After sampling some of the speciality gin and tonics in the hotel bar we took a fleet of taxis into town and tested out the local tapas scene. We ended up at a friendly and lively bar where they cooked their steaks over an open fire. All sixteen of us sat down to a wonderful meal made all the better by being able to take your carafe to one of the huge barrels for as many refills as you liked. Thank goodness for taxis!
The second day saw some threatening weather and a strong wind that made the course even more demanding. But we escaped a drenching and finished in warm sunshine. The scores were totted up as we enjoyed the clubhouse bar facilities and back in the hotel bar in the presence of the entire group the results were announced. There were no losers, just degrees of runners-up, and everyone received at least one prize.
Lucy Hole won the nearest the pin prize on day one and Reg won the nearest the pin prize on day 2. Pete won the longest drive prize on both days, but we had a 'one-prize rule' so the second long drive prize was redistributed to the general prizes. All three winners received a dozen golf balls.
In reverse order, the results for the two-day combined Stableford were: Gérard, John, Pete, Phil, Clive, Nick, Lucy, Malcolm and Reg. Multiple prizes were handed out and Reg as the Nomads Trophy winner received the cast-iron trophy and an antique claret jug.
Running in tandem to the individual competition there was a 'blind' team competition. In other words nobody knew which team they were in until the prizegiving. It was revealed that the two lowest handicap golfers were the two team captains, so Lucy and Reg headed a team each — Lucy's Legends and Reg's Renegades. The rest of their teams were assembled in rising handicap order. As we were nine golfers the floating 9th player, Malcolm, had his first day score allocated to the Legends and his second day score went to the Renegades — which guaranteed that he was on the winning team.
Lucy's Legends were Clive, Phil and Nick along with Malcolm and their combined scores added up to 231 Stableford points. Reg's Renegades were Pete, Gérard, John and Malcolm, whose combined score came to 194 points. So Lucy's Legends received some more local Navarre wine to go with their individual prize wines.
Rather than take to the taxis again, we ate in the hotel on our final night and once again we ate (and drank) exceptionally well.
Everyone agreed it had been a splendid trip and there was already talk of where to go next time.