Perfect conditions for Weston Golf Week

THE conditions were perfect throughout Weston Golf Week, with events held at Worlebury and Weston Golf Club on alternate days.

More than 700 golfers played in the events and both clubs should be congratulated for course presentation and customer service.

Stephen & Co sponsored the first day’s play at Worlebury, with two of their members taking first and second place. Phillip Hawkins came in with 44 points and runner-up Brian Galbraith with 41. Weston’s Jack Radcliffe was third with 40 points. The ladies event was won by Jill Phillips from Worlebury.

The men’s individual Stableford at Weston was won by member Phillip Acton with 41 points and Stef Skudarz from Marlborough runner-up with 40 points. Peter Allen from Weston was third with 39. The ladies’ individual was won by Farrington member Sue Stilwell, with Weston’s Mel Rossi second with 36. Andy Skinner was nearest the pin.

Back at Worlebury on day three for the bowmaker, there was a fantastic score of 93 points by the Weston team of junior captain George Worthington, Myles Edwards, Ronnie Mitchell and Ben Sawyer. Second were Worlebury team Kevin Pearson, Mark Lyons, Stan Henderson and Gary Harding with 88.

The bowmaker team event at Weston was sponsored by Brooking Ruse. Leading the field and winning on the back nine with 86 points was Robbie Orr, Nick Farrant, Joe Neary and Stuart Disney from Weston. Runners-up were a team from Royal Wincheste, aided by Worlebury member F Brooks. The mixed team event was won by Clive and Sue Stilwell and Paul and Liz Thomas from Farrington with 83.

The ladies’ team prize went to Jade Cope, Joan Jenkinson, Zena Balcombe and Angela Cook from Weston. Top visitors team was T Barnes, P Morrell, P Southall and M Ottey.

The four-ball betterball at Worlebury was won on 44 points by C Wheatley and Tony Hines. In second place was N Kirkbride and L Crook on 42.

The final event, sponsored by BWOC, was held at Weston ending a perfect week of weather, although a few showers and a stiff breeze tried to interrupt the day.

Weston junior captain George Worthington had a great week and was paired with Tommy Holyday on the final day coming in with the top score of 43. Mark and Paul Thompson from The Kendleshire came second with 41.

The leading mixed pair was Andrew and Zena Balcombe and the all ladies’ pair of Sue Andow and Mel Rossi. M Kirkbride and A Weetman from Druids Heath won the visitors’ prize. Nearest the pin was Adam Sloan.

The highlight of the last day was a hole-in-one by Worlebury member David Mellor on the difficult par three 16th hole at Weston – straight in to the teeth of the wind.

The week was completed with a dinner for both clubs hosted by Weston.

Weston also hosted the Westbury Challenge on Sunday, an annual mixed pairs competition between Weston and Worlebury. The weather was kind, enabling everyone to enjoy the day. The result was 5.5-3.5 to Weston.

Seniors’ captain John Morgan and his team of Colin Dixon, Peter Hardaway and Peter Gubbins won the SSAFA charity cay at Isle of Wedmore.

Over 50 attended the club for the Olga Forte Trophy and junior fun day. The trophy was won by Mike and Bradley Singfield and Jacob Colman.

ALTHOUGH Weston Golf Week predominated in recent days, there was still some healthy club competition at Worlebury.

The monthly medal produced some great golf and excellent scores. Leading the way with a nett 63, was junior Mikey Nicholls, with a round which included six pars and three birdies to win Division 2.

Mikey’s fine performance in the English Golf Union Junior Champion Club competition in early August has given him a great boost to his confidence, and he is beginning to fulfil his early promise. With his handicap down to 13, he has his dad in his sights. Andy Taylor had another good round to finish runner up with 65 and Pete Wyatt came third on 67.

Ten handicapper Paul Lawrence had a comfortable win in Division 1 with a nett 65. Will Denyer came second on countback, pipping Lee Grant, both scoring 69s.

Dave Brown, also scoring a nett 65, took Division 3 with ease. Andrew Francis was runner-up with a 68 and Tony Hines came third on countback from Simon Cowgill, both scoring 69s.

The seniors held their open competition attracting a good sized field with a fair proportion of visitors. The hardy competitors had to contend with unpleasant weather.

There was a blustery wind and it rained throughout, with some heavy downpours at times, only briefly relieved by a short period of sunshine.

This affected the scoring with 39 points, a good score in the circumstances, sufficient to take the honours. This was returned by Howard Jones, a visitor from Clevedon, who edged out Worlebury member Pete Melhuish on countback. Fred Spearing came third with 37, beating Pete Cornish and Malcolm Summers on countback.

SENIORS captain’s day at Isle of Wedmore was a Stableford with a shotgun start which enjoyed beautiful weather.

Division 3 was won by Gordon Newbery with 37 points, three clear of Ron Barrett, who beat Barry Lucas on countback. Jeff Elliott was the Division 2 winner on 39 points, a comfortable four shots ahead of Derek Osborn, with David Bates a shot back in third.

A tight finish to Division 1 saw Tony Glover finish on 38, just one better than both Tom Bennett and Mike Tanswell, with Bennett taking second place on countback.

There were also prizes for both best score by an over 70 and unusually for an under 70. These went to Martin Peakman with 42 points and Ian Sentence with 40. Top prize though went to overall winner Chris Donald with a magnificent 43 points.

The previous week, the club’s excellent effort in reaching the county seniors’ scratch final ended in disappointment with a 4-1 loss to Taunton and Pickeridge. This should not detract from a great performance.

The ladies’ Stableford was notable for a superb level par gross back nine from winner Catherine Nicholson to give 36 points. This edged her clear of Karen Barnett who also scored 36. This was one better than Gay McWhinney in third, with three players on 34 taking the next three places.

A birdie on the last hole gave fourth to Rachel Lockley, while a poor finish pushed Janis Lawrence into fifth, with Cathy Olive taking sixth.

The rain-hit August medal was finally played, with Brad Ruddick making the most of drier conditions to win Division 1 on 63, two better than Nick Parker and four ahead of Mark Cornish.

Less spectacular scores in Division 2, but a 70 from Ian Robson was good enough to win ahead of John Rowland and Bob Jones. John Sims scored an excellent 65 to win Division 3 ahead of Dale Worthington and Greg Cox. Shirley Gooding won a reduced ladies field with a one under 71.

ADAM Cox won the D&C Open at Brean at his first attempt with a nett 66, which he compiled in some of the worst of the weather.

The 18 handicapper needed just 84 strokes to complete the course and this was one better than anyone else could manage. Late starter Paul McLanaghan got close, but some late dropped shots meant he had to settle for second with his 67, while Ian Adams was third.

Adams had to win a countback on the back nine with Russell Shaw after he also scored 68 following his best gross of the day 76. Shaw raced to the turn in just 32 strokes, but a trip on the bogey train lasted much of the back nine for him, so he had to settle for the best gross prize.

Dan Broom was the only other player to break 80 as he posted an afternoon 78 to take the runners-up prize in the gross section.

Tony Roper organised an excellent fun day for the seniors and this year even got some superb weather for the day. Just over 40 players took part in a 10-hole scramble over Tony’s devilish cross-country course.

Despite it only being 10 holes, the distance it covered felt like many more had been played. The winning trio was Ray Byatt, David Barthram and Bob Masterman, who made a welcome and winning return to the golf course after his recent car accident.

They scored a nett 36.6 to win by 0.7 of a shot over Barrie Tucker, Ken Ponter and John Sherwood. Third place went to Mike Haskins, Mike Porter and Andrew March on 37.7.

Following the golf, the players all enjoyed a buffet lunch in the clubhouse before taking on Tony’s short game challenges to win prizes. About 25 prizes were spread across the practice putting green and players took turns to hit bunker shots and any prize that they hit they won.

Steve Bateman and Jenny Vaughan were the respective winners of the men’s and ladies’ sections of the annual past captains gathering at Brean. Bateman carded 39 points to beat Mike Blake on a countback, while Vaughan had a more comfortable wining margin of eight points in the ladies event ahead of Izzy Swift.

Following the golf, the captains enjoyed a post match meal and reminiscing of the good times they have had at Brean Golf Club

Graham Foy was the winner of Sunday’s round of the Super Series with a 41-point score. Foy defied a recent back problem as he beat David Morris on a countback as Morris also scored 41 points in his round. Third place went to Tony Higgins with 40.

Matt Haskins won a closely-fought final in the Bill Martin Trophy for Division 2 players. This secured him the first of the summer knockout trophies to be concluded this year as he beat John Cullinan 2&1.