Staff Writer Biraj Khadka covers KCL Golf’s Varsity debut.
Golfers and spectators packed into a simulator room at TeeGo in Angel on Monday evening as brightly lit impact screens displayed graphics of Le Golf National, near Paris. While players from KCL and UCL competed indoors, the towering rectangular screens seemed to create a striking illusion that would have you believe you were in the outskirts of Paris with the midday sun blazing and clouds scattered amidst a blue sky – not near Islington at 7pm.
Snacks and drinks were on the house – Walkers crisps, Nature Gallery bars, and Capri-Sun, amongst other refreshments – and a spirited buzz permeated through the room as tee time neared. Whereas other Varsity matches may be filled with intense anticipation and a charged, competitive atmosphere, the vibes at TeeGo, as spectators continued to stream in, were reminiscent more of a casual social gathering than a sports match. Perhaps this is by design: this is the first year that both schools’ golf teams have been able to compete at Varsity, and so the general sentiment seems to have been that golf should be eased into the series.
The tournament itself – played in the match play format, where players compete to win individual holes – was split into two parts, with the first 30 minutes set aside for triples, where three players from each team played the first three holes in an alternating fashion. This took part simultaneously in bays one and two, while the third bay was reserved for spectators to be able to compete in challenges, such as longest drive and nearest to the pin. The last 50 minutes were set aside for singles, with a player from each team playing two holes each until six holes were completed and three golfers from each team had played.
The round began with Austin Tan from KCL teeing off on the first hole, on bay two. UCL quickly took the lead, but by the end of the third hole, both teams were tied. The decision was made to play three more holes to break the tie, and so the round continued. In bay one, where the competition was also extended to six holes instead of the original three, the match was tighter, with the lead switching between KCL and UCL more than once. This back and forth nature made the match at bay one considerably more nail-biting than its next door bay, and the spectators seemed to agree: a larger crowd was gathered around the former. After a shaky hole five by both teams – double-bogeys for both – UCL ultimately managed to clinch the bay one victory on hole six. Similarly, it was a defeat for KCL on bay two: the earlier tie on the third hole gave way to a UCL win by the end of hole six.
Due to an abundance of time, the format for the second part was reconfigured so that each of the three players from either team would now play three holes instead of just two. In singles, too, in spite of some standout shots by our KCL players, UCL edged out the win. Throughout the evening, commentary was provided by the UCL golf team’s Social Secretary, Hugo Rayner. I spoke to him in between the rounds, where he told me that the tournament was “going great,” and that the participation of the crowd was “really good as well, on both bays.” New to commentary, Rayner said he was taking his role as it came: “As SocialSec, as someone who’s obviously a very sociable guy, it’s something you’ve got to get up for. I’m having a laugh with it. Live-style commentary, music on, you know, a bit of banter here and there. It’s varsity, it’s great fun.”
Reflecting on the players’ performance following the match, Ashar Amin, the Vice President of KCL’s team, said that the team members are used to practicing outdoors, so the simulator environment was “a bit of a different feel.” Ultimately, he said he’s excited to see how Golf tournaments evolve during Varsity in future years: “Maybe we’ll have outdoor golf, you know, who knows. Fingers crossed if people are interested in it. But for now, I think we did the best we could do.”
Ultimately, UCL secured the overall victory for the night, across both the alternating round and the singles round. Players from KCL, however, were in good spirits as the evening came to a close: itching for more golf, many players were queuing at the bay for a final few swings following the awards ceremony. All in all, Golf’s Varsity debut was a lively affair, and next year’s event – regardless of whether it stays indoors or ventures onto an outdoor course – is sure to be even bigger.
About the author
