GASS   

        The Gentlemen's Ale Sampling Society

        1982-2010  28 years of enjoyment (so why DO we think it our 30th next year?)

THE MAY MEETING

DINNER MEETING

At The Harrow P.H, Stockbury

A very pleasant meeting as it was just a dinner amongst friends at a nice pub near Sittingbourne. 

The only unusual thing to report was that Hugh was as drunk as a skunk and attempted to mate with Peter at least twice.  How Pete's trendy ripped jeans survived the night is a mystery (and in so many ways a real shame).  Hugh, having had his advances spurned, took it out on his own body by ordering every pudding on the menu, all piled on one plate - plus cheese and biscuits.  The bet - made by Hugh - was £50 to GASS if he failed to eat the lot.  He got very, very close, but close was not the bet Hugh.  £50 into the fund please, when you're ready, in your own time, like next month would be nice.

THE JUNE MEETING

GOLF CROSS

at Deangate Ridge Golf Club, Hoo

www.golfcross.co.uk

Golfcross balls - like little rugby balls!

A totally new take on golf.  Take a look on their website and be amazed that in the whole of the UK GASS was lucky enough to have one of the very few GolfCross courses on our doorstep at Deangate Ridge, especially as that was the venue where the first 'throw-up golf, match was held back in the mid-eighties.

After a distinctly dodgy start, as the management of Deangate Ridge leave a LOT to be desired, we set off into a howling gale and pissing rain, about par for the course (note the golfing analogy used in context) for June in the UK.  If you have seen the blurb on their website you would have reason to believe that GolfCross was easier than ordinary Golf, apparently it is borderline impossible to hit the ball anywhere other than "straight down the middle" (cue several verses of that wonderful old Bing Crosby song).  Well there are several witnesses who can now tell you different!

Basically, if you are crap at Gold ordinaire, then you will also be crap at GolfCross - end of story.  Maybe this why it has not exactly taken the Golf world by storm.

Perhaps the best example is Steve Bell, try as he may he could not get his head round the process, place ball on tee, take club, swing, hit ball - ideally forwards and more than five yards.  Steve took up a Grandpa stance, all creaky and angular, waved the wand about a bit, slashed horizontally and missed the lot.  He even missed Hugh, who stood out like a sore thumb in his high-vis jacket.  Steve was so bad that after the first hole he alone changed tactics and went back to the tried and tested method of lobbing the ball up the range over arm - to absolutely no avail!

After the GolfCross we were treated to a hero's dinner in the clubhouse and we had the prizes presented.  In true GASS fashion I have forgotten who won, but I think it was Keith, who swears blind he has never played Golf before, so well done Keith (if it was actually you who won!).

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

It was suggested that in the search for new meetings it was time to look back over the old meetings list and see what we could revisit.  Take a look and see what you think.  The list is under PAST EVENTS on the buttons above.

We also have on the chocks and ready to roll:  Ceramics, Learning to Laugh, Candle Making, Go Karting, New Vineyard visit, Walking on Hot Coals, so put your thinking hats on.

THE JULY MEETING

RANGERLAND

courtesy of Alana.

Racing 3' long petrol-engined remote control cars, four cars on the track racing against each other, heats, finals, prizes.  Dinner and entertainment

Sadly, the Hon Sec was absent, suffering a Posterior Vitreous Detachment, basically a tear in the retina of the eye.  That needed treatment (blindingly obviously) and so I missed the meat of the meeting and was somewhat otherwise occupied in trying to drown my sorrows for the bit I did get to.  Hence, no photos of Al's triumphs.

Suffice it to say that the food and entertainment were as superb as ever -  well done Al!