Seniors v Northampton away Friday June 28 2024

Algy Grimes and Jed Isbell with their Northampton opponents

Organiser and Captain for the Day Algy Grimes reports

Following a leisurely journey to Northampton everyone arrived on time, pretty much like the weather; bright and breezy. After the usual introductions of the teams, including Tony Walters introducing himself as a Mrs Brown lookalike, we sat down in our playing groups for a splendid full English breakfast. So having been well fed, off we went to the first tee. Standing in for our Captain Richard, I was very hopeful of leading the team to victory, especially as we had a 51 shot advantage which is unusual for a JOG team.

The first match consisting of myself and Jed Isbell started in reasonable fashion, we went 1 up after the second hole but by the 7th we found ourselves 2 down. As Jed remarked at the time we were not playing badly, they were just playing a little bit better. However we then went on a winning streak by winning the next 3 holes to put us 1 up after the 10th. The iced tea from the halfway house played a big part in rejuvenating us. Northampton came back to level on the next hole but we were 1 up again after 14. Then with all four of us on or near the green in 2 on the 15th we thought we would at least secure a half, if not win the hole. However, we did not account for one of the opponents sinking a 40ft putt to win the hole. There we were all square after 15. Not too bad I was thinking, we have three holes to play. However, with Northampton then winning 16 and 17 it was suddenly all over and we lost 2 & 1. A very enjoyable round though, both Jed and I played to our handicaps but still lost.

The second match saw Warren Churms play just 9 over par but still lost 4 & 3, apparently their opposition didn't accept Warren's offer of half on one hole when he had a 5 foot putt downhill and they had a 4 foot putt uphill, I wonder why?

The first three results came in and we were 3 down, so I was fearing the worst of a whitewash, but Graham Gadsden and Nigel Underwood steadied the ship with a 2 & 1 win. There was hope, or so I thought. The remaining results proved to mainly go against us but Paul Jeeves and David Tamsitt did win 2 & 1. Meaning a defeat 6 - 2 to Northampton.

There was a nearest the pin in 2 prize on the 18th, that too went to a Northampton player.

The individual matches were;

Algy Grimes & Jed Isbell                     lost 2 & 1

Derek Page & Warren Churms              lost 4 & 3

Terry Sweeney & Paul Dobson              lost 5 & 4

Graham Gadsden & Nigel Underwood     WON 2 & 1

Barry Donovan & Trevor Darrington       lost 5 & 3

Rob Issacson & Tony Walters               lost 2 & 1

Paul Jeeves & David Tamsitt                 WON 2 & 1

Paul Jones & Nick Schumann                lost 6 & 4

We can have no excuses. The course was in very good condition, but the greens may have been a bit slower than those at JOG and what we are used to, well I have to look for some sort of an excuse!!

A great day otherwise!

Paul Jones and Nick Schumann enjoy a moment in the sunshine before their round

Paul Jeeves on the 16th with the clubhouse in the background

 

Seniors at home to Letchworth Tuesday June 25 2024

 

Good boy: Chris Sullivan collects the plates after lunch

Organiser Nigel Underwood reports

PHEW...IT'S A SCORCHER....AND PHEW....THAT WAS CLOSE!

In blazing sun and fearsome heat  (yes, Summer has briefly appeared), Captain Richard led from the front,  as his team of gallant  (as well as hot, sticky and exhausted) combatants crushed the opposition from Letchworth and sent them scuttling back down the A1......well, nearly. 

In very warm but otherwise perfect conditions, all but one of the matches produced very tight finishes, as did the match overall. Indeed, 5 matches were only decided on the eighteenth green and the final putt. Matches see-sawed one way then another as did the overall match score as results trickled in.

Richard Westergreen Thorne and Nigel Underwood won 1 up

Ian Riches and David Trotter won 2 and 1

Fred Williams and Chris Sullivan halved

Steve Collins and Gerry Degaute  halved

Barry  Donovan and Oz Osman lost 1 down

Gavin Little and Trevor Darrington lost 3 and 2

Len Greaves and Chris Roy won 2 and 1

... 4 to 3 to JoG with 1 result to come.

We knew Michael Bonwick  and Nick Schuman had been +1 through 16. Had they held on???? After perhaps the longest cooling showers in JoG match history the brave pair finally ambled into the bar to reveal their 1 up victory after the 18th ... a crucial  result that sealed a 5-3 WIN for the home team!  Thanks to all who took part ... it was bloody hot out there! Congratulations to all our winners and halvers and special plaudits to Michael and Nick who clinched the victory ... a day that will go down in the annals of history. 

PS: sausage and mash may not have been the greatest choice for lunch with the temperatures over 90F.....but hey, REAL men don't do salad, right?

Longest Day Challenge Friday June 21 2024

 

Four captains: Richard Westergreen-Thorne, Justin Thomas, Chris Ellis and Ixie Akpan

Richard tees off on the first hole of the 54-hole challenge

Senior Captain Richard Westergreen-Thorne reports on the Longest Day Challenge

On Friday 21^st June I set off, just before 8.00am, with the other three captains of Justin Thomas (Club Captain), Chris Ellis (Ladies Captain) and Ixie Akpan (Junior Captain) to complete the 54 hole challenge in aid of the Club Captains charity of Macmillan Cancer Support.

It was a hot day when we set off and got even hotter as the day progressed, but we were in good spirits and well provided for with drink and sustenance. Gordon had laid on Bucks Fizz on the first tee and some very loud stirring music to inspire us – sorry if you were woken up in Potton! One of the tunes was the music from the film ‘The Longest Day’ and I spent most of the first round trying to get it out of my head.

First up was 4BBB on JOG with Justin and I taking on Ixie and Chris.  Ixie has a handicap of three and hits the ball a very long way so a pattern was soon established of us teeing off and then the rest of us attempting to get past Ixie’s first ball with our second shots. Impressive stuff. Aided by birdies on 5 and 6 by Ixie (yes 5 and 6) it was a very tight match won by Ixie and Chris on the last green.

A quick lunch and we were off on Carthagena for a Foursomes in the same teams. I decided to give Justin some bunker practice on the first few holes but we held on for a long time before Ixie and Chris pulled ahead to win.

It got very hot on the second round so, after a short break, we decided we should keep going rather than stopping and seizing up and so we quickly moved on to JOG for Greensomes in the same pairings. Thankfully a breeze gradually sprung up and some clouds appeared to offer some partial shade and Justin and I sprung to life to win the game. As Justin and I thought we should play this round ‘double or quits’ we tried to believe that the match ended all square.

It was a good feeling walking up the 18^th for the last time (yes I did walk all the way round) and also to receive the well wishes of fellow golfers throughout the day. A good experience for a very good cause.

Thanks to the contributions of many seniors I have raised around £1,700 towards the Club Captains Macmillan Cancer Support charity which is a very pleasing achievement for such a worthwhile cause.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the 54 Hole Challenge and over to you Tony for next year – it’s a doddle!

Richard Westergreen - Thorne

Past Senior Captains' Away Day Thursday June 20 2024

Winner Algy Grimes receives a bottle of wine from organiser Richard Coventry

 Six past Senior Captains, our current Captain and guests took part in this year's Past Senior Captains' Away Day at Whipsnade Park Golf Club.

As we played the first hole we observed a tall wire fence running the length of the fairway and  wondered what kind of danger lurked next door at Whipsnade Zoo. Lions? Tigers? To our relief we found it was the deer park. In fact the only wildlife we saw was a muntjack deer and a couple of hares.

The winner, with 38 points, was Algy Grimes. Nearest the pin winner was Richard Westergreen-Thorne and nearest the pin in three on a par 4 was Bill Walker. Richard and Bill were presented with bottles of win by Fred Williams.

Among the more impressive shots of the day was Jonathan Lean's chip in for 2 on the par 3 17th.

The prize-giving took place following an excellent meal in the club's impressive restaurant which looks more like a Spanish Hacienda than a golf club. Those lucky enough to have won a place on the away day at Whipsnade in September have a treat in store.

Richard W-T thanked Richard Coventry for organising this event and other away days over recent years.

Bill Walker, David Barlow, Rafe Bateson and Richard Coventry

Nigel Underwood, Jim Kerr, Fred Williams and Barry Donovan

Richard Westergreen-Thorne, Jonathan Lean, Tony Lloyd and Algy Grimes

Nearest the pin in 3 on a par 4: Bill Walker

Nearest the pin: Richard Westergreen-Thorne

Seniors at home to Luffenham Heath Monday June 17 2024

Organiser Ian Riches reports

After months of rain, sometimes of near Biblical proportions, summer finally arrived at John O’Gaunt this week as we welcomed 12 players from Luffenham Heath G.C. in Rutland for an afternoon match in glorious sunshine. This is a new match in our calendar and, consequently, as it was squeezed into an already crowded fixture list it was only twelve-a-side compared to the usual sixteen. Next year we will be running a full sixteen-a-side competition.

Our Captain played extremely well and rarely missed a fairway with his drive. At the turn we were 2 up and Richard then put his tee shot within about five feet of the 10^th hole, which was subsequently conceded due to too many shots having been taken by our opponents. Richard was adamant he would have made the birdie putt. We went on to win our match 5&3.

Despite John O’Gaunt having a 67-shot advantage, the home team struggled to convert this into a winning margin. Messrs Dennis and Domagala drew their match and there was a 3&2 win for Brown and Page, but sadly Grimes and Walters lost by two holes, Sweeney and Osman lost 5&4 and Lean and Tamsitt lost 3&2. This all resulted in an overall win for Luffenham Heath and a final score of 3½ to 2½.

There was generous praise from the Luffenham Heath players as to the condition of the John O’Gaunt course. I understand that Luffenham Heath, which is a site of Special Scientific Interest, has penal levels of rough which will only be cut after we visit in late August, so those lucky enough to be chosen to play one of Harry Colt’s best heathland creations will need to ensure they can hit it straight if we are to obtain our revenge.

Footnote: David Tamsitt achieved a "Barnes Wallis" on the 4th, skimming his golf ball across the lake to safety.

Seniors at home to St Neots June 18 2024

 

Seniors Captain Richard Westergreen-Thorne and organiser Jed Isbell with St Neots opponents

Organiser Jed Isbell reports

The day started with everyone wondering if summer was here at long last, with a number of players left scurrying around looking to change from trousers to shorts before teeing off and participating in the latest JoG Seniors Inter-Club match against St Neots.

As to the Captain's game we soon found ourselves 1 down with St Neots striking an early lead, but rallied to bring it back to all square on the very next hole. It didn’t stop there with us then winning the next 4 holes to go 4 up. Things then took a dramatic turn with St Neots using their shots well, even throwing in a birdie to eventually bring the game to all square by the 17th and to then take the 18th with literally the last putt of the game. A really enjoyable game and one that could so easily have gone either way.

In the second match Jonathan Lean and Tony Lloyd got off to a flying start with Jonathan chipping in from off the green for par and Tony sinking his putt for four net three.

The home team won the 2nd with a nett birdie from Tony and the 3rd with a tap-in three from Jonathan.

They stretched their lead to four up before being pegged back to all square by the 11th. St Neots then gifted JoG three holes in a row to end with a 3 & 1 victory.

The overall match result was a loss of 5&3 with 4 games being lost on the 18th green. Pairings and results for the JoG team were as follows:

Richard Westergreen-Thorne & Jed Isbell - Lost 1Dn

Tony Lloyd & Jonathan Lean - WON 3&1

Peter Grimes & Nigel Underwood - Lost 1Dn

Gerry Degaute & Ken Brewer - Lost 1Dn

Steve Luckman & Tony Goodson - Lost 3&2

Mehmet Osman & David Trotter - Lost 6&5

Neil Pinnington & Paul Dobson - WON 1Up

Paul Jeeves & Graham Gadsden - WON 6&5

After the match we were well looked after by the JoG hospitality team who served up a delightful meal of chargrilled gammon followed by cherry & apple crumble with custard.

Seniors at home to Leighton Buzzard Tuesday June 11 2024

 

Seniors Captain Richard Westergreen-Thorne and organiser Trevor Darrington with their Leighton Buzzard opponents on the JOG first tee

Organiser Trevor Darrington reports

On a mild and sunny day interspersed with a little rain, JOG entertained a team from Leighton Buzzard. The Captain, Richard and I were matched with their Captain, John and his partner Richard L. With only 5 shots between us, the match was always going to be very close.

 We went one up on the second, but were pulled back on the fourth. Having taken the lead again on the fifth, we remained one shot ahead until the 11th when two pars from the Organiser shot us three points ahead. John chipped in from well off the back of the 13th green for a par and it was left to Richard (I had lost my ball in the water with my second shot) to come up trumps with a remarkable five, with a shot, to halve the hole.

 On the 15th both I and Richard L hit fine tee shots. Richard L hit his second to about 50 yards from the pin. I hit mine 5 yards from the green, but was impeded by the bank on the bunker, so couldn’t putt. Richard L promptly chipped to within 2 inches of the pin for a 4. Anybody who has seen me with a wedge in my hand would have been worried at this stage, but I managed to chip within 15 inches of the hole. I was made to putt out for a 4 with a shot to end the match winning 4 & 3.

The 15th green was also the scene of much celebration and “Dad dancing” by Nick Schumann who managed to hole a 40 foot putt to “win” the hole and take the lead in their very tight match. Unfortunately, Nick had putted Steve Luckman’s ball which meant they had actually gone one down rather than one up. Their final result was a 3&2 loss.

Well done to everybody, and especially those who stepped in at the very last minute and those with some remarkable “dog licences”. *

The scores were:-

Richard Westergreen-Thorne and Trevor Darrington – won 4&3

Fred Williams and Paul Life – lost 2 down

Michael Bonwick and Graham Gadsden – half

Gavin Little and Jed Isbell – won 7&6

Ian Maddison and Rafe Bateson – won 7&6

Nick Schumann and Steve Luckman – lost 3&2

Bill Walker and David Tamsitt – won 2&1

Algy Grimes and Terry Sweeney – half

Overall, a 5&3 win for John O’Gaunt.

* Editor's note: For those of you, like me, who didn't get the "dog licences" reference, a dog licence used to cost seven and six! Thankyou to Trevor for the joke.

Match Secretary's dilemma

 

The image above illustrates perfectly how difficult Algy Grimes's job as Match Secretary can be for the more popular away matches. As you can see 32 people applied for the 12 places at Luffenham Heath away. Once the Captain and Organiser are selected that leaves only 10 places. To be fair to everyone Algy used a random number generator to select from the remaining 30 hopefuls. The lucky ones are marked S for Selected in the final column. Thanks to Algy for doing such a great job and apologies to those who were unsuccessful.

Seniors Rex Cleaver Championship Trophy Tuesday June 4 2024

 Congratulations to Chris Sullivan, winner of the Rex Cleaver Championship Trophy with a score of nett 65.

Chris was one of three players on nett 65, the others being David List in second place and Keith Hargreaves in third.

Winner of the Bessant East Scratch Trophy for best gross score was Peter Imray with 77.

Second place: David List receives his prize from Richard Westergreen-Thorne

Third place: Keith Hargreaves receives his prize from Richard Westergreen-Thorne

The result shook up the Golfer of the Year leaderboard, leaving Paul Jones in first place with 41 points, David List in second with 38 points, Graham Gadsden in third with 36 points, Cav Kendall in fourth with 35 points and Kevin Cocker in fifth with 30 points.

To see the full leaderboard go to the Club Website, then click "competitions", "ongoing", "order of merit competitions", "senior section golfer of the year".

Your best six results from the nine qualifying competitions in 2024 count towards the GOTY competition. Twenty points are awarded for winning a competition, 19 points for second etc down to one point for 20th place. All players are awarded one point for entering and completing the competition.

Raffle winners after the Rex Cleaver were Graham Gadsden, Dennis Ford, Rafe Bateson and John Hazelwood. They each receive £10 on their pro shop account.