Baptism of fire for Weston golfers

WESTON first team started their season against Cumberwell Park, who were fielding eight county players and one who was playing his last match as an amateur before turning pro the next day.

The match was tight with four of the five games going to the 18th. Weston gained two halves and one outright win, but lost the other two games giving a 3-2 victory to Cumberwell Park.

In their second match against Saltford, the visitors included seven county first team players including ex-pro Shane Winstone (+3) and UK No 3 and current Spanish amateur champion Laurie Canter (+5).

Weston achieved two early wins from Matt Pearson/James Popham (6&5) and Roger Giles/Stuart Wyllie (6&4). Adam Sloan/Nathan Bateman narrowly lost on the last in a hard fought game against Laurie Canter and Matt Lea.

In match four, club captain Pete Allen had a four foot putt on 18th to halve his match, but unfortunately lipped out making the match score two games all. It was down to the final game between Matt Evans/Jon James for Weston against Tom Small/Dave Gregory.

It came down to the 18th green game all square, but Evans putted in from 35 feet for a birdie and a 3-2 victory

The second team travelled to Bristol & Clifton for a Division 7 match in the Bristol & District League.

Although three matches were decided on the 18th hole, none were in Weston’s favour, with Pete Allen and Ian Hudson losing one down, whilst Roger Magor and Gary Homer earned a halved match, as did Andy Balcombe and Graham Hicken.

With Nigel Browne and Tim Rees beaten 5&4 and James Lane and Kevin Lane succumbing on the 17th, the overall match result was a disappointing 4-1 defeat.

Weston Golf Club’s first mixed open greensomes competition of the year had a large field of 124 competitors and was a great success.

The winners were home players Tim Latchem and Melanie Rossi with 41 points and runners-up were Jack Radcliffe and Ann Tancock, also from Weston. Jack and Ann were drafted in at the last hour and were delighted by their performance.

It was good to see young Jack, who has progressed through the club’s junior section, doing well in an adult competition. His father on the other hand, had the unfortunate experience of losing a ball, when a seagull picked it up and flew off with it.

Included in the winners list was last year’s captain, Aussie Denison with next year’s ladies’ captain Carol Harris, coming fifth with 39 points.

This event is the first of two qualifying events for the Claude Lalonde Trophy, for which the top four pairs are invited to enter to be played later in the year.

The club welcomes new members whether beginners or more experienced players and offers a junior coaching programme which provides group coaching for Under-18s every Wednesday evening.

Further information can be obtained by e-mailing the professional Mike LaBand at lairdlaband@googlemail.com or by phoning 07809 243839 or from Karen Drake, club secretary on 01934 626968.

? SAM Fernley and Alex Fry beat 66 other pairs in the Four Ball Cup, one of the club’s major trophies, with a 61 nett score.

Sam and Alex, who are both 16, have both been involved in the club’s junior coaching programme. Sam now plays to a handicap of five and Alex is off 15.

Current captain Pete Allen has pledged to raise monies during his captaincy year to initiate the club’s Junior Golf Foundation. Another junior, James Browne (17), with a handicap of eight, came third with his partner Dave Ward.

Results: Sam Fernley & Alex Fry 61 nett; Pete Allen & Neil Urch 63; James Browne & Dave Ward 63; Iain Hall-Scott & Ben Riddell 64; David Bates & Trevor Marshall 64; Les Brewin & Joe Brewin 64; John Whitewood & Dan Whitewood 64; Luke Bliss & Ed Bliss 65.

Richardson Trophy – Division 1: T Rice 73 (9) 64; P Turner 76 (10) 66; M Brosnan 75 (8) 67; S Corrick 78 (10) 68; J Neary 73 (5) 68; O Bliss 78 (10) 68; A Northern 77 (8) 69; P Blunden 76 (7) 69.

Division 2: R Bates 87 (20) 67; J Millson 85 (18) 67; P Hortop 91 (22) 69; D Smith 86 (17) 69; A Harris 89 (19) 70; N Watkins 86 (16) 70; D Pounsberry 89 (19) 70.

? FIFTY-FIVE Weston seniors took part in a delayed St George’s Trophy on a difficult morning due to the windy conditions.

The scoring was high but past captain, Rick Fowler, had a creditable net 69, which was enough for him to win his first seniors’ trophy.

Results: Rick Fowler 86 (17) 69; Ken Marshall 86 (15) 71; Colin Dixon 85 (14) 71; Frank Burns 88 (17) 71; Dave Farmer 84 (12) 72; Graham Somerville 85 (13) 72; David Bates 87 (14) 73; David Andow 84 (10) 74.

? TEAMS consisting of local players took the main prizes in the annual Charity Pro Celebrity Am played at Brean Golf Club.

The event attracted an entry of 31 teams who contested the event in aid of three different charities. The charities to benefit from the day were the Injured Jockeys Fund, St Margaret’s Hospice, Taunton and the Alzheimer’s Society.

Event co-ordinator Deidre Wheadon did an excellent job in bringing what is thought to be a record number of teams for the long running event to the start line.

The winners were the Brean Golf Club team ably led by club captain Dave Bradley. He was joined by Tony Richards, Pete Dunn and Paul Jones as they scored 90 points to win the Tom Childs Memorial Trophy.

The runners up spot proved to be a much closer run thing and it saw the two Brean PGA professionals going head to head. With a better back nine score the Andrew March led Brean Golf Club ladies’ team including Jenny Vaughan, Shelia Rouse and Gail Mason came out on top after the countback on 83 points.

Having to settle for third was David Haines and his team representing Burnham Golf Range made up of Mike Porter, Terry Edwards and Brian Warner.

Special thanks must go to many people for making the event a success. Firstly Brean Leisure Park, the House family and Bob Nicholson for running the event, Deidre Wheadon for the smooth organisation, Robin Williams and his team of greenstaff for the superb presentation of the golf course, the Jockeys and PGA Pro’s who took part, Roger Williams for performing the starter’s duties and finally to all the sponsors.

Following on from the successful Pro Celebrity Am, Brean Golf Club held their annual open golf week.

First into the winners enclosure for the week was Stuart Wills in the individual Stableford event. He carded 34 points to win by one from Steve Mason.

Next up was the three-man scramble which Roger and Jenny Vaughan alongside Andy Thomas scored 59.7.

The best entry as usual came in the open three-ball Bowmaker. Home players were again to the fore in the prize winners with the experienced trio of Wally Pape, Alan Marshall and Mike Parfitt handing in a winning total of 129.

This gave them a three shot cushion over runners up Gordon Mitchell, Eric Jones and Wayne Barrett, who in turn beat the team of Jim Wotton, Phil Aspinall and John Mardon into third on countback.

The final event of the week was the fourball betterball and a formidable partnership of youth and experience came up trumps. Student Roy Baker partnered senior Roger Phillips to victory as their score of 64 included a better back six score than the 64 compiled by Roger and Jenny Vaughan.

? THE week at Wedmore got off to some high scoring in the seniors’ Stableford, which also incorporated the Committee Cup.

This trophy went to the current vice-captain, Peter Laney with 38 points which was also good enough to win Division 1. Second spot went to John Russell (36) who beat Chris Scott on countback.

The really high scoring though, came in Division 2 won by Brian Crosby with 44 points in blustery conditions, This put him two ahead of Barry Gardiner who was a further three points ahead of Brian Kidd.

Division 3 went to Derek Osborn whose 40 points was four clear of second and third placed Philip Wren and Geoff Bliss, who was also runner-up in the Committee Cup.

The conditions were even more blustery for the ladies which kept the scores in the Dickenson-Barlow medal relatively high. The one exception to this was Maggie Morris, who won the bronze division with a net 69. This was nine shots ahead of second and third placed Sue Painter and Hilary Crandon.

The silver division was won by Sue Tarry whose net 73 was the only score under 80 in this division. Aileen Robertson was second on 80, with Liz Miller a further shot behind in third.

Saturday was the annual invitation day and the windy conditions again kept scores down. Ian Bunn and guest Nigel Fippin from Weston took third place from John Russell and Adrian Davis (Taunton & Pickeridge) on countback, both scoring 37 points.

One point better in second place was father and son combination Peter and Richard Hathaway (Cumberwell Park). Clear winners though with 40 points were Geoff Fisher partnered by Mike Hurdman from Brean.

? WORLEBURY first team played their first match of the season at home to Shirehampton and they made an excellent start to their campaign in a new division with a resounding 5-0 victory.

The Avalon team played their third fixture of the season away at Mendip Spring. Despite having two matches being decided on the 18th hole, the team came away with a 4 -1 defeat.

Worlebury seniors held a Stableford hall of fame competition played two divisions.

Results – Division 1: Frank Neill 41 pts; Fred Toms; Robert Webber. Division 2: John Taylor 40; Roy Brown 39; Colin Goddard 38.

Worlebury Golf Club mixed open greensomes - Phillips Cup winners: Alan and Janice Hartree (Worlebury) 38 pts; Delhorn Cup: David and Lillian Peel (Clevedon) 48; Alan and Diane Rennell (Clevedon) 44; Terry and Jean Abbott 41; Peter Phillips and Amanda Cook (Worlebury) 41.

Visitors’ Stableford: Kevin Steer and Judy Barton-Hill (Burnham & Berrow) 40; nearest the pin (ladies’): Megan Sewell (Stover); men: Bill Richardson (Exeter).

The Secretary’s Cup which is a Stableford competition, was won by last year’s runner-up Patricia Smith, who scored 43 points. Emma Limer was runner-up with 41.