Seniors start new season with an away day

WESTON seniors started their new season with an away day organised by David Andow.

His choice of venue was Kingsdown Golf Club near Box. Not only did he choose a superb golf course, but he also ordered perfect golfing conditions.

The format for the occasion was individual Stableford. After an excellent meal, newcomers to the section were welcomed and prizes presented to the winners.

Results: Tim Latcham 34 pts; Colin Dummett 34; John Morgan 33; Nigel Jillings 32.

? A TEAM of Weston ladies recently competed in the annual Mail on Sunday competition, winning the second round against Worlebury 3-2.

The five-strong team selected from the club included Sue Andow, Wendy Homer, June Phillips, Alysia Rees and Jade Cope.

EWGA medal: Wendy Thomas 71; June Phillips 74; Wendy Homer 75.

Red Letter Day nine-hole Stableford: Alysia Rees 18; Terri Blackhurst 17; Sue Garrett 17.

Stableford, first Millennium qualifier - Silver Division: Alysia Rees 34; Pat Rowland 34. Bronze Division: Carol Harris 30; Pat Murray 29.

Texas Scramble: Jan Bishop, Alysia Rees and Jade Cope 59.84; Carol Harris, Di Walker and Wendy Thomas 62.34.

? SINGLE handicapper Lee Grant took the honours with a 40 point haul, playing off seven to win the first singles board competition of the year.

In glorious weather, a large field took to Worlebury golf course to contest the RNLI Shield, a competition played in Stableford format.

Well over a 100 entered the event, and the top placings were: Lee Grant 40 pts; Colin Cleeves 38; Mervyn Kinch 37; Chris Whittle 37; Gary Williams 37.

The March Stableford was cancelled due to poor weather and will now be held on Sunday.

? IN the traditional opener to the new season, 22 men took on 22 lady members in a greensomes competition.

This is always a keenly contested match and represents the start of a busy season of men’s seniors’ matches. In the end, the men ran out winners by 6.5-4.5, but all the matches were close and the result could have gone either way.

On a cold and windy Sunday afternoon at Burnham & Berrow links, Burnham ran out 3-2 winners in the Mail on Sunday Classic.

The matches were tight, with Craig Cook (scratch) and Andy Harriott (5) achieving halves. Simon Clifford (10) lost his match, but wins from Justin Lane (2) and Adrian Deakins (2) were enough to take the team through to the next round.

? IT was ironic in a week blessed by spring-like weather, the golf at Wedmore was hit by poor conditions.

The fog on Thursday was so slow to clear that the ladies were forced to abandon their competition altogether. The seniors fared better on Monday, although conditions were murky for their Stableford.

There was a tight finish in Division 2 with three players all finishing with 39 points. A fine back nine of 21 points ensured first place for Brian Kidd. Peter Spinks finished just ahead of Colin Pinks.

There was another close finish in Division 3. In this case, Michael Blandford was one point ahead of the rest of the field, once again with 39 points, but countback was again required to sort out second and third places with Ron Walton finishing just ahead of Eric Wallace both with 38 points.

Scores were slightly lower in Division 1, with John Bennett taking the honours with 37 points. A strong back nine clinched second place for Colin Boorman with 36 points, the same total as John Hurdman, who finished third.

The first mixed friendly of the season saw heavy early morning rain, which put the event in doubt. However, once play got under way the sun came out and everybody had an enjoyable time.

Farrington were the opponents and they always provide tough opposition. Things looked bad for Wedmore when Farrington won three of the first four games, but the home team came back strongly in the final games to see Wedmore home by 5-4, giving new vice-captain Tom Bennett a winning start to the season.

? MIKE Sutton’s superb card of 43 points won him the Charles Cooke March Hare at Brean Golf Club.

His opening nine holes did not suggest that victory was on the cards, but he finished like the proverbial hare as he racked up an amazing 27 points on the back nine. This result gave him a two point winning margin.

Runner-up Trevor Pitt failed to score on the final hole, but even if he had matched Sutton’s total, he would have struggled if a countback was needed. Third place was taken by Pete Dunn on 39, while Vince Ford edged out Andy Chan for fourth.

Brean’s director of golf, David Haines, competed in the Algarve last week in a North Region PGA Pro Am. Playing over some of the best courses in the region, he finished in a creditable tie for third place after the 72 holes were completed.

He handed in three sub par rounds of 71, alongside a 78 which was over the toughest layout of the quartet at Villa Sol.

With Haines being abroad, he was unable to play in the G&S PGA medal at Long Ashton, but his Brean colleague Andrew March did take part and finished in fifth place after a 72, to consolidate his position in fourth place on the Total Triumph Order of Merit.