Team Cooper Top Leader Board at Navy Rugby’s Golf Day
Showing the consistency and reliability of the famed Volkswagen diesel engine, Darren Cooper led his team to a comfortable victory at the annual Royal Navy Rugby Union Golf Day, held at the challenging Jack Nicklaus designed St. Mellion golf course. There was further cause for celebration within the team as Simon Williams also secured the nearest the pin prize at the par three, eighth hole. However they were prevented from achieving the ‘Grand Slam’ by Craig Alcock, who easily secured the prize for the longest drive at the sixteenth hole.
Though the course is a month short of twenty-five years old it remains as challenging as ever, not helped on Tuesday by frequent showers and a strong, gusting wind. At the twenty year anniversary of the St. Mellion course, Jack Nicklaus remarked on the kinship, love of the game and reverence of their history that brings golfers together. The same is true of rugby and the annual golf day once more provided the perfect opportunity for sponsors, partners and friends of Navy Rugby to reminisce about the season past and to look forward to the coming season kicking off with the Commonwealth Navies Cup in New Zealand in September.
Before the first ball was hit in anger the teams were entertained and educated by Paul Barrington, whose trick shot repertoire knows no bounds. A regular at the golf day he guarantees that whatever the weather the teams start in good spirits albeit also with full rain gear on the first tee. However by the end of their assault on the course, the weather had cleared and all the teams were able to stride down the eighteenth resplendent in their Under Armour polo shirts buoyed by a successful day’s golf where the Texan Scramble format ensured that all standards were catered for.
The day was concluded by a celebratory dinner and prize giving, hosted by Royal Navy Rugby Union Chairman, Captain Chris Alcock OBE.
Images by Alligin Photography / © Geraint Ashton Jones
