The champion golfer that is Bheki Mainline Mthethwa had a battle royal on his hands against a strong 2 handicapper from JPS who would just not go away at all. He had to shoot a 76 (strokes) and club it all the way to hole 8 before putting him away 3&1, in the process taking the longest drives on both sides of the course as well. Livhu was involved in a battle of his golfing life and anything he could do his opponent threw it back even harder. This was a fight all the way down to the wire and in the end they could not be separated, securing an important half a point for ReMmoho in the process.

 

And when the captain looked up from doing his sums, he blinked twice and then realised that the game was up! ReMmoho had done it. ReMmoho had defended the Chairman’s Cup trophy. The final score 8,5 to 3,5. You can call it a landslide if you want.

 

The organising captain Khumbulani from Club 20/20 stood up to the honours, JPS received their silver medals, and it was finally time to bring the house down. The words were “ And the winner is, …. and STILL…champion of the world, ReMmoho Golf Club”.

 

Congratulations once more gentlemen on a job well done. We honour all you that have participated from Round 1, all the way to the final. It has been a club effort once, and we do this again next year.

 

And nor for the Masters…