On Sunday, the RAAF Pennant Team flew into Gisborne to start a dog fight and shoot down the Gisborne pennant team.

Colonel Hogan was feeling the pressure after the first round shellacking 9 ½  – 2 ½ and he knew his position was under review. He could feel the piercing eyes of the team, the club and all the supporters penetrating the back of his head.

President Boustead even decided to walk the course, to observe the matches and conduct his own review of the Colonel. On the 6^th, he approached the Colonel and asked him how he was going and whether he was leading by example? Unfortunately, the Colonel was under the pump and was down 5 losses after 6 holes and was on track to having the 2^nd worst round ever, behind David Davis’s 10-8.

Boustead patted him on the shoulder, advising him he had the full support of the Board, and his position was safe; just like Teague, Bolton, Barker, Malthouse and Ratten who also had the full support of their board.

The Colonel didn’t want to become another “Pennant Captain” casualty like Griffiths and McPhee. The Colonel took a deep breath and broke free from the chains of failure and started playing like the true leader he was. With 4 holes to play, he was still down 3 holes, and almost impossible position to win from. But again, he channelled his inner “Dusty”, lifted, and won the last 4 holes to take out the match.

The whole course exploded, like a 3 year old Airport Choking Putt Curse had been lifted.

The win has been described as one of the greatest wins of all time, and there are rumours circulating that Matty Laing is thinking about making a movie of the Colonels win. The President is also putting forward a recommendation to erect a statue of the Colonel, in honour of one of the greatest wins by a true leader.

But enough about the Colonel and his sensational win. The team also won the day 10-2 which was not a bad result and everyone else played ok.

The Colonel

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