Keble Golf

Toby Griffiths, the latest in a distinguished line of Keble golfers, deciding between a 9 iron and a wedge for the tricky shot over the Chapel into the Parks

Keble has a long history of Golf Blues. Last year two of the team that beat Cambridge 11-4 were from Keble ­ Mike Hall ('96) and Dave McDowell ('93). Two years previously Keble had arguably the best University golfer of recent times ­ Charlie Rotheroe ('94), who also won Blues for Squash and Racquets. His was one of the best Oxford sides for decades, but despite Charlie winning both his matches comfortably, Oxford had to come from behind for a narrow win.

Charlie's great achievement, though, was to win the famous President's Putter two years in succession ('96 and '97), a feat no one else has achieved. The President's Putter is a matchplay knockout competition held in January every year at Rye in Sussex, open to all members of the Oxford & Cambridge Golf Society. This society is made up of all past Blues from both universities. Being held in the middle of January means that it is blessed invariably with horrendous golfing weather. This, added to some good golf, gives it reason to be extensively covered in the national press.

The Blues team consists of ten players and beyond that there are two reserves. These two reserves, who also can gain membership to the Society, are awarded what are called 'Dinner Blues'. The reason for this is that on the day before the two day Varsity Match the two sets of reserves play each other in a game of foursomes and two singles to decide which university pays for the dinner held on the Saturday night. This obviously results in considerable peer pressure and possible financial hardship for the losers! This year at Rye, Toby Griffiths ('94), who also won three hockey Blues, played in the Dinner Match.

A number of colleges now have Golfing Societies for Old Members, and there have been several inter-collegiate matches. Anyone interested in establishing a Keble Golfing Society should contact Roger Boden at the Development Office.

Summertime Blues

Summer Eights brought mixed fortunes for the Boat Club. The men's 1st VIII, stroked by Olympic gold-medallist Jurgen Hecht, looked promising in qualifying, and were in confident move after bumping Christ Church on the first day. But a bump on Balliol on Thursday was disallowed, and on Friday, within a canvas of catching Balliol again, a caught crab stalled the boat and Jesus came through. A Saturday row-over left the crew back where it had started the week. Other crews experienced similar triumphs and disasters. The exception was the 'Jazz Crew', which narrowly missed blades.

The bump that wasn't ­ Keble close Balliol at the Gut on Day 2