Vilamoura

Ace (Glenn) and Gal Keep the Pressure On, but Come Up Short

Ace (Glenn) and Gal were no slouches, each racking up 83 points and sharing second and third spots in the singles. Ace’s consistent excellence shone brightest on Day 2 at Pinhal, where he swept the board with a 36-point round and the longest drive prize. Gal, not to be outdone, set the early pace on Day 1 at Old Course with eight pars and snatched the closest to the pin prize. Both demonstrated plenty of sparkle, even if Parks was the steadier turtle in this hare-and-tortoise race.

Highlight Reel: Day by Day Drama and Dilemmas

Day 1's 4 Ball Day at Old Course saw Gal fly out the gates, commanding the early leaderboard before Parks nipped ahead on countback thanks to a strong finish. The back nine battles proved pivotal, with Dave's five-spot leap from 9th to 4th reminding everyone that no lead is safe. On Day 2 at Pinhal, Ace (Glenn) dazzled with the day's best points haul but Parks stole the show with the best gross score, a neat 89, reinforcing his case for overall glory. The final day at Millennium crowned Shanker (Grant) the singles winner with 31 points, a worthy highlight in a week that otherwise belonged to Parks, who grabbed best gross of the day and closest to the pin honors.

And let's spare a thought for War and Jake the Snake, who made sure ‘double-bogey-or-worse’ was not just a phrase but a familiar companion, racking up over a dozen each on multiple days. Sometimes, golf reminds us all who's boss.

Deano: The Unlikely Comedy Star

Poor Deano had a rough trip — so rough, in fact, that our organiser felt compelled to note he was the only player to win absolutely nothing. Not a drive, not a pin prize, not a round or pairs accolade. But the true sportsman knows that participation is the real win (or so we tell him). Expect him plotting a comeback next time, armed with fresh tees and perhaps a bit more luck.

Special Prizes and Dashes of Brilliance

Aside from Park’s long game and steady hand, Jake the Snake impressed early with a blistering 270-yard drive to claim longest drive on Day 1, while Satch outhit everyone on Day 3 with a 272-yard rocket. Gal also kept his short game sharp, nabbing the closest to the pin prize on Day 1 at just 5 metres. Shanker (Grant) wasn’t just winning rounds; he took home the singles competition prize thanks to his final day performance. Meanwhile, Ace (Glenn) and Parks proved formidable partners, snagging the Pairs day win and the Blind pairs title respectively, ensuring the big prize bling had lots of shiny heads.

Leaderboard Loyalties and Late Surges

Several players made impressive gains when it mattered. Parks was a master of the back nine surge, climbing from 10th after nine holes on Day 3 to finish 5th overall, burning through the field with surgical precision. Dave wasn’t far behind in movement magic, jumping from 9th at the turn on Day 1 to a robust 4th by the end — not bad for a fellow who probably forgot which club to use a few times. War showed resilience too, rising to 2nd overall on the strength of a strong final day, despite his earlier double bogey dramas.

Vilamoura Wrap-Up: Golf, Giggles and Good Sportsmanship

All told, the Vilamoura 2026 golf trip wrapped up with camaraderie intact, convivial tales to share, and a compelling mix of triumph and tribulation. Parks’ name goes into the annals as the Overall Singles champion, but a big cheer for the whole crew — whether they pocketed prizes or shared in laughs. From longest drives to closest pins, and from the steady to the sporadic, the stories that emerged mostly included a ball, a buggy and the occasional groan about 'that one time at the bunker'. Here’s to next year’s attack on the course, where maybe, just maybe, Deano will find himself in the winner’s circle — or at least somewhere near it.