February 22nd, 2024
Golfers across the country continue to deal with the unprecedented amount of rainfall and are eternally grateful to their course managers and staff for their sterling efforts to keep courses open and playable.
On Tuesday 13th conditions were good enough to stage a Ladies 9-hole Tri-Am team competition in a waltz format with one score counting on the first three holes, two on four to six and all three on the final three.
Winners on the day were the trio of Carole Whiles, Sue Wight and Hilary Ingram who scored 43 points with a round which included one eagle and three birdies and particularly strong scoring on the last three holes. Coming second on a countback was the pairing of Vanda Mckenzie and Rebecca Ellacott who received strong support from their “ghost” partner. In third were the duet of Sandra Taylor and Julie Parry who made 39 points again ably assisted by the “ghost”.
The Saturday 17th competition was an unusual Fourball Betterball Shambles Stableford which required all four players to drive and then the group selected the best positioned drive, and all played a normal Betterball from that point.
13 holes were in play which included three temporary greens which, despite the groups having to pick three drives from each player, lead to very high points scoring across all 22 of the competing quartets.
Leading the field in the early stages were Gareth Whiles, Philip Miles, Jonathan Sands and Simon Hanslow with an excellent 72 points, but a card count later in the day relegated them to third place, meaning second spot went to Tony Robinson, Max and Clare Davies and Matt Wharldall.
But the overall winners with 73 points were Steve Jenkins, Nick Louden, Billy Johnson and Adam Tucker.
There were some interesting outcomes in the Twos Club: 25 players managed a two with Michael Jonas and Stuart Macfarlane both having a pair of two’s. Unusually there were no less than six eagles at the 7th which is normally set at 355 yards: however due to a very forward tee and a temporary green the true hole distance was around 150 yards. Nevertheless Messrs Macfarlane, Wharldall, Flaherty, Stoner, Armstrong and Asquith were very happy with their result.
