The TTJ Golf Challenge is now becoming established as one of the golfing events of the year. Having started in 2001 with around 30 entries, the 2003 event saw some 70 people make the crossing to St Malo, for a thoroughly enjoyable day of golf, in good weather, and with plenty of time for Christmas shopping as well.
Sponsorship has continued to increase year on year, with Combilift adding to BSW Timber plc’s involvement in 2002, giving a huge range of goody bags for each participant. Both of these sponsors have worked extremely hard to give the event a high level of professionalism, while maintaining the main theme of fun for everyone.
With a departure at around 8pm on a Wednesday from Portsmouth, arriving back at 8am on the Friday, many people can get in a fair day’s work before setting off and be back in harness again for Friday. This makes it a very effective way of networking or taking clients for a good break, at reasonable cost, without losing much working time.
After an evening of serious socialising and a good – albeit short! – night’s sleep on Brittany Ferries’ ship Bretagne, we breakfasted on board and then set out for one of two picturesque courses; Le Tronchet and Des Ormes.
A wide range of abilities was clearly evident among the group, presumably proving that the ultra-busy timber industry these days allows very little time for play – or was it something to do with the night before?
Lunch was provided at each golf course, leaving time for Christmas shopping at the local hypermarkets, before rejoining the Bretagne. Priority loading meant everyone had time to get ready for prizegiving and dinner.
The return journey was a repeat performance in sleep deprivation on a magnificent scale, leaving a tired but happy band to return to work to regale colleagues with tales of 50ft putts and 300yd drives.
