"On behalf of the Official Dacoity Cup Organising Committee, I would like to welcome you all to St Pierre Chepstow for this year's Dacoity Cup weekend. I know each and every one of you has spent several minutes honing your game specifically for this event.
It is a very busy month for golf in Wales. At the beginning of July the Celebrity Cup was held at Celtic Manor Resort - a team event featuring many individuals not at all famed for their golfing ability.
This week, the prestigious links at Royal Porthcawl plays host to the Senior Open Championship, in which many golfers whose best days are 20-30 years behind them try desperately to get their hands on some silverware.
The Dacoity Cup weekend combines both of these, with team and individual competitions featuring both amateurs you won't have heard of and at the same time, has-beens.
I would like to thank our sponsors for once again supporting the event. Tipples of Hindhead are renowned for reasonable value wines and above average service, and we are grateful to them for the redundant stock they supply for prizes. Betwhileyouredrunk.com are a most reputable and fair betting company who we are proud to be associated with.
Finally I wish everyone luck for both their negotiations with the handicap committee and for the golf itself. May the best man win the Bandit Trophy, and may England win the Dacoity Cup!"
Ways to stop Derek Ives winning again
No. 6: "Play through"
Spot the difference
Sat in the spike bar after your round waiting for the last slow fourball to come in? We have just the thing for you. You could easily spend hours trying to spot the difference between these action photos of two top golfers. Good luck.
How to win under pressure, by Dave Talbot
13th - 340yds Par 4
Let the golf begin...
So what awaits us in this years Dacoity Cup and Bandit Trophy?
In 1982 Greg Norman drove the 362 yard 10th on the Old Course with a 3 wood and went on to win. On the other hand, amateur Arwyn Griffiths once stood on the 18th tee needing a par 3 to record a course record 63 - he walked off with an eleven.
Will the Dacoity Cup competitors follow in the footsteps of Greg or Arwyn?
I think we all know the answer.
Ways to stop Derek Ives winning again
No. 6: "Play through"
Spot the difference
Sat in the spike bar after your round waiting for the last slow fourball to come in? We have just the thing for you. You could easily spend hours trying to spot the difference between these action photos of two top golfers. Good luck.
Paul Cartwright |
Phil Mickelson |
How to win under pressure, by Dave Talbot
So you've played 12 holes in the Bandit Trophy and you've got a good score going. You know if you can keep it going for the rest of your round it could be you holding the Bandit Trophy this year. It's easy to melt under that sort of pressure, so throw away your StrokeSaver, switch off your GPS Device, toss your lucky ball marker into the lake. What you need is a cool head, the ability to be decisive, and a clear game plan you can stick to when things get tight on the back nine with silverware at stake (not to mention the winnings from that bet you placed on yourself with Betwhileyouredrunk.com at 2am last night).
4 time Bandit Trophy winner and some say a future Rest of the World Captain, Dave Talbot (pictured), the other Dungannon Cannon, knows how to finish off a good round (as long as his leg isn't playing up), so we asked him to draw on his experience of winning and tell you how to navigate your way round the closing holes on the Mathern Course this year.13th - 340yds Par 4
"A water hazard runs across this fairway diagonally from right to left, so you have to decide whether you can make the carry or lay up and go for the green with a longer club. I usually twat it."
14th - 422yds Par 4
"This hole also has a water hazard cutting across at about 230 yards so you have to really twat it. And then the second shot is uphill to an elevated green, so you have to twat that as well."
15th - 394 yards Par 4
"Plenty of open space here, which is why this is the Longest Drive competition hole. There is no option but to twat it"
16th - 362yds Par 4
"The fairway is a lot higher than the tee, up a steep slope, so make sure you twat it."
17th - 373yds Par 4
"It's about 240 to carry the only fairway bunker. If you play to the left of it you can be blocked out by trees on your approach so better to twat it right over the top."
18th - 184yds Par 3
"Nice short hole to finish, slightly uphill to a green protected by bunkers front and short right, and mounds around the back and left. If the pin is at the back of the green, just twat it, but if the pin is at the front between the bunkers you need to be really precise, but I still just twat it anyway."
There you go. It's easy to see how Dave has brought home the Bandit Trophy 4 separate times. Let's hope it works for you too.
Let the golf begin...
So what awaits us in this years Dacoity Cup and Bandit Trophy?
In 1982 Greg Norman drove the 362 yard 10th on the Old Course with a 3 wood and went on to win. On the other hand, amateur Arwyn Griffiths once stood on the 18th tee needing a par 3 to record a course record 63 - he walked off with an eleven.
Will the Dacoity Cup competitors follow in the footsteps of Greg or Arwyn?
I think we all know the answer.