Excellent Golf and Great Fun as Saffron Walden Golfers celebrate Captain's Week
Over 200 Saffron Walden golfers turned out to support their Captains and celebrate golf during the traditional Captain's week at the Club.
Despite the threat of showers, most played in the dry and, while enjoying Pimms and a barbecue on offer at the half way house, still turned in respectable scores.
First to play last Friday, the Junior Texas Scramble saw Jamie Price, Charlie Carter, Josh Izod and James Hamilton take 1st place with nett 57, 3 ahead of Louis Martin, Ollie Jones and Toby Izod with nett 60.
On Saturday it was the turn of the men, where, in a close fought competition, Derek Thompson won with 42 points on countback from Thomas Wild, with David Burt 3rd with 41 points.
On Sunday a great day of mixed golf was won by Mervyn and Jane Waite with 46 points ahead of second placed John and Stephanie Penkethman with 43 points.
Finally on Tuesday the ladies turned out in force to join Lady Captain Jaine Fieldhouse in celebrating her captaincy. Winners of the team competition were Ann Clackson, Vicky Rutherford and Sue Ward with 82 points from Mary Toll, Sue Amiss and Fiona McKeating with 76 on countback from Justine Voss, Morag Hutcheon and Sarah Smith.
Southall rescues Walden at St Neots
A trip to St Neots in the CAGU Div 1 has often been the graveyard of many scratch teams over the years. This year was no exception, and with a few holes left it could have been for the Walden boys. The brilliance of Richard Southall and Callum Brookes over the closing two holes made it a respectful 4-2 away loss that gives the team a big chance of success in the last game of the season.
Southall and Brookes opened up against Davie and Mynott. Southall kept Walden in the game early on with some par saving putts. They reached the 17th tee 1 down. Brookes hit his best drive of the day slightly right of the fairway, and St Neots found the trees. St Neots recovered, as they did so all round and found the green. Southall then managed to fade his approach iron to 10ft. Brookes holed the putt for birdie and St Neots only made par. So 1 down going into the 18th.
Southall pulled his drive into the trees and St Neots found the middle of the fairway. Brookes hit a provisional again left. Captain Goodman, in the trees, watched as Southall's ball hit the trees and dropped down within a few feet of the out of bounds leaving Brookes with wedge over the trees to the green. St Neots found the green. Brookes, with his new found confidence, hit his wedge over the trees and pitched 6 inches from the hole but ran out 15ft past. St Neots parred and Southall lined up the putt. If there is any one under pressure who could deliver, it was Southall and he truly rammed it home for a birdie. A 1 hole victory for Walden..
You can see the putt on twitter @waldenscratch.
This win was so important as Olly Tuck and Mark Reeve lost 4 down to Cousins and Meeds. Ian Macdonald and Spencer Burlingham lost 3 down to Bradford and Fitch.
Graham Goodman captain said: "In all the years of playing and watching scratch league golf, I have never seen a win like that by Richard and Callum. To turn that around after being down during the match was beyond belief. This sets us up now for a finale against our old adversaries Gog Magog next week".
Other results:
Brampton Pk 4 - Ramsey 2
Table
SW - 27pts
Brampton Pk - 24
Ramsey - 23
Gog Magog - 16
St Neots - 12
Remaining fixtures:
Gog Magog v SW
Ramsey v St Neots
St Neots v Gog Magog
Seniors' Captain Charity Day
A perfect summer's day was granted to 44 players who took part in the seniors' Captain Charity Day on Monday, 4 July. The 18 hole competition for the day was a 4Ball with the best two scores counting and was won by the team of Bill Hall, Chris Martin, Geoff Mansfield and Jon Sams.
Other activities during the day included a putting competition, beat Callum on the 18th, where only three players were nearer to the pin than him, a raffle and an auction for 18 holes at a couple of local courses.
Three ladies (Geraldine Still, Annette Chapman and Tricia Moss) ran the halfway house supplying lots of goodies (and Pimms) for the eager golfers.
All in all a fabulous day was had by everyone with lots of laughter and fun.
Of course the overall objective of the day was to raise as much as we could for our nominated charity Support4Sight and where the generosity of everyone allowed us to make…..OVER £900…a tremendous effort.
Saffron Walden Ladies edge closer to County Jean Wilkinson semi final
A brilliant away result at St Neots by Saffron Walden Ladies Jean Wilkinson Team put them in a strong position to reach the semi-finals later this year. After completing all their matches, SW have 32 points. Newmarket have 14 and St Neots 10.
The ladies have a frustrating wait, as their progress depends on the outcome of the home and away matches between Newmarket and St Neots.
After ten holes four of our players were down in their matches including Barbara Nicoll who had been one down for most of the match until she chipped in on the 15th (par five) for a birdie, and then parred 16 (par three) to be one up; after 17 she finally won the 18th to finish one up.
Paula Munns went three up on the back nine, but her opponent fought back until she was only 1 up coming up the 17. Paula then sank a putt for par on the 17th to win the match.
Similarly, Sue Gunter sank a long putt on the 17th to close her match, winning 3-1 and Sue Ward had a fantastic 8 up with 6 to play victory.
Division 3 and High Handicappers meeting - Success for Lesley and Rosemary
Saffron Walden's Lesley Hann took full advantage of her local knowledge to clinch top spot in the Division 3 meeting and to claim the Long Handicap Cup. After the recent heavy rain, the Saffron Walden course was in perfect condition to provide a good challenge to the competitors.
The day started off in warm but overcast conditions with a light breeze and Lesley put together an excellent round of golf to score 36 points. Second place went to Penny Ackerman (Saffron Walden) with 35 points with Bourn's Barbara Thomson in third place with 32 points.
In the competition for the High Handicap Shield (Handicap 36) Gog Magog's Rosemary Lane took top spot with 29 points from second placed Judith Macleod (Saffron Walden) who scored 26 points.
Junior British Legion Match
On Saturday, 3 July, the Junior section had a home match against Burstead Golf Club.
Well done to the team of Richard Hall, Louie Martin, Josh Izod and Alex Sparrow as they won 1 up overall to progress to the next round.
Watch this space to find out how they get on.
