Captains Chat: the 5th Instalment ⛳🍷
Sunshine, celebrations, sensational golf and a few familiar faces causing trouble!
Well, well, well… where on earth do I start?
It seems like only yesterday I was complaining about the rain, and suddenly we're looking back on a summer where the fairways resembled concrete, the thermometers were threatening to explode, and the only sensible place to be was somewhere in the shade with a cold drink!
But sensible? We're golfers. And judging by the number of you who willingly marched around the Parque in 35-degree heat, there's clearly not much sense among us!
Anyway, grab yourself a coffee, a glass of wine, or something a little stronger, because there's plenty to catch up on. We've had some wonderful golf, fantastic celebrations, extraordinary generosity and, of course, a rather special day for yours truly.
So, without further ado…
🏆 Spring Medal Cup – Hot Golf in Even Hotter Weather!
Let's wind the clock all the way back to 5th July, when we held our very first Spring Medal Cup.
Now, I appreciate that July isn't traditionally considered spring, but perhaps someone forgot to tell the competition committee! Whatever the season, the weather certainly had other ideas.
A blistering 35 degrees – and that was in the shade!
I must confess, the heat got the better of me that day. My golf wasn't particularly pretty, and by the end I was seriously questioning my life choices. But clearly, some of you are made of sterner stuff.
A huge congratulations to our inaugural winners:
🏌️♀️ Ladies' Winner: Tess Noone – a superb net 70, winning on countback.
🏌️♂️ Gents' Winner: Mike Esam – an impressive net 68.
Both wonderful performances in conditions more suited to lounging beside a swimming pool than chasing a little white ball around a golf course.
Well played, both of you!
❤️ Captain's Day – 12th September 2026
Oh, where do I begin with this one?
What. A. Day.
And yes, you've guessed it… another warm one!
I knew my Captain's Day would be special, but I don't think I could have imagined quite how special it would turn out to be.
From the moment I arrived at the Parque to the very last moments of the evening, I was surrounded by wonderful people, laughter, friendship and the kind of atmosphere that reminds me exactly why I love this club so much.
To every single person who came along, played golf, helped out, raised a glass or simply shared a smile – thank you from the bottom of my heart.
You made me feel incredibly special, and I genuinely enjoyed every minute.
And let's not forget the halfway house! Because, let's face it, golf is always that little bit more enjoyable when there's a good excuse to stop, socialise and enjoy some refreshments.
And the Winners Are…
Of course, there was some golf to be played amongst all the festivities, and judging by the scores, several of you were clearly enjoying yourselves rather too much!
🏆 Men's Division
🥇 1st: Paul Cotterell – 43 points
🥈 2nd: Peter Noone – 41 points
🥉 3rd: Tom Dalling – 40 points
🏆 Ladies' Division
🥇 1st: Margaret Walling – 41 points
🥈 2nd: Rebecca Smith – 38 points🥉
3rd: Barbara Hall – 36 points (on countback)
🏆 Visitors' Division
🥇 1st: Martin Bowden – 40 points
🥈 2nd: Deborah O'Connor – 35 points (on countback)
🎯 Nearest the Pins
Ladies' 5th – Rebecca Smith
Ladies' 11th – Janice Galloway
Men's 5th – Paul Cotterell
Men's 11th – Charles Wilson
Mixed 15th – Ann De Jongh
🚀 Longest Drives
Ladies: Heilen Rebergen
Men: Duane Wessels
Congratulations to absolutely everyone who picked up a prize.
A Few Very Special Thank-Yous ❤️
Now, as anyone who's ever organised an event like this will know, these things don't just happen by magic. Although I certainly wish they did!
Behind the scenes, there were some wonderful people working incredibly hard to make sure everything ran smoothly.
Sharron McDonagh, Aoife Leopold, Kathryn Cockerton and Betty Jennings – you absolute stars!
I honestly couldn't have managed the day without you. Thank you for your time, your energy, your patience and everything you did to make my day so memorable.
Sending you all a great big hug! xxxx
I also want to say a huge thank you to Paul Cotterell and Casas do Barlavento.
The support and sponsorship you've provided throughout my Captaincy has been nothing short of tremendous.
It's a wonderful demonstration of your commitment not just to me personally, but to Floresta Parque and our entire membership.
Paul, your generosity and continued support mean an enormous amount to me, and I genuinely appreciate everything you've done.
And then, of course, there's my Vice-Captain, Duane Wessels.
What can I say about Duane?
He certainly knows how to make a prize giving entertaining! His humour, enthusiasm and ability to keep everyone laughing are wonderful.
And the slightly worrying thing is that I think he's only just getting warmed up.
Members, consider yourselves warned… next year could be quite an experience! 😂
And Finally… My Hero, Paul ❤️
Now, I couldn't possibly write about Captain's Day without mentioning my wonderful husband, Paul.
As I said in my little speech on the day, Paul does occasionally enjoy a good moan.
Actually, occasionally might be doing him a favour!
In the lead-up to Captain's Day, I was treated to a fairly regular commentary:
"It's going to be a hard day."
"It's going to be a very long day."
And various other cheerful predictions about what lay ahead!
Well, the big day arrived, and what happened?
My supposedly reluctant husband turned into an absolute superhero.
He worked tirelessly from beginning to end. Fetching, carrying, organising, helping wherever he was needed, and somehow managing to keep smiling right through until the party finally finished that evening.
Not a moan in sight!
(Well, none that I heard, anyway… 😉)
Paul, you were absolutely wonderful.
My hero. Thank you for everything you did to make my day so special. Love you x
And one final thank-you to those who couldn't join us on the day but took the time to send lovely messages of support.
Not just for Captain's Day, but for the past months of my Captaincy and the year ahead.
Your words meant more than you probably realise.
Thank you, every single one of you.
🎬 Relive the Day!
For those who couldn't make it, or those who simply fancy enjoying the celebrations all over again, we've got some lovely videos of the evening's prize giving.
I will send this out in the next few days for you to enjoy!
⛳ Autumn Festival 2026 – What a Week!
Just when we thought we'd had enough excitement for one month, along came our
Autumn Festival.
And what a fantastic week of golf it turned out to be!
We had some excellent competitions, impressive scoring and plenty of familiar names making their way onto the winners' lists.
Some of you are becoming rather regular visitors to the prize table. I'm beginning to wonder whether we should start charging you rent!
Here's how the week unfolded.
🏆 Texas Scramble – 18th September
Congratulations to our winning team:
Russ Wilson, Jean Wilson, Mike Abbott and David Meers
An excellent score of 53.8.
🏆 Santo António Cup – 19th September
Men's Winner: Matt Daniell – 41 points
Ladies' Winner: Jo Dalling – 38 points
🏆 Owners Trophy – 19th September
Men's Winner: Paul Furr – 39 points
Ladies' Winner: Jane Terry – 39 points
🏆 Dubai Stableford – 20th September
Congratulations to:
Matt Daniell, Melvin Stone, Steve Fisher and David Meers
A fantastic combined 120 points.
🏆 Challenge Cup Pairs – 22nd September
Paul Gibson and Steve Summers
Taking the honours with 45 points, winning on countback.
🏆 AM-AM – 23rd September
And finally, congratulations to:
Chris Suckling, Brendan Murphy, S. Griffin and J. Griffin
Winning with 86 points, also on countback.
What a week!
Huge congratulations to all our winners, and an equally big thank-you to everyone who took part and helped make the festival such a success.
After all, it's the people who make these events special, not just the scores on the cards.
Although, speaking personally, a few more points on my own card wouldn't go amiss!
❤️ Charity Corner – You Lovely, Generous Lot!
Now, this is a section I always particularly enjoy writing.
Not because I get to talk about golf (although that's obviously a bonus), but because I get to celebrate the extraordinary generosity of our members.
Honestly, you never cease to amaze me.
Our Second Charity Day
On 22nd July, we held our second charity day of the year, an AM-AM in support of Madrugada.
And I'm delighted to report that we raised a wonderful €440!
On top of that, Rod and Rebecca Smith very kindly handed me a further €40 donation.
Such a thoughtful gesture, and very much appreciated.
Thank you both!
Terrace Donations, POETS and Other Acts of Generosity
One of the things I love most about this club is that generosity doesn't necessarily need a big event or an organised competition.
Sometimes it happens quite spontaneously, usually somewhere on the terrace!
A few euros here, a few more there, and before you know it, we've raised a lovely amount for charity.
And then, of course, there are those occasional little calculation mishaps with the blind pairs.
Now, I'm not suggesting anyone should deliberately get their sums wrong…
But if the end result is a few extra euros for my charities, who am I to complain? 😂
There have been so many thoughtful contributions recently that I sincerely hope I haven't missed anyone.
A huge thank-you to:
Sim Richards – POETS contribution.
Mike Esam – POETS contribution.
Steve Smith – No fewer than THREE POETS contributions!
Dave Clutterbuck – POETS contribution.
Oliver Klatt – A very special POETS contribution!
Mike Evans – A lovely donation despite being unable to play in my charity day.
Rod Smith's UK Lads Golf Tour – A fantastic €50 raised for the charity pot.
Now, Steve Smith…
Three contributions?!
Steve, I've made a mental note to check the POETS entry sheet for your name before deciding when to make my next appearance.
You're becoming a very reliable source of charitable income!
Keep up the good work! 😂
🎉 A Hole-in-One for Oli!
And while we're talking about POETS, we absolutely must give a special mention to Oliver Klatt.
Oli managed to record our very first hole-in-one on a POETS day!
What an achievement!
Many of us spend years desperately trying to achieve that elusive ace, and Oli goes and does it on a POETS day.
I hope the celebrations were suitably enthusiastic, Oli!
Very well played indeed. ⛳👏
€265 Raised on the Terrace!
All those lovely individual cash donations handed to me on the terrace added up to a magnificent €265.
That is absolutely wonderful.
Every euro makes a difference, and I know how much this support means to the charities we're helping.
So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
You're a truly generous bunch, and I'm extremely proud to be your Captain. ❤️
🏌️ League News – Some Big Wins and a Final Showdown!
Our league team certainly hasn't been sitting around enjoying the sunshine.
Since my last Captain's Chat, they've been busy representing Floresta Parque in a series of fixtures, with some excellent results.
24th July – Alto (Home)
Floresta Parque 4.5 – Alto 0.5
What a result!
A magnificent home performance and a thoroughly convincing victory.
28th August – Levante (Home)
Floresta Parque 5 – Levante 0
A clean sweep!
Not just a win, but a proper thumping!
Brilliant work, team.
September – Alto (Away)
Alto 4 – Floresta Parque 1
Unfortunately, our visit to Alto didn't quite go according to plan.
But that's golf, isn't it?
One minute you're feeling invincible, the next you're wondering where all those lovely shots from the previous match have disappeared to!
Nevertheless, a tremendous effort from everyone involved.
The Final Match – Vale do Lobo
Our final league fixture of the 2026 season was scheduled for 9th October, at home against our old rivals, Vale do Lobo. Let battle commence…
The final result on the day was a 3 - 2 victory to us. They are a truly tough team with such a depth of squad to pick from. They are in the top spot for a reason I guess.
As you can see from the league table below we have had a pretty good season! Currently sitting in 2nd place… Whatever the final outcome I am so proud to have been your Captain this year. All of you give it your all when playing for our club.
Playing league golf requires commitment, time and a genuine sense of team spirit.
You've represented the Parque brilliantly, and we're all very proud of you.
🥂 Around the Club – Love Is in the Air!
57 Years and Still Going Strong!
Now here's something truly worth celebrating.
On 23rd August 2026, our very own Mick and Mary Berry celebrated an incredible 57 years of marriage!
Fifty-seven years!
That's longer than some of us have spent trying to perfect our golf swings… and judging by the state of those swings, perhaps we should concentrate on marriage instead!
What a wonderful milestone for a truly lovely couple.
Mick and Mary, congratulations to you both.
You are a beautiful example of love, commitment and companionship, and I know I speak for everyone at Floresta Parque when I wish you many more happy years together.
❤️ Happy Anniversary!
❤️ Remembering Two Very Special Members
Sadly, alongside all the wonderful celebrations and happy occasions of recent months, we've also had to say goodbye to two valued members of our Floresta Parque family.
Peter Locke
On 22nd July, our Chairman, Peter Noone, shared the sad news that Peter Locke had passed away at the age of 86.
Peter and his wife, Trisha, were first introduced to the club some 30 years ago by Margaret and David Walling.
Three decades of connection to our club is something truly special, and Peter will be remembered with great affection by those who knew him.
Our heartfelt condolences go to Trisha, their family and all their loved ones.
Michael Brown
Then, on 5th September, Peter had the sad task of announcing the passing of Michael Brown, aged 89.
Michael holds a particularly important place in the history of Floresta Parque, having been the very first Golf Director here at PDF.
Over the years, he played an integral role in the life of our club and its membership, helping to shape the community that so many of us enjoy today.
We owe a great deal to people like Michael, whose dedication and involvement helped build the foundations of our club.
Our deepest sympathies go to Michael's family and friends.
Peter and Michael will both be remembered as part of the Floresta Parque family.
May they rest in peace. ❤️
🐯 Rui's Tigers – Our Future Champions!
Now, let's finish our club news on a particularly positive note.
Our wonderful Rui's Tigers continue to go from strength to strength!
Judging by the activity on their WhatsApp group, there's certainly no shortage of enthusiasm, hard work or commitment amongst our young golfers.
It's lovely to see such a strong little team developing, with everyone putting in the practice and steadily improving their game.
And who knows?
Towards the end of the year, we may even see a couple of our Tigers feeling ready and confident enough to join us in a Texas Scramble.
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
If and when they decide they're ready, I know they'll receive the warmest possible welcome and encouragement from our membership.
After all, we've all been beginners once.
Some of us still play like beginners occasionally, despite years of trying otherwise!
🏅 Alfonso – Our Medal Machine!
And speaking of hard work paying off…
Just look at Alfonso!
Once again, he's proving that regular practice, determination and enthusiasm really do produce results.
And judging by the collection of medals he's accumulating, he's clearly doing something right!
I'm beginning to think I should ask him for a few lessons.
Actually, forget a few lessons. Perhaps he could just lend me some of his talent!
Alfonso, congratulations on your achievements.
Keep up the fantastic work. We're all very proud of you!
And to all of Rui's Tigers, keep practising, keep enjoying yourselves and, most importantly, keep having fun.
The future of golf at the Parque is looking very bright indeed. 🐯⛳
📅 Dates for Your Diary – Don't Miss Out!
We've still got plenty to look forward to before the year is out, so get those diaries ready.
🏆 17th & 18th October – The Rie Wessels Two-Day Stableford
Our next big event is the Rie Wessels Two-Day Stableford, taking place over the weekend of 17th and 18th October.
The entry sheet went up on the noticeboard on Friday, 2nd October, so hopefully you've all managed to get your names down.
Full details of timings, arrangements and celebrations will be shared through our WhatsApp groups.
I'm looking forward to seeing some excellent golf and, more importantly, everyone enjoying another wonderful club occasion.
And for those of you playing both days, remember to pace yourselves.
That's a lot of golf… and potentially a lot of time on the terrace afterwards!
🇪🇸 4th–7th November – Captain's Away Trip to Cádiz!
Now, this is something I'm particularly excited about!
From 4th to 7th November, we're heading off to Cádiz, Spain, for our Captain's Away Trip.
Golf, sunshine (hopefully!), good company, food, a little wine perhaps, and undoubtedly plenty of stories to bring home.
What could possibly go wrong?
Actually, don't answer that.
I've been on enough golf trips to know that some things are best left unspoken!
I'm really looking forward to spending time with everyone joining us.
Here's to a fantastic few days away!
⚠️ Important Fixture Change
Please remember that, to accommodate the Captain's Away Trip, the club competition normally scheduled for Wednesday, 4th November, has been moved to Tuesday, 3rd November.
Please make a note in your diaries so nobody turns up on the wrong day wondering where everyone has gone!
🍷 Until Next Time…
Well, I think that's quite enough from me for one instalment!
Looking back over the past few months, it's remarkable just how much we've packed in.
We've braved scorching temperatures, celebrated fantastic golf, enjoyed some truly special occasions, raised wonderful amounts for charity and shared both happy moments and sad ones.
And through it all, one thing continues to stand out to me.
The people.
It's our members, our volunteers, our supporters and all those who quietly give their time and energy that make Floresta Parque such a special place.
Captain's Day reminded me of that more than ever.
I feel enormously privileged to be your Captain, and I'm so grateful for the friendship, encouragement and support you've shown me throughout the year.
We've still got plenty of golf, laughter and good times ahead of us, and I'm looking forward to every minute.
So keep practising those putts, try to stay out of the bunkers, and remember…
If the golf isn't going particularly well, there's usually someone on the terrace willing to listen to your excuses!
Stay safe, enjoy the golf, and I'll see you all on the terrace!
Lots of love,
Sam 😊
Your Proud Captain ⛳❤️
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