Danny triumphs in Battle of Britain event at Worlebury

DANNY Marshall and Malcolm Summers are two of the form men at Worlebury Golf Club, both having had excellent seasons to date.

They continued their impressive run in the Battle of Britain Cup, an honours board competition which attracted a large field of 120 and what a battle it was. Both scored nett 64s, but it was Danny who took the honours by the narrowest of margins, his stronger inward nine winning the day.

Spare a thought for young Lewys Charles, who played brilliantly, going round in one under gross, but had to settle for third place with a nett 65. Tony Westren also had a 65, coming fourth on countback.

The seniors had a monthly Stableford with a field of almost 80 taking part. In a tight contest, Brian Eleanor won Division 1 with 39 points, followed by Wally Hartree on 38 and Nick Extence on 37.

Keith Thomas and David Fudge also had 37s, but lost out on countback. Bob Saddler won Division 2 with the day’s top score of 40 points. Frank Bowdery was second with 38 and John Sokol third on 37.

The school holidays have led to a flurry of activity with two junior competitions taking place. The Eric Snow Trophy attracted an impressive field of 18 and there was some excellent scoring on a sunny, but windy day.

Eight handicapper Charlie Camper had an excellent gross round of 73, nett 65, including six birdies, but this was not good enough to take the trophy.

Jack Butterfield, playing off 23, showed his growing potential by winning with a nett 61. Steve Watson was second with a 64 and Charlie, despite his fine round, had to be content with third place.

The sponsor, former club president Eric Waghorn, presented the prizes and spoke about his close friend, Eric Snow, contribution to the junior section over many years.

The junior medal also produced some good scores with five handicapper Matt Blackman winning with a excellent recovery round of two over gross, 67 nett, despite going out of bounds for a triple bogie on the par three 12th.

In second place was eight handicapper Dylan Xanh, who pipped Mikey Nicholls, on countback, both scoring nett 68s.

A delighted Danny Marshall with club captain Paul Gardiner and the Battle of Britain Trophy.

Jack Butterfield receiving the trophy from Eric Waghorn.

A FIELD of 80 competitors took to the course at Weston for the second mixed open.

The conditions favoured the early starters with just an occasional sharp shower and light breeze, but the wind picked up throughout the day making scoring more difficult in the afternoon.

The four top scores from the first and second open matches go on to play in the finals weekend in October for the Claude Lalonde Trophy.

The winners with 40 points on countback were Di and Tony Walker from Weston. Runners-up were Ruth and Kelvin Alexander from Kington in Herefordshire, followed by Robert and Marcia Collett from Okehampton with 39 points and Alysia and Tim Rees from Weston, also with 39.

Terri Blackhurst won the ladies’ Lillington Bowl with an impressive 42 points. In second place was Alysia Rees with 40, followed by June Phillips (38) and Zena Balcombe (38).

The ladies friendly team triumphed once again, winning their match 5-3 at Wedmore.

On another fine, warm day with fast greens, seniors’ captain Brian Whiddett and Raymond Chambers won the Eric Benn Trophy with 42 points. Eddie Langford and Jim Blackhurst were runners-up with 41 and third place went to Jim Ness and Tony Wyatt (40).

The Olga Forte Trophy was contested with a good field over 10 holes. Each team comprised of a junior, lady and gentleman. The winners with 53 points (countback) were Sandro and Thomas Forte and Carol Harris. Runners-up were the team of Alysia Rees, Bradley Singfield and Bryon Davies. After the presentation, Olga treated all competitors to sausage and chips.

Tony and Di Walker with Weston president Gary Homer.

Olga Forte with prize winners Sandro, Thomas and Carol.

THE Burnham & Berrow Golf Club ladies’ team has gained promotion with four matches still remaining in this year’s Bristol and District Alliance League, following a 6-1 victory at home to Saltford Golf Club.

The Burnham course has proved to be a fortress for the ladies’ scratch team, with the seven-strong team conceding just five points in their six matches at home this season.

With four away matches still to be played, they have already secured promotion into Division 2 next year.

A nett 69 was good enough for five-handicapper Andy Harriot to scoop victory in Division 1 of the July medal. A birdie at the first hole and just four dropped shots in the next 17 holes was good enough to pip Troy Crandon by one shot, whose double bogey at the last hole proved expensive in an otherwise solid round of 75 for a nett 70. John White also scored a 70, but was pushed into third place following a countback.

Tony Manlow romped to a nine-shot victory in Division 2 with a nett 64 ahead of Graham Lewis and Darren Atkins, who both scored 73s for second and third places respectively.

Three-handicapper Frank Ellis won the yellow tee Stableford with 38 points, which included an amazing feat of three twos on the front nine. Not only did he make twos at both of the par threes (the 5th and 9th holes), he also holed his second shot at the par four third hole for an eagle.

THE main event at Wedmore was the Vets Vase, which is the unofficial senior ladies’ championship.

The trophy goes to the best gross score from any lady over the qualifying age of 60. It produced a close finish with Claire Biggs leading the way until a run of bad holes towards the end of the back nine allowed Ronnie Follenfant to come from behind and win the trophy on countback, after both scored gross 91.

Judy Cutter, returning from injury and Carol Jackson both recorded 94, had the next best rounds.

The prize for the best over-70 score went to Ann Search, who followed up her success in open week with another trophy after a nett 72. Ruth Pearson won the best nett in the lower age group with another round of 72.

The event also incorporates the monthly medal, which allowed two of the younger players a share of the prizes, with Diane Miller winning with a nett 69, which beat Ronnie Follenfant by one shot, with Cathy Olive, who had the best gross of the day, in third place with a nett 72.

With the league season now getting to a crucial stage, both men’s teams are struggling against relegation.

The A team, following promotion last year, knew this year would be tough but a tight win over Frome gave them a good chance of survival, with a crucial match against fellow strugglers Stockwood Vale coming up.

They are still defending the Somerset Bowl and have a semi-final against Oake Manor in a few days time.

The B team are in the top half of the table, but two defeats in July, including a matcb against Taunton Vale, means they are threatened by teams below with games in hand.

Vets Vase winner Ronnie Follenfant receiving her trophy from Wedmore ladies’ captain Ange Webber and seniors’ delegate Vera Ireland, who organised the event.

THE annual Brean member’s trip to Bristol and Clifton to play in the Bristol Tankards ended in success.

Club champion Steve Bateman and his predecessor for the title, Dan Broom, teamed up to score 43 points and the coveted prize. Bateman’s usual partner cried off injured, so he rang Broom to ask him to play at short notice.

He duly obliged and a few hours later the duo were crowned champions, much to the delight of the many other Brean members who take part in the event each year.

Recent lessons seem to have reaped rewards for both Ian Raymond and Charlie Hastie as they featured in the winning trio of the seniors’ scramble. They were joined by Colin Roberts as they posted a nett score of 58.34 to finish just over a shot ahead of their nearest challengers.

Mike Higginson, Dai Wood and Pete Douglas were runners-up and they in turn held an advantage over the third placed team of John Sherwood, Jeremy Savill and Barrie Yearsley who had a 60.27 total.

Taunton Vale was the latest destination for the seniors’ summer of golf as they took on their counterparts. The hosts were in no mood to be lenient and sent the Brean team home on the wrong end of a 4.5 to 1.5 scoreline.

In-form Charlie Hastie and Bob Masterman were Brean’s only victors and were selected as the captain’s team of the day.

For the first time in a few weeks, the winner of the midweek Stableford did not top the 40 point mark, as 38 was good enough for Phil Hodgson to take the honours, two points ahead of Matt Haskins.

Haskins was playing his final event for a while as he goes in for surgery on his knee, but he relegated last week’s victor Wayne Barrett in to third spot.

Brean’s PGA professional and director of golf Andrew March moved himself up the Regional Order of Merit after the recent Forest Classic. The regional captain for 2014 shot rounds of 68 and 74 for a one over par total which gave him a tie for 19th spot. The final event for the season is in two weeks time at The Players Club in Bristol.