Cedar Point Country Club hosted the Tidewater Ladies Golf Association’s couples event for the first time last Saturday, yielding two particularly successful spousal partnerships on the links.

Vickie and Bobby Lombard of Churchland finished with the top overall gross 18-hole score, a 73, while Frances and John Graham of Smithfield finished with the top overall net score of 61.

Vickie Lombard said, “Well, you know, husband and wives, sometimes, playing golf together…” then she trailed off, successfully communicating that it does not always work out so well. But referring to herself and her husband, she added, “We kind of jive playing golf, we do well together.”

Her husband said, “I have to say this: we won because of her. She shot a 76 with her own ball, so I contributed. I was the support.”

The format for the event required both members of the team to shoot a full round of 18 holes from their respective tees. At the conclusion of each hole, the score of the partner who did the best was the one that counted toward the couples’ score.

Vickie Lombard said she has played for a long time. Her husband only picked up the game 12 years ago after meeting her.

“Yeah, that’s why she’s better, but I’m catching her fast,” he said with a chuckle.

Frances Graham was very pleased with the performance she and her husband, John, produced.

“It’s the first time we’d played together in a long time, and played good,” she said. “I’ve had a total shoulder replacement and both of us got back injuries, and we played great.”

John Graham said, “It was great. We kind of ham and egged it, so that worked out great.”

Explaining the “ham and egg” reference, he said, he played well when his wife did not and vice versa.

“That’s what you need in that type of situation where you pick each other up,” he said.

Frances Graham said she has played competitively all her life, with a career spanning about 50 years. Her husband has played for about 60 years, but only for fun.

Both top scoring couples emphasized enjoying the event at Cedar Point.

“It was a pleasure playing,” Frances Graham said. “We had fun. Normally, we don’t have fun.”

Bobby Lombard said, “It was unbelievable. It was really fun. The thing is that all the people that play in it are really, really nice, really fun to be around. That’s the important thing.”

“The whole day was pleasant,” Vickie Lombard said.