The CUGC were at Royston this past Sunday - but don’t tell the dons. Historically, Cambridge University sportsmen were not allowed to partake on Sundays, being the day of rest, so when two Cambridge alumni cut the holes on Royston common and invited the University to play on a Sunday, a pseudonym was adopted: the Outlaws.

The weather was cold, with a brisk northerly wind rushing down from the Baltic, but a warming mid-November sun was more than welcomed. The first group on the tee were Captain James and returnee Adam Lewicki who produced pearlescent drives amongst the raucous rugby matches taking place behind them.

Next up were Owen Williams and Jack ‘the Ripper’ Atherton who also produced forward movement amongst the humdrum. Chris arrived next on the tee wearing only a polo shirt and jumper, but this was soon rectified. His opening drive was rather perpendicular, and was reminiscent of the wild right turn taken by the HMS Rodney as she took flank of the Bismarck to get a better gunning position. He was accompanied by newbie Matthew Bellamy who was also feeling the heat and kept to his polo/jumper combination. The anchorman and woman were the Felix Hill and Francesca Bastianello duo, not renowned for their resilience to cold.

A slow start for Matthew meant he knew he needed something special to come of his pitch approach to the 3rd and after taking a worm’s mouthful of turf, his thinned pitch stopped at 6 feet and he would go on to miss. No grooves were harmed in the making of that shot. A similarly wild time was had by Owen Williams, whose long pull into the botany left him feeling a little passionate.

The 9th was a rather dramatic bit of Northern Hertfordshire:Adam’s opponent dispatched a chip to send him 1 down; Jack threaded one through the foliage to the front of the green and Matthew thinned another pitch. The pitch went on to rattle the pin with an exocet trajectory and accuracy that even the General Belgrano would be proud of.
Chris manufactured a very neat par on the 12th to keep his match alive. He then stared up the hill on the 13th with the potential to produce the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

By now, the top match had taken quite a turn, James had fought back from his 3 down to be all square on the short 16th. However, after a steady start, Adam found himself 3 down and hit a putt that covered so much ground that no amount of forward movement had ever been matched on short turf since General Lee’s soldiers marched forward at the Second Battle of Lexington.

James’ ball went underground on the left of the 17th, putting our captain 1 down on the last. A peach of a drive and a stunning chip weren’t enough, a 1 downloss from the fearless leader.

Losses from the rest of the team put the congregation in low spirits and when Francesca and Felix arrived on the 18th tee, everyone feared the worst – the whitewash. Francesca could have sealed a point against Howie had some 6 foot putts dropped; both the CUGC and the Royston members hoped she would prevail.

But the last man standing, Felix, came down the last fairway with a great deal of conviction and vigour and announced his 1 up position. He went on to play a very deft pitch and box for birdie, another kick in the proverbials for his opponent whose beloved football team had just lost to league favourites Newcastle. The important point had been secured, leading to the final result: Royston 7, the Outlaws 1.

The Blues look forward to their journey into dark blue territory next weekend as they play Huntercombe.