Hello and welcome to this weeks newsletter. 

As you can see from the pictures its been a busy week at the club on the course as the autumn development work has started in ernest. 

The bunkers have been removed from the 2nd hole and new ones added to the 3rd tee shot. Early indications are that they look good and as you walk past the 3rd green you will notice they are making changes there too. I will send more pictures across next week when the changes have been made. 

I'm delighted to say that wandering round the club the past couple of weeks has been the welcome sight of Terry Wilby. As many of you will know Terry was very ill at the start of the year but has made a remarkable recovery, so much so that if you didn't know he hadn't been well you wouldn't notice. He was telling me that he aims to start playing again soon, so hope fully we will see a lot more of him and he was hopeful that after all his treatment he may have finally found the ultimate cure for his slice!


  

County Scratch Foursomes Final - 15th September

Fantastic news...Justine and Linda Kelsey won the finals of the County Scratch Foursomes at Menzies on the 18th hole beating Marcella Tuttle and Sarah Greenhall from The Links, Newmarket.

They were, at times, chipping on the greens because the greens were covered in sand but on the last hole, the Newmarket ladies put their drive in the trees and sadly ended up three off the tee handing victory to our ladies. 

Looking through the records it looks like Saffron Walden have never won this before title before, although it might have happened 40+ years ago when we had formidable County players at the club. It really is a great performance as foursomes is such a difficult format. 

Well done ladies..the club are proud of you and your achievement. 

Walden presented with the Scratch Division 1 title

Saffron Walden Golf Club scratch team retained the CAGU Division 1 scratch league this season. They managed to total 34pts with an impressive holes up total of 68. Brampton Park were 2nd with 28pts and Ramsey 3rd with 27pts. Links, Newmarket and St Ives were relegated. 

It was not plain sailing early on for Walden - in the first game they lost 4-2 away at Brampton Park with Owen Davies and James Reeson winning 3 up against Ryan Adair and Mark Reeve. 

Walden then beat Links 4-2 and Brampton Park could only draw against Ramsey. Brampton Park then stepped on the gas in the next round and convincingly beat St Ives 6-0 . Walden faced a daunting trip to Ramsey after hearing Brampton's victory. In this match Reeve and Olly Tuck were on form winning 5 up and after going 3 down , Adair and Tom Duggan fought back and won 1up. Walden won 5-1. 

Next up Walden beat St Ives 4-2 away. Brampton Park , however, slotted home a 6-0 win versus Links which put them in the driving seat for the league. After round 6 the table looked like Brampton Pakk 23 pts, Ramsey 19 and Walden 15. 

The pivotal match of the season proved to be round 7 in June, when Walden took on Brampton Park with Walden running out winners 5 -1. Tuck and Reeve rose to the occasion and were well under par beating Davies and Reason 8up. Adair and Brookes won 2up. Brampton Park faltered again in the next round losing 4-2 at Ramsey. Walden won 4-2 at Links, with Adair and Reeve winning 3 up and the "find" partnership of the season Brookes and Burlingham winning 4up. Ramsey's victory put Hodgkin's troops in with a shout and Walden waited the following week which proved decisive. 

Armed with Goodman's bananas and apples, in the heat of the Walden evening, an all fired up Walden set about Ramsey. Right from the start Reeve and Tuck proved irresistible and won 8up, Adair and Duggan won 5 up and the pivotal game saw Richard Southall and Cam Brown win 1 up. News filtered through that St Ives upset the form book and won 4-2 home to Brampton. This result meant that Walden won the title with one game to spare. 

Graham Goodman Walden Scratch Captain said after the season finished,  

" To retain the title is a great achievement and to win 5 CAGU titles these past 3 years is a credit to the team . This year has been the best, as we were faced with integrating new members of the team, selection decisions and bringing in the younger players. We have built into the team a great team spirit and never say die attitude which will be vital for the challenges ahead. " 

Team Photo - Standing L to R : Richard Southall, Cam Brown, Ian Macdonald, James Goodfellow, Ryan Adair, Mark Reeve, Callum Brookes and Spencer Burlingham 

Sitting L to R : Graham Goodman (Captain), Kieran O'Reilly (Club Captain ) and Olly Tuck. 
Also played Tom Duggan and Ross Fraser

Cambridge Captains Jubilee

Members will have probably seen the above elegant 'Wedgwood style' trophy in the Trophy cabinet. This was won at the recent Cambridgeshire Captains Jubilee competition on the Gog Magog Old Course.  

The format was a team competition with 10 clubs taking part, the best 3 individual scores counting. Five former Captains represented the Club. 

The best 3 scores were Andy Fisher 37 pts, Mike Price 37 pts, Peter Taylor 36 pts a total of 110 points, which was 3 points ahead of the team in second place.