Worlebury boys finish runners-up in English club competition

IT HAS been an action-packed few days at Worlebury Golf Club, with every section having an important event.

Pride of place goes to the junior team of Mikey Nicholls, Dominic Williams and Ryan Thrupp, who finished runners-up in the English Junior Champion Club competition at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire.

Played over two days, with 33 clubs taking part, the boys led after the first round with Mikey returning his personal best score of 78 gross, giving him 45 points. He was ably supported by his team-mates, with Dominic’s 39 points giving them the lead. Mikey followed this up with 38 points to finish second top individual in the competition, with Dominic and Ryan both playing well and posting 35s. Unfortunately, they were overtaken on the final day by a strong team from Doncaster in West Yorkshire, with Breadsall Golf Club from Derbyshire third.

This was a major achievement from the boys in a national competition, hosted by English Golf.

Dominic and Ryan followed this up the following day with good performances in the Junior Centenary Trophy, which was won by the former with a fine score of nett 64. Jack Butterfield was runner-up on countback from Ryan, both scoring 69s.

Ladies’ captain, Maxine Gardiner, held her captain’s day event which was blessed with a beautiful sunny day and was well supported by the lady members. The golf was most enjoyable, particularly after some welcome libation on the eighth tee, where Pimms, Prosecco and wine were in great demand.

Winners: Amanda Cook, Julie Stafford and Joyce Tiney 80 pts; Sue Kinch, Janet Keight, and Shirley Horobin 79; Emma Bourton, Hazel Cox and Marnie Sweet 77.

Nearest the pin on the 2nd (silver players): Claire Bayliss; nearest the pin on the 12th (bronze & silver players): Lynne Johnson.

Vice-captain Michelle James used the occasion to announce Sue Kinch as her nomination for her vice-captain for 2015/2016. A long-standing member of the club, Sue has been a staunch supporter of the ladies’ section for many years and her nomination was well received and richly deserved.

The seniors met Orchardleigh at the neutral venue of Saltford in the semi-final of the Somerset Bowl Foursomes. At the halfway stage, things were looking good for Worlebury, with the team narrowly ahead in four of the matches and all square in the other one. Orchardleigh fought back and in a strong finish, eventually prevailed 3-2.

Stuart Lock and Rob McMillen were rock solid throughout with a good 2&1 win. Dave Treleaven and Jeff Banfield played well, but eventually went down 2&1. Tony Westren and Terry Coleman got Worlebury’s noses in front, winning a tense encounter on the 19th.

The last two matches were incredibly tight, but despite valiant efforts by Gerry Miles and Paul Hibbard and Keri Allchurch and Frank Hopkinson, both ended in narrow one up wins for Orchardleigh. They now go on to meet Taunton and Pickeridge or Long Sutton in the final.

It was not all bad news for Stuart Lock as he had a comfortable win in the Pro Trophy final, his nett 65, winning the competition by three clear shots. It was a solid round with a commendable 12 pars. Countback was needed to decide the minor placings, with Craig Conway pipping Zac Shelford and Paul McAdams.

The midweek Stableford was won by Jamie Crandon with 44 points, which gave him a welcome reduction in his handicap by two shots. Adie Marshman was runner-up on 42 and third on countback, with 41 was Trevor Isaac.

He pipped five handicapper Ryan Jones, who had the round of the day with an excellent gross 69, which included four birdies and 11 pars.

The men’s medal provided a good turnout and some excellent scores were recorded. The top performance was by junior Jack Butterfield in Division 1, his nett 62 saw his handicap tumble yet again and he is now playing off a respectable nine.

Matt Blackman was runner-up with a 66. Will Denyer took third place with a 67 on countback from Tony Westren and Keri Allchurch.

Graham Hewlett, won Division 2 with a 64. Despite a disappointing finish, his round of 10 pars and a birdie gave him the solid foundation for his win. Barry Newson turned the years back and came in with 66 on countback edging out Leigh White.

Terry Bright had a comfortable win in Division 3 with his best score for quite some time. His nett 63 was four strokes better than his nearest challenger, junior Mikey Nicholls. Dale Rendall took third on countback from another junior, Alex Chandler, both scoring 68.

THE annual Jonathan Latham Trophy for Weston seniors was held in mixed conditions, with the early starters braving heavy rain until a gradual improvement later in the day.

The best gross was scored by Nigel Long with an 81, beating Eddie Langford on countback. The nett prize was won by Jim Ness with a creditable 67, but the trophy goes to last year’s club captain, Roy Schubert, who takes the plaudits also by virtue of countback.

Weston ladies A team played away at Farrington and came away with a great result, winning 9-5. The B team excelled themselves, beating Wedmore in all seven matches 14-0. Not to be outdone, the friendly team entertained Wedmore Ladies and won 4-1.

The semi-final of the Rogers Cup against Oake Manor was played at Cannington. The girls played brilliantly, but Oake edged forward and won 4-3.

Zena Balcombe had a superb round of 43 to win the Auchterader Quaiche and knocked two shots off her handicap. The scoring was high all round and Tessa Pitt followed close on her heels with 38, Jade Cope (37) beat Bobby Ferrari on countback.

A BUSY week for the seniors at Wedmore started with the monthly medal.

Best score of the day came from Terry Clark, who went round in gross 75, which equates to a nett 66. This was good enough to win Division 1 by three shots from Chris Norris, with a group of players following on 70, John Vowles claiming third place on countback, leaving David Coggan to regret taking eight on the penultimate hole.

Chris Donald won Division 2, but only on countback from Philip Springfield after both scored 70. Frank Denniston was third on 73. Derek Meades scored an impressive 68 to win Division 3 by three clear shots from Colin Clegg, with Philip McMahon third on 73.

A disappointingly small number set off to the Kendleshire for the seniors’ away day to enjoy excellent weather on a fine course. Calvon Poulton-Sadler enjoyed the day most, scoring 39 points to win the overall trophy on countback from Martin Easton, who had to settle for winning Division 1.

David Russell was not far behind, winning the over-70s prize with 38 points. Ellis Nearn (35) and David Taylor (34) took the other places in Division 1.

Vice-captain Mike Tanswell won Division 2 with 35 points on countback from Tony Roe, with Frank Denniston in third place. Alasdair McDonald took Division 3 with 32 points, just one better than both Malcolm Timmis, who organised the day, and James Robertson, with Timmis taking second place on countback.

Finally, a seniors’ team took part in the Quantock Stag at Enmore Park and acquitted themselves very well. Rain delayed the start and continued for most of the round, but the four Wedmore pairs performed well to take third spot among the 16 clubs from around the South West who took part.

The ladies did fit in one competition, playing a high-low greensomes. Sue McDonald and Sue Painter won with an excellent 41 points, three better than nearest rivals Jenny Brown and Margaret Rogers. Heather Hector and Alison Buckton were three shots further back in third place.

NEWS filtered back across the county that Brean’s Avalon League Division 6 team has secured the points they required to win the league.

Needing to win two of the five games at Orchardleigh, they went out in style winning the overall match 3-2, as John Cullinan and Alec Bateman secured the final winning point to signal the start of Brian Read’s team’s celebrations.

Back at Brean, the Division 2 Avalon League side ended their home campaign with a 3-2 win over their Farrington Park counterparts. The Jenkins/Kidley, Bateman/Barton and Hodgson/Wills combinations secured the points for the home side.

The chances of a league and cup double were dashed as Brean lost out to Burnham and Berrow by 3.5 to 1.5 in the semi-final of the Somerset Bowl in the match played at Weston.

The first three places were all filled by Brean pairings in the open mixed fourball. The winners were Chris Payne and Debbie Windmill, who scored an impressive 40 points in the betterball format.

Just one point behind them was Suzanne and Mark Hatfield in second, with Simon Baunton and Rhea Isom completing the Brean 1-2-3 with 38 points.

A pro shop fourball ran alongside the mixed event and this was won by Dave Bradley and Mel Brown with 45 points. They ended two clear of Roger and Tom Broom, who returned 43 and 42 points, which was good enough to secure the bronze position for Barrie Tucker and Ian Adams.

A pair of Tony’s led the way in the Super Series Stableford. Tony Romeo had the best score of the day with 44 points as the trend of low scoring continued. He held a one-point advantage over another Tony, in the shape of Tony Groves.

Third place was claimed by Barry Whitcombe, as he steadily makes his comeback from injury with a 42-point haul. Fourth spot went to Roger Phillips on 41.

In midweek action, octogenarian Pat Mullholland conceded a few years to some of the more junior over-65s shield entrants, but he showed them a clean pair of heels as he won the silverware.

He racked up 43 points and this gave him a four-point winning margin over a trio of 39-point cards. The best of these was from Barrie Yearsley, who took the runners-up spot on countback ahead of Ken Ponter in third and Roger Phillips in fourth position.

Pete Barton failed to score on his opening hole of the midweek Stableford, but from then on he hardly put a foot wrong as he accumulated a spectacular 43 points to claim victory by four points.

He picked up four gross birdies along the way to help him reach his winning total. Gail Mason was the runner-up with 39 points with her card notably showing an excellent birdie four at the treacherous seventh hole. Four players posted 38-point scores, with Bob Smith having the best back nine to take third on countback.