Weston Golf Club’s Avalon B team has made an excellent start to the season, winning their first two matches.

WESTON Golf Club’s Avalon B team has made an excellent start to the season winning both of their first two matches.

The team were promoted to Division 5 last season and this year’s captain, Andy Smith, is keen to try and see last year’s winning form continue.

The first game against Long Sutton produced a 3-2 win in tough conditions with a number of the key players missing so a great result for the squad.

The second game, against home opponents Weston Avalon A, also produced a 3-2 win. Last year’s captain (and this year’s club captain) Steve Corrick with playing partner Gary Homer won their game with a 3&2 result. Ed Stephens and Andy Zanelli also won their game and Andy Smith and John Whitewood produced a tremendous 5&4 victory.

Dave Snowden, Chris Homer and Kenton Simpson, Alan Harris all played well taking their games through to the final hole before conceding.

Weston entertained Burnham & Berrow on a cold and blustery day in the Mail on Sunday national competition and triumphed 3-2.

Pete Allen lost his match to a high handicapper who belied his status with three birdies. Steve Corrick gained an honourable half, despite being one up with one to play.

Late replacement Carl Hall played superbly for a 5&4 win and Steve Thomas kept his 100 per cent record by winning 6&5. This left Weston needing a half from the final match involving stalwart Andy Balcombe.

He duly obliged with a six foot putt on 18 to the delight of his supporting team-mates, including Sam Fernley who played in the last round, but stayed on to support the team.

Weston ladies had a solid 4.5-0.5 win against Wedmore on home territory, in the second round of the Mail On Sunday knockout competition taking them through to the third round at neighbouring Burnham & Berrow, which they lost after a tough battle against shot differences.

Winter Foursomes knockout winners for 2012/13 were Alison Whitewood and Reine O’Reilly, with runners-up Julie Ward and Cathy Preston losing on the 17th hole after a close fought match.

Winter Eclectic accumulative competition winner: Sue Andow 67; Wendy Thomas 67.5; Pat Rowland 69.

Nine- hole qualifier: Zena Balcombe 17 pts; Roberta Ferrari 16; Julie Ward 16.

Nine-hole qualifier hidden partners competition: Melanie Rossi and Moira Parish 40 pts; Wendy Homer and Joan Jenkinson 36.

WORLEBURY juniors started in earnest with two competitions being held during the school break.

In the Stableford competition, Division 1 winner was Matt Blackman with 38 points, but Division 2 produced the highest score of the day, young Alex Chandler winning at a canter, with an impressive 43.

A Texas scramble was also held and this was won by the team of Jack Partridge, Miles Richardson and Ryan Tate with 52 points. Winners of the nearest the pin in the respective competitions were Jack Partridge and Alex Chandler.

The Avalon and Stragglers teams met in pleasant spring conditions for their annual curtain raiser. In recent years the Stragglers have held the upper hand, but not on this occasion, as the Avalon team, under the captaincy of Tony Westren, recorded a comfortable 7-3 win, which augurs well for them in the new season.

The Stragglers said au revoir to a long-standing member, Gary Smith, who is off to pastures new in France. Gary has been an active participant in club competitions and Stragglers fixtures and will be sorely missed.

The club held the Fred Crawford Trophy mixed competition which was played in bitterly cold conditions. This is a four-ball better-ball competition and is always a popular event.

The results were close, there being four pairs with 39 points, but the winners with 41 were Emma Limer and Russ Bourton. The runners-up with 40 were lady captain Pam Burnell and men’s captain Keith Wharton.

Pictured are Emma Limer and Russ Bourton with the Fred Crawford Trophy.

IT WAS a busy weekend at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club.

Andy Harriott 75 (5) 70 won the Cave Cup on countback from Glyn Petrie 85 (15) 70, Harvey Sampson 81 (9) 72 was third also on countback.

The Holt Cup was won with a fine score by Charlie Huggins 76 (9) 67, edging out Steve Longmoor 86 (18) 68. Last year’s captain Geoff Robinson 81 (12) 69 was third on countback.

Players from 32 clubs took part in the mixed open scratch foursomes and it was won in convincing style by the brother and sister team of Dominic and Alex Patton from Castle Combe with an impressive gross score of 73.

This was 10 shots clear of Andy and Katie Macey (Bramshaw) and 12 clear of Tim Freeman and Jayne Fitzpatrick (Copt Heath). Best nett of 73 was won by Nathan and Claire Walker (Mendip Spring) with Brian Colome and Helen Baskwill (Burnham & Berrow) two shots further back.

In the first Stableford of the month, Derek Thomson’s 37 points was enough to seal victory on countback from Steve Cartwright, Robin Graham in third with 36 points.

Division 2 was won by Bryan Gunning with 38 points, which was four points clear of five players on 34 points with Roger Brafield second and Mike Tilly in third.

Burnham & Berrow are through to the second round of the Somerset Bowl after a tight match against Frome at The Mendip. The foursomes pairings of Adrian Deakins/Rick Metcalfe, Robin Griffiths/Matt Houghton, Symon Clifford/Harvey Sampson, Andy Fisher/Troy Crandon and Neil Darby/Justin Lane eventually winning 3-2.

It was mixed fortunes in the third round of The Mail on Sunday National Golf Club Classic. Burnham’s men’s team of Glyn Petrie, Derek Thomson, Robin Griffiths, Neil Darby and Justin Lane were narrowly defeated 3-2 away at Weston, while the ladies team of Mandy Vickers, Liz Blight, Jean Booth, Jane Moreton and Jane Pitcher were comfortable 5-0 winners at home against the same opposition.

In the Fowler Brooches, the first Somerset Ladies County Golf Association event of the year, a Burnham and Berrow pair triumphed over 49 other pairs at Clevedon. Pauline Thorogood and Liz Blight won on countback with just 30 points as the windy conditions prevented any better scores being achieved.

This well-attended county event has now been won by Burnham & Berrow ladies for the past three years.

The ladies played the RNLI Stableford and this was won by Mel Bell with 36 points. Mandy Vickers was second with 35 and Jean Booth third, also with 35.

The juniors played their first competitive match of the season against Worlebury in the Somerset Junior Knockout Cup.

The team won 3-0 which was an excellent result. Taylor Stote won 4&2, Charlie Huggins won one-up and Miles Richardson won 3&2.

Pauline Thorogood and Liz Blight receiving their brooches.

AFTER suffering a lean year in 2012, Roger Vaughan won the April monthly Stableford at Brean.

It was a close run thing for the Division 1 award, as he beat Phil Hodgson on countback with 39 points. Division 2 also saw the countback in action as Pete Dunn ended up the winner ahead of Mike Chaloner after they both scored 38. Kevin Davies won Division 3 with 37 points, one ahead of Mo Sanders.

Vaughan, Dunn and Davies now all qualify to represent the club in the annual Pro Celeb Am held at Brean, which this year takes place on June 4.

Jenny Vaughan matched her husband’s Stableford triumph as she also won the April ladies’ event. Like her husband, she also won on countback from Suzanne Hatfield, after they both scored 35 points. Third place went to Donna Kidley on 34.

Pete Dunn completed a weekend double with a win in the Super Series. He carded 40 points to win by two from Steve Mason, with David Hunter back in third on 36.

It was a three-way tie at the top of the April seniors’ Stableford with 37 points being a popular score. Ken Ponter, Pat Mullholland and Barrie Tucker all scored the same, with Mullholland coming out on top, ahead of Ponter and Tucker.

Current seniors’ captain Roger Williams and his team got off to a slow start in their first fixture of the season. They took on the Brean past captains and succumbed to a heavy 6-1 defeat, with Graham Collins and Allen Fellingham claiming the solitary point.

The Brean professionals enjoyed a good day in the G&S PGA medal played at Filton. Head professional Andrew March recorded his first win of the season with a three over par 73.

His victory moved him back up to sixth in the Order of Merit with the season entering its final month. Brean’s director of golf David Haines was one shot back in a tie for third after his 74 brought him his best finish of the a injury disrupted season. He is now just inside the top 10 of the Order of Merit.

ON a cold and windy day, there was a good turnout for the Isle of Wedmore bowmaker.

The winning team of Dominic Channon, Don Edmondson, Jon Thompson and Max Grant scored 87 points, four clear of runners-up Chris Simpson, Marlyn Jackson, Terry Simpson and John Cutter.

Steve Lawrence continued his excellent form in the seniors, winning Division 1 with 39 points, two clear of John Vowles who took runner-up on countback from Peter Laney.

Best score of the day was in Division 3, where Colin Clegg scored 41. Peter Rutter was second with 37, with Dennis Howard a point back in third. There was a closer finish in Division 2, won by Tony Ireland with 37, followed by Graham Stock on 36 and Chris McGowan on 35.

The ladies played their first EWGA medal of the year. Best score of the day came in the silver division where Saybria Sims recorded a nett 75, This was three shots better than Aileen Robertson with Shirley Turner third on 79.

A close finish in bronze division saw Alison Owen come out on top with nett 77, a shot ahead of Hazel Gough, with Sue Hughes in third.

Friday saw the county Under-14 championship at Wedmore. There was a brilliant result for local player Sean Gray, who took the nett prize by completing the course in 81 shots, which equated to a net 60.

He was just outside the prizes in the club Stableford on Sunday with Division 2 going to Mark Cornish with 40 points, with Dom Channon second with 39 and Mark Higginbottom another point back in third.

Best scores of the day were in Division 2. Martin Puddy and Daniel Milford both scored 40 points, Puddy winning on countback. Kevin Osman was third on 38. Winner of Division 1 was Matt Berry with 37. Joe Olive just beat Bill Lander on countback for second place, both scoring 36. Trish Phelps was best lady with 36.

Winners in the County Under-14 championship receiving prizes from Wedmore captain Tom Bennett with local player Sean Gray to his right.