Channel Cup, October 2023, Munich.
38th Edition
It had been a full 30 years since the Society descended on German soil, since Hubbelrath near Düsseldorf in 1993. This time we were in southern Germany at the three Eschenried courses near Munich that Hans-Dieter Kahlscheuer, helped establish in the 1980s and presided over for many years, a camarade of Gunther from the glorious’63 promo, the maiden appearance of Gabriel Tirouflet ensuring that a spread of over 50 MBA vintages.
The jewel in the Eschenried crown is undoubtedly the Gut Hauesern Club some 30 Km to the north of our base in the Hotel Weichandhof. At 6700 m long, it has housed many a professional event including the 2010 German Ladies Open won by Laura Davies. Designed by Peter Harradine, the course incorporates features designed to test the best honed golfing skills, numerous and immense bunkers, vast stretches of water, monster greens and such a variety of trees that would defeat even the most knowledgeable arborist in naming them all.
Eight pairs from each side teed off on Saturday morning, the Islands team reinforced by delightful continental ladies Norma and Odile. This may be seen to have given an unfair advantage to the Islanders which perhaps is why a one metre Islander putt on the final green slid past the hole to tie the match at four games all. In any case all games were hotly contested and played in a spirit of camaraderie, many with close results and 2 even halved!
The Saturday weather had dramatically changed from Friday when early arrivals for the pairs competition perspired their way in glorious sunshine around the (luckily quite flat) Eschenried course, nearer to the city; very creditable gross scores were returned, the outstanding card of 79 gross by Jacques Demol and Odile Herrbach.
By Sunday morning climatic conditions had undergone a dramatic change with temperatures falling by 15° and rain pelting down from time to time for the traditional scrambles on the nearby course of Eschenhof. Despite its proximity and similar name proved quite difficult to find entailing a brisk and lengthy walk from the car park, with certain scramblers arriving breathless, seconds before tee off.. One team, reduced to 3 players, nevertheless distanced the others by a great margin Perhaps Konstantin, William, and Peter (S) were high on the fumes from the composting operations of the nearby farmyard to come in only three over par, four strokes less than their pursuants? Or perhaps the weather better suited a group hailing from the Scottish borders and the Russian plains?
Many glorious golfing feats were performed on these three different courses, but perhaps the more enduring memory will be that of the attendant facilities and social activities. Each course had its own clubhouse ranging from the resplendent Gut Hauesern where, from the bar on the first floor, one can survey the matches reaching their climax on the 18th green, to the very homely Eschenhof which served up Weisswurst and Bretzels for lunch on Sunday.
The Hotel Weichandhof too was the epitome of everything the untranslatable word “gemütlich” conjures up :-wooden beamed dining room, well shaded terrace, and a barrel of beer specifically reserved for Friday evening, masterfully opened by Gunther bashing the tap in with a mallet.
Saturday evening saw the enlarged party foregather in the legendary Hofbräuhaus in central Munich where, as its name suggests, substantial quantities of its own brew were served. To further enhance the ambiance, players of accordion and guitar in Bavarian attire accompanied the arrival of the specially roasted suckling pig. Hans-Dieter gracefully treated us to insights into his successful career in banking culminating as chairman of the aforementioned institution, and MoC Chris managed the announcement of results with aplomb. They were received with great equanimity by the Islands Captain since time immemorial, Torquil,, and the newly appointed continental captain Jean-Louis, with good cause, as the match was halved (see below for the detail). Overall nevertheless the Islanders retain a slender lead of two up in the series.
We are grateful to Hans-Dieter for opening up his club to our motely crew, sorry, august assembly, to Gunther for masterminding and masterfully executing the event, as well as to our camarade sponsors, Françoise and Bernard Montenay for the Chanel, Barbara Zinn for reappearing after some 20 years along with a gift, Reinold for L’Occitane, & Henry and Ruedi who helped finance the splendid prizes of HB logo bier glasses. As well, of course, as to Domaine Parent, for the Pommard and to Forget Chemin for the Champagne.
