Just before we tell you what’s happened within the society, I have great news. Just before the town of Gran Tarajal, about 25 minutes south of the airport a new golf course in Playitas is being developed. They already have 6 holes opened, five par 3’s and a par 4. The development is set to expand to a full blown course with hope of opening another 6 holes around March of next year. I went down last month to meet the friendly Scottish pro, Murdo McCorquodale, and to play the course in one of his fortnightly comps. As there are only 6 holes open you play the 6 holes twice, but being mostly par 3’s you can’t take anything for granted when you play. The course itself is very well done and has a great ambience. The greens are good and are well contoured it takes a bit of thinking about where you have to pitch the ball to get near the hole. All in all well worth a look at if you’re in the area. On the other courses there have been many changes too. Due to irrigation problems, Francisco de Bethencort, the new director at the Salinas course has been forced to close the back 9 in order to get it back on track ready for the busy winter season ahead. They are hoping to re-open the back 9 by early October but I will keep you informed. Changes happening too on the Fuerteventura Golf course, just today I have been told that Angel Duran, Director of golf will be going to pastures new in a week’s time, so we await yet another new golf director!

Anyway, onto society business. Nearly ¾ of the way through the season and in our yearly comps things are getting pretty tight for the leaders. You can check out our website www.corralejogolf.com to see who’s doing what and where in our eclectic and player of the year comps.
    In our game on the 21st August we had a great turnout as usual backed up by 10 guests, some of whom are regulars with the society. Young whiz kid Dan Reeve and Stuart “Peter Kaye” Higginson were amongst the regulars with Peter Flynn and Captian Dennis May having their sons over on holiday too. We were on the Fuerteventura Golf Course and it was an absolute scorcher. I was still hoping for the magic game which would take me into single figures, but it wasn’t going to happen on this occasion! I spent a very frustrating 4 hours battling to scrape 30 points. However, the winning scores were also not that high with only one player beating their handicap. Tied in 2nd place were Dennis McKernon, Steed Ansell and Paul Benham all with 35 points, but the only one to better his handicap was Mike Thurman with 37. Guest winner of the day was someone I’d played with on the Playitas course the week before, Derek Yarwood who scored an amazing 41 points, making John Burgess a happy man by winning the sweepstake! Nearest the pins were won by Coops on the 4th, and for a change we’d made it nearest the pin in 2 on the 18th which amazingly no one managed to get on in 2! Once again no one managed a 2, so the 2’s comp was rolled over to our next main comp on the 4th September which was held at the Salinas Golf Club.........