Away Match v Letchworth Seniors - 25th September 2017

We played our last match of the season against a strong Letchworth side who were able to gain revenge for their heavy defeat last month with a 5/3 victory.

The course was in good condition but the light rain continued to fall for much of the morning.

We had a 3 tee start which enabled all the games to be completed in good time to eat lunch at 2pm and to get away before the rush hour.

The first two matches lost but three good wins was encouraging with Brian Bullen and Algy Grimes winning 4/3 (with Algy playing to about 40 points stableford) then Geoff Beck and Peter Wade also winning 4/3 with Nick Seeley and Graham Court winning 3/1 but that early optimism was dashed with the home side winning all three of the last games even though Robert Anderson continued his recent good form with his first hole in one on the 14^th with a well struck 6 iron.

Nearest the pin for JOG was won by Graham Court and Letchworth Seniors Captain Alan Walsh presented Robert Anderson with a sleeve of balls in recognition of the fact that it was the one and only hole in one for his year as Captain.

Bob bought a huge bottle of scotch so everyone could have a drink in celebration of the achievement.

Retrieving the Hole in One!!!

 

Lunch comprised of an escalope of pork followed by apple crumble which was enjoyed by all.

Match Organiser Peter Jarman

Away Match v South Beds Vets - 20th September 2017

The away match against South Beds Vets produced the same result as the home match - a 5-3 win for John O'Gaunt. 

The match was played in excellent weather for late September and the course was in good condition, a decent growth of grass on the fairways and greens that rolled well. The 12:00 tee off did mean that we missed the early morning traffic, but the late dinner meant that proceedings were not completed until 7:00pm. S.Beds rules do not allow 2 tee starts before midday. 

No matches were halved and all produced a clear cut result. 

The first match, Jim Kerr (standing in for Fred due to holiday) and Nick Seeley (organiser) was a 4&2 win for S.Beds. After being 3 up after 6 holes we conspired to lose 7 of the next 8 holes due to a combination of poor play from ourselves and a run of pars from the opposition.

In the 2nd match Bob Anderson, playing with Terry McSweeney actually lost. After all his excellent play of late I suppose a setback is expected eventually. 

The 3rd match was a 6&4 win for Brian Bullen and Bill Walker, I heard comments from the S.Beds players about this 2 handicap golfer who was playing off 17, we have to put up with it every week! 

The 4th match was a good 5&4 win for Malcolm Falconer & Bernard Gurney. 

Match 5, Jim Peacock and Ken Doggrell was a 4&2 loss. 

John O'Gaunt won the last 3 matches, Keith Fuller & Alban MacDonald by 4&3, Colin Newbury & Michael Newstead by 2&1 and John Ellary & Geoff Beck by 4&2 due to front 9 heroics from John. 

Nick Seeley - Organiser.

Away Match v Leighton Buzzard - 18th September 2017

The weather held off until the last 2 games were finishing and then the heavens opened.

Jim Kerr (standing in as Captain for Fred who was away in France) and I had a really good game and Jim nicknamed me was renamed par three Pete.

Their organiser Izzy hits the ball out of sight so we thought we were in for a hammering but our short game came to the fore. Jim chipping in and putting well and I was doing the business on the par threes.

We where treated by their Captain and Vice Captain's wives to home baking and coffee at the half way house. Very nice.

The last couple of games shook hands on a draw to get off the course out of the rain on the final hole.

 

The final score being a 5 & 3 win for Leighton Buzzard.

 

Peter Dean - Organiser

Away Match v Gog Magog Elders - 15th September 2017

Heavy traffic meant that Captain Fred made a late appearance and nearly missed the introductions but made it to the tee at 8.30 for the first match while several groups teed off the 15^thto ensure everyone was in for lunch in good time. The weather was mainly fine but some of the later pairings had a bit of rain.

After a shaky start and a lost ball on the first and a lost hole the “ship” was steadied and by the turn JOG were 1 up.However Elders fought back and it was touch and go to the last and an honourable draw for match 1.

A couple more early losses followed but a good win for Nick Seeley and Graham Court 4/3 with another win 1 up for Bob Anderson and Steve Collins got the team back in contention.

The win was sealed by very good wins for Peter Imray and John Hazelwood 3/2 followed by the last pairing of Peter Dean and Vice Captain Jim Kerr winning in style 5/4 and a final match score 4.5/3.5 and a home and away double.

Everyone enjoyed the buffet lunch which had plenty of variety followed by a bottomless pit of a trifle.

Even the Denzil joke went down well!

Steve Foster match organiser

Home Match v Bedford & County 12th September 2017

Having selected the “A” team, all we needed was good weather and a thumbs up from Lady luck !

The day presented us with unusually clear blue skies, and a team raring to go, with Capt Fred & I leading the charge on the Carthagena course which was in great condition considering the amount of rain we had the previous day.

All games were close (except the last – more of that later), and Fred and I had a close game which was all square until we reached the 15^th, which Fred won, and the sixteenth which I won, followed by Fred winning the 17^th (we even won the 18^th !!) giving us a good start with a 3 & 1 win.  We then lost the 2^nd game on the 18^{th (} (having been 3 up) with Ron Etheridge playing a blinder by winning the last 4 holes.

Our third game was halved with John Ellary pairing with Bill Walker in a close entertaining match, and our fourth game lost again on the 18^th with Pat & Michael up against a strong pairing from B & C who were recent competition winners. Our fifth pairing of Colin and Bernard came in with a 3 & 2 win to leave the match all square with 3 results to come. We were confident of a win with the strong pairing of Terry McSweeney and Graham Court, but they found themselves with a real challenge and Roger Loft of B & C recording a “hole in one at their nearest the pin hole (so what happened to the drink then Roger!!), and the fifth game came in halved.  Two games to go and all square, but Sam and Tony came in strong a 2up win with Tony Goodson playing a blinder on the final holes. Our final game result was therefore important as we had recorded a 4 – 4 result away from home, and a loss in the last game would give us the same result. Our final pairing of Alban and William kept us in suspense as Alban needed additional shower time to remove the clump of earth that had been deposited down the back of his neck when one of the opposition decided to dig a hole rather than hit the ball !!  This clearly upset Alban and William, and spurred them on to a great win of 6 & 5 !!

An overall match win 5 and 3, my thanks to John Ellary for accepting a late call, commiserations to David Crosby regarding his knees/elbow problems, and congratulations to Pat Gilgallon for being so up to date and owning the first “driverless” car in Bedfordshire !!!   

Graham McKay - Organiser

 

Seniors Section Away Day - 31st August 2017

The Seniors Section Away Day

Yet again our organiser Richard Coventry found a cracking golf course with wonderful views and interesting holes to play for the away day at Stoke Rochford and to round things off, despite a forecast of showers, the sun shone through the day and the rain held off until after the presentation. The day started with an excellent full English breakfast with toast and coffee.

Whilst all said they would love to play the course again Richard confirms that next year's venue is Kettering which is equally as good.

The greens were slick and even the lower handicap players were tested to read slopes and grain. In fact some players struggled to find which fairway or which green to play but thankfully only near misses!

Richard managed to provide prizes down to 6^th place and also to have prizes for the 4 par threes with a special prize for Malcolm Crookston (a former member at Stoke Rochford) who kindly drew the map to assist with directions.



Colin Newbury, Fred, Bob Anderson and Peter Wade

Skill Prizes nearest the pin

3^rd hole Colin Newbury
7^th Peter Wade
12^th Rob Anderson
17^th Rob Anderson (no not a typo he’s on fire!)







 Stableford Results                                                                                                                                           



5th Place - Steve Clark



6th Place - Phil White

6^th on countback was Phil White playing off 5 with a very creditable 34 points including 2 birdies.

5^th on countback was Steve Clark (who managed to remember he was playing in this one---senior moment the other day doh!) with 34 points

4th Place - Paul R Jeeves

3rd Place - Bill Walker

4^th Paul R Jeeves  also on countback with 34 points

3^rd Bill Walker with 35 points

2nd Place - Bob Anderson



2^nd and very nearly winning his third competition within a week was Robert Anderson with 37 points









Winner - Peter Imray

     
Winner with a fantastic 39 points playing off 10 was Peter Imray (his 3^rd senior win of the year)

















Fred Williams - Seniors Section Captain