Seniors at home to Letchworth June 27, 2023

Seniors Captain Jonathan Lean and Organiser Gerry Degaute with their Letchworth opponents 

Organiser Gerry Degaute reports

The matches against Letchworth bring about a friendly rivalry given the number of players who know each other on the opposing teams and today was no exception. Letchworth were rightly very complimentary about the John O’Gaunt course which, as is the case these days, was in superb condition. 

The Captain/Organiser top of the order game set the tone for the day with the majority of the holes being won with worthy scores and not seeing many holes halved. The lead exchanged hands several times and after twelve holes due to a great run by our captain we led by two holes. 

The opposition hit back and with two holes left to play we were two down. Our organiser finally woke up to win the 17th and then faced a putt on 18 to win the hole which he, as in I, left two inches short which summed up a miserable day for me on the greens. So we lost 1 down albeit we had enjoyed great banter all the way round. Then the tension of waiting for the rest of the scores began whilst the banter continued in the clubhouse. 

Full details as follows;-

Jonathan Lean/Gerry Degaute lost 1 down

Peter Imray/Oz Osman lost 4&3

Paul Hammond/Jim Kerr lost 1down

Barry Donovan/Nick Schumann won 3&2

Richard Young/Andy Lawrence won 2&1

Steve Luckman/Andy Shilton won3&2.

David McNair/Nick Seeley lost 3&2.

Ian Maddison/Ian Riches won 2&1.                                                                                        

So the overall result was a 4-4 draw and I was left kicking myself for leaving that putt short on our last hole. The meal was excellent and the Captains recorded a score draw in the quality and delivery of the jokes. We were left looking forward to the second leg at Letchworth in August 

Past Captains Match June 25 2023

 Senior Section Past Captains were among prize winners at the Past Captains Match which formed part of the club’s 75th anniversary celebrations. Highest scoring from our section was Bill Walker, pictured below with Clive Bassindale, Sue Bassindale and current Club Captain Mike Tipper. Joining Bill at the presentation, pictured below, were Algy Grimes and Jim Kerr. Congratulations to all three.

Also represented were past Senior Section Captains Fred Williams and Alan Fowler. Past Seniors Captain Robin Smith remembered “absent members” who had helped make the Club what it is today by their hard work and foresight.

Pictures courtesy of Lorna Jerome

75th anniversary party June 24, 2023

 If you weren’t present at the club’s 75th anniversary party on Saturday here is a great set of photos taken by David Streatfield to sum up the day 

Greenkeepers’ Revenge June 21 2023

 Seniors Captain Jonathan Lean, pictured below, was among section members who took on the Greenkeepers’ Revenge competition where the players face a series of unusual hazards. David Streatfield was on the course to take these great photos

Rex Cleaver Championship Trophy June 20, 2023

 

Seniors Captain Jonathan Lean presents winner Richard Knell with the Rex Cleaver Trophy

It wasn’t quite the Ashes Test at Edgbaston, but it was just as keenly fought by the 96 entrants in the Rex Cleaver Championship Trophy.

The competition had been in doubt, with a forecast of thunder and lightning threatening to disrupt proceedings.

A few early starters faced heavy rain but it soon dried up and most experienced warm sunshine.

Although the leaderboard was tight at the top, one clear winner emerged in Richard Knell who came in with nett 67, three shots ahead of his nearest rival Ian Maddison on 70. In third place, on nett 71, was Roy Nicholas. 

Winner of the Bessant East Trophy for the best gross score was Peter Imray on 81, despite having to walk back on the sixth to play a second ball off the tee.

Not everyone had a good day. Seniors Captain Jonathan Lean revealed that he won the honour on the 10th after scoring a double bogey on the 9th.

And just to prove that this blog is written without fear or favour, your blog editor took 17 shots on the 6th, most of which were from the greenside bunker. And this after a bunker lesson the day before!

Raffle prizes were won by Jim McIlwaine, Alban Macdonald, Steve Luckman and Malcolm Roberts who will each receive £10 on their pro shop accounts.

Second place: Ian Maddison

Third place: Roy Nicholas

Seniors at home to Leighton Buzzard June 13 2023

Organiser Andy Shilton reports

Another beautiful day in the paradise that is NE Bedforshire’s golfing idyll of John O’Gaunt as the club’s seniors took on the mighty Leighton Buzzard.  The teams were well matched with the home team unusually receiving 4 points overall.  This was because the visitors recruited one of the BEDS County Scratch team’s best Senior Golfers with a handicap of 4 (having gone up from scratch this time last year).  Although the star player only made it to the first tee with seconds to spare having failed to factor in the daily traffic jam at Girtford Bridge at Sandy.  This caused all sorts of confusion on the tee as the two teams tried to rustle up a second pairing to get the match underway. 

 

Eventually, because such turmoil caused senior confusion, we went off in the planned order. Your blogger was playing with our in-form captain Jonathon and things started well.  After a couple of gentle halves in gross par the Captain holed his 3^rd from the bunker on 3.  He then birdied 4.  With your blogger winning holes 5 and 6 with a par and a net par, the Jog team had cruised to 4 up after 6 and gross one over.  But things weren’t going to be all a stroll in sunshine as a combination of good play, and slightly poorer scoring from the home team, saw us lose the next 3 holes.  From there on the match was tight and high quality with halves being made in par or net par.  A fabulous net birdie on 15 from your correspondent (having hit the flag with the second shot), wasn’t required as our Captain had already holed out for 5 (net 4 and the hole).  So, two up and 3 to play.  We managed to mess up 16 and lose it to a par.  And on 17 the star player was asked to finish from 3 ft and for the hole. Incredibly, he missed.  Going up 18 your correspondent was on in 2 and left a 3-footer for a 4.  But from fully 50 feet the Leighton Buzzard Captain holed out for a 4 net 3 to win the hole and halve the match overall.  Great golf.

 

We retired to the clubhouse to await the results. Richard Westergreen-Thorne and Phil Armstrong were in sparkling form winning 4 & 3, Peter Imray and Ian Maddison came in with a half.  Terry Sweeney and Ken Brewer lost 3:2 while Andy Lawrence and Jim Kerr romped home 5:4. Paul Hammond and Rob Ebsworth came home 3:1 as did Jed Isbell and Rafe Bateson. So, with JOG ahead 5:2 we were secure in the victory and our anchor team of Algy Grimes and Terry Domagala’s loss of 4:2 was a consolation result for the visitors.  Overall, another fine win 5:3, what is happening this season?

 

To wrap things up the food and service as always was lovely.  Ken Brewer edged out Richard W-T for the nearest the pin on 16.  Peter Imray gets a special mention for taking the Captain’s relaxed dress code a bit too far (shorts and a uncollared shirt), despite the Captain’s many missives on the topic of ‘what Smart Casual should be’.  I can’t comment on the quality of the joke as your correspondent had to shoot-off for a golf club meeting as we had all obviously strolled round in the beautiful weather and maybe spent a little too long looking for balls in rough.  

 

Another lovely interclub match played in fine spirit on our great golf course.  Happy Days.

Past Seniors Captains’ Away Day, Burghley Park GC June 1 2023

The senior section held their past Captains’ away day on the 1^st June at Burghley Park golf Club. Unfortunately, only 4 past captains were able attend so it was opened up to senior section members who contribute to the running of the section. This included the committee and roll up organisers. The day started with bacon rolls and finished with a 3 course meal. The food was excellent. The weather was ok and the course in very good condition. Burghley is a parkland course which was very interesting and enjoyable to play. The seniors away day in September is at Burghley and I think everybody will enjoy the facilities, food and golf. The practice areas are particularly good for those seniors who practice!

Is this my ball? Organiser Richard Coventry