Golfers from Burnham and Berrow braved the snowy conditions last weekend.

ON a day when most golf courses were closed, around 20 dedicated golfers entered the Stableford competition at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club.

Despite frozen ground and falling snow, Alan Cook, playing off a handicap of 20, accumulated an outstanding 39 points. This was five shots clear of the nearest competitors, David Lloyd and Peter Tomlinson.

Alan had seemingly no difficulty with the conditions and was getting so much run on the ball off the tee that even the long holes became reachable in regulation shots. Due to the conditions, the event was a non-qualifying competition.

? TEMPORARY greens have dominated proceedings at Brean, thanks to the sub-zero temperatures and frosty conditions.

These greens with the larger holes always allow some high Stableford scores to be posted, especially when they are starting to thaw. This was certainly the case on Sunday in the Winter League competition as Roger Phillips totalled an amazing 50 points in his circuit of the course.

Not surprisingly this gave him a comfortable win ahead of two players on 46 points. Craig Wheelaghan was the runner-up in front of Graham Foy after a back nine countback. With the qualifying period moving into its final stretch, these high scores will help all these players move nicely upwards in the rankings.

The previous day the temporary greens were still solid and a smaller than usual entry contested the monthly Stableford before the snow came.

Two players returned 42 points in Division 3 with the in-form Wheelaghan again gaining the advantage after a countback. Vince Ford was the unlucky party this time to lose out over the back nine scores and Tony Romeo claimed third on 40.

Captain-elect Stewart Garrett is another player currently in good form as he carded 41 points, managing to do what his rugby playing countrymen could not at Murrayfield later in the day and hold on for a victory.

Club chairman Graham Exton took second on 40 points, while in what was a good day for club officials, club captain Dave Bradley finished third with 37. The Division 1 Stableford went unclaimed as no-one entered from that handicap category.

The Gloucester and Somerset PGA Medal at Forest Hills fell foul of the freezing conditions as it was abandoned due to the frozen ground. David Haines and Andrew March are hoping for better luck this week as they travel to Thornbury.

? PETER Hardaway posted a good score in difficult conditions to win Weston Golf Club’s seniors’ Stableford competition with an excellent 39 points.

Results: P Hardaway 39 pts; T Holden 38; M Hughes 37; D Snowdon 36; R Webb 35.

? WESTON Ladies January EWGA medal: Jade Cope 72 net; Alysia Rees 74. EWGA medal: Melanie Rossi 68 net; Di Brown 68; Pam Hudson 70.

January Bowmaker 666: Alysia Rees, Zena Balcombe, Roberta Ferrari 61 pts.

Nine-hole qualifier: Jade Cope 19 pts; Wendy Homer 18; Sue Osman 18; Zena Balcombe 18.