“I would like to share with you memories of a match against the German national team 1961 at Bruggen. Neil McLean and I had a little bet, 2s/6d I think, on who would have the biggest win or smallest loss. I won my match 4 & 3 and went to see what Neil was up to as he was playing behind me. I came across him as he came off the 9th green and asked him how he was doing.
“Out in 36,” he replied.
“How do you stand,” I asked.
“9 down,” he replied!
He won the 10th with a birdie 3 and lost the 11th with a three so he was 2 under 4’s and beaten 9 & 7. His opponent had holed his second shot for an eagle at the first, birdied the second with a two and eagled the short par 4 third with a two, thereby having a 2 2 2 start and going three up!!! Poor Neil we did think he was hard done by!
Happy days, Colin (aka Charlie in those days according to the phonetic alphabet of the day).”
The above extract from an email to Roger Carr is reproduced by kind permission of Colin Stokes.