Tuesday, 16 June 2020

The Day I Conquered North West Bay


Well folks, here I am back again with another story to tell, this time a really true story, and one that I can attest to...yes, I was there, way back in 2004, playing in The Vets State Championship at North West Bay, down past Hobart. When I arrived there and gazed upon the Course I had doubts that I could traverse it, on the side of a hill it is. Anyway, I put the hilly issue behind me and with the confidence of my mate Les Fisher, who accompanied me down there, (he also played) I was able to overcome the difficulty and come out a winner, my best lifetime performance. To come out in front of Scotsman Duncan Grant was a feather in my cap yes indeed.
Sure hope you enjoy the read.  Dazza.





The Day I Conquered North West Bay


The years have passed by slowly ever since that great day
When Les Fisher accompanied me down south...down to North West Bay
We left in the early hours...long before the sunlight pierced the dark
The highway swathed in fog, long before we reached... Hobart

The City was eerie as we manoeuvred through vacant streets under light
We missed the Casino down on the river as further south we had in sight
Down past Kingston town we plied... most others going the other way
It was not long before we pulled off the highway into... North West Bay.

The parking lot was quiet, but one or two were warming up inside
Fish and I made a high point and o’er the course we cast our eye
I gazed across the fairways there sitting on an angle of forty five...
I was not so sure this was the place for me, how was I to survive?

Many players soon arrived and a quorum was more than plenty
Risty from Launnie was in the field along with lots of Lay, and the Gentry
And of course, the one bloke we most feared was down on the practice green
Yes, Duncan Grant the Scottish icon was favoured to be supreme.

So, after nine holes the Championship was standing as was inferred
The Scotsman was well in front whilst I was nicely placed back there in third
Twas thought that four shots behind was far too difficult to recover
I even think Duncan was satisfied he’d be showing the Cup to his mother

With Duncan in the group behind, I birdied the tenth, my forty footer never missed
Yes, the tenth I remember as the turning point, it gave me the courage to resist
I turned back towards the tenth tee and waved towards Duncan with defiance
Could I continue to master this game of golf, and win the Championship...perchance

The Course was in pretty good condition, and the greens through the back nine began to submit
I had another birdie and a few pars along the way, and at the last I made ready for the final hit
The fairway was uphill, then  left around the lake, down a gradient, and there elevated... awaits the green
Well... Fish told me if I wanted to win, take on the lake, make it the best shot that's ever been

Across the lake, the green it looked half a mile away, I had to wait for a group to decamp
Sizing up my second shot to this par five, do I have what it takes to become the Champ?
The three wood was my club of choice ... and after 45 years of practice I swung away
Now my name is etched into the Joe French Cup ...for this was the day...
I conquered North West Bay.



Darrell B Parker
Weaver of Words and Emotions.
16/6/20



2 comments:

dwb said...

very good and well done

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