2026
2026
Men’s Summer Cup & Women’s Committee Cup Rd1
Women
The author feels she inspired her playing partners today! With a healthy 3point lead to take into the 2nd leg of the Committee Cup, Ellie leads the way with 38 points. Niamh is in second place on 35 with Alison a further 2 back on 33.
Ellie started with a birdie and her score could have been so much better without the 2 pickups on 3 & 4.
It’s true to say there was a healthy range of scores out there today.
Men
A largely cloudy, overcast day but periodically warm, when the sun broke through. The Duke’s course was in generally good condition (except for the bunkers!), with slightly faster greens than of late and had clearly benefited from the rain over the past few days.
Although starting with a double bogey, Alan Treacy won the Summer Cup with a very solid round of 39 points (19 points out, 20 points in), with birdies on the 6th and 8th holes. Mark Bean’s 2nd place (also 39 points) was 20 out and 19 in, so very close. Three points back were Will Balakkrishnan (3 birdies) and Lee Frost. The remaining sweep winners were Nick Rogers, 5th (35 points) and Brian McMahon 7th (34 points).
Women’s Invitation
Eight mixed teams played the Women’s Invitation on the Duke’s course on a dry but sometimes windy day. The winners were Jayne Maxwell and Richard Back, scoring 40 points off their combined handicap of 10. Runners up were Alison Chadwick and Paul Green on 39 points followed by Ellie Rhodes and Maher Sharma on 37 points. Everyone enjoyed the American Greensomes format, staying dry and the pizza and chips afterwards.
NAPGC Ballantyne Trophy
Richmond Park entered two teams in the 2026 competition and the “A” team played their first (Round 2) match away at Bird Hills golf club. This is a 4 ball better ball matchplay format competition with 6 players (3 pairs from each team).
Our team captain Russell Stewart reported on the match, as follows:
“It has to be said that the course was in excellent condition and has undergone significant investment recently. The course benefits from improved drainage and tree surgery to open up airflow across the course and present a much dryer course in winter and during wet spells. A number of the greens are two tier and generally the course was interesting and enjoyable to play.
The RPGC A team players made up the following pairings – John Perkins & Russell Stewart (captain) , Alan Treacy & Craig Johnstone, with the last pair being Alan Boyd and Simon Russett.
Our first team out dominated their game losing the honour on only 1 of the 18 holes and eventually winning 5&3.
The second team were not so fortunate and the home advantage was exploited. Some long putts and taking advantage of handicap advantage, the Bird Hills team won 3&2.
Unfortunately it was a similar result for the last pairing who lost 4&3. The home pairing also clicked with one of them confessing to have played his best round since last year.
Our hosts were very friendly and the games were played in good humour, on a beautiful day for golf.”
Midweek May Medal (GM 3 of 8)
Rain, strong wind, hail, dead calm, sun, rain, hail, thunder, roughly in that order, then repeat…x 4. It was warmer in Helsinki, according to the Evening Standard.
The greens, at times, were slow to drain, and if unable to drop somewhere, required 62 degree wedges. The large puddle at front of 16 was particularly troublesome for otherwise good tee shots. Putting over a picturesque bed of hail stones was also taxing. Difficult to practice that one.
The early groups may have had it a bit easier.
Anyway, the two standout scores, overcoming the above, which comfortably beat the rest of the field, and both from the top division, were from Angus Robertson (lowest gross) and Sheena Harrington. Very well done. In the Grand Medal, Angus has a commanding lead (200 points) from a chasing pack of 3 players on 207 points (Julian James, Sheena and Richard Owen).
Top Net Scores as follows:
Division 1:
Angus Robertson: 65 (from 7)
Sheena Harrington: 65 (from 19)
Russell Stewart: 68 (from 12)
Toby Hunt: 68 (from 15)
Division 2:
Peter Fisher: 72 (from 24)
Graham Cull: 73 (from 22)
Peter Miller: 73 (from 26)
Iain Barbour: 74 (from 29)
Martin Hay: 77 (from 21)
Well done all…..for completing the round.
May Monthly Medals (& NAPGC Qualifiers)
Women
Tricky conditions out there today, what with the plunge in temperature from yesterday and the cold and pretty gusty wind which made clubbing a challenge at times (well it did me anyway). None of this helped by the speed, or lack, of play with rounds of 41/2 hours which is crazy for Prince’s.
Winner of the May medal was Joan with a net 67, followed by Sheena & Sali both on 68. Joan dropped just 6 of her shots on the front 9 leaving room for a more relaxed back 9. With both her & Sheena having the same gross, the system credited Sheena with the lowest one, presumably because her back 9 was better.
Men (GM 3 of 8)
Two words describe the weather : cold and windy. The leading scores in Division 1 were just higher than the par for the course (68), however David Grace and Toby Hunt managed to beat par (both 66). After 3 rounds of the Grand Medal, Brian McMahon leads on 216 points, followed closely by Gavin Laniger (217) and Kerry Sargeant (218).
Division 1
1st Maher Sharma 69
2nd Brian McMahon 69
3rd Nick Rogers 70
Division 2
1st David Grace 66
2nd Toby Hunt 66
Tony Kopczak 69
Founders’ Cup – E. Bailey
What a strange day weather-wise. In the sun the temperature was so reminiscent of a summer’s day, then it went in and early spring was more to mind. By the time the last groups of the day finished, evidence of sun had gone to be replaced by a pretty chilly wind – though the wind had been in residence for a lot of the time.
A few familiar names near the top again today but with a change of form from last week the top 2 places on 40 points went to Kim Jabbour and Peppe.It couldn’t have been much closer between them, both recording 21 out and 19 back but Kim took the honours on the back 3 holes.
It was noticeable that the only one man playing off the white tees in the top 20. He was in 5th spot.
Bank Holiday Plate
The largest Sunday field thus far in 2026 played the for the only Sunday bogey event in the fixture list & this despite it being a Bank Holiday weekend.
With the weather being somewhat nicer than forecasts were predicitng in the run up there were some very good scores recorded – along with those who’d probably like to forget the round!
Leader in the clubhouse for a lot of the day was Kerry, recording 7 up and being level par for the front 9 and 5 up against the course. As seems to happen fairly regularly, the winner came from the last game with Alex also recording 7 up. With (just) 4up after the front 9 his 3up on the back 9 means he will be the recipient of the Bank Holiday Plate.
Congratulations to the winners!
The Edward Cup
The weather presented something of a challenge to those taking part in today’s Edward Cup, in the form of strong and gusty winds. Nevertheless it remained fine and dry with both the fairways and greens playing quite fast.
First place goes to Jonathan Evans with 38 points followed by David Grace and Donna Wilson on 35.
Coronation Cup (Top Dog 1 of 7)
Perfect golf weather, course dry.
The Coronation Cup was won today by Richard Back with the lowest gross score of 69, 65 net, in a fantastic performance off a handicap of 4. He birdied 3, 4 and 5 and put in a fourth birdie on the par 5 ninth for a -1 front nine. In second was Deborah Potter, also on 65 net, and in third Paul Fulham, on 65 net too. Mike Shabani was fourth with a 66, Susan Smith fifth with a 67 and Giovanni Caboni 6th, also with a 67. Though two ladies came in the top 6 neither put in for the sweep.
Founders’ Cup – J. Davidson (Rd1 of 6)
We were blessed with a fine sunny day with a brisk cooling wind from the East. However the top 6 players all coped very well and bettered or equalled par. Brett Colley had the best gross score of 75 eight better than his playing handicap of 13 for 44 points. 5 points back was Billy Jackson with gross 82 on 39 points. Next was Simon McKnight with a gross 77 off 9 for 38 points beating Kevin Prendergast on countback also with 38 points, in 5th and 6th place are two ladies both on 36 points Gina Jillett and Ellie Rhodes.
The rest of us had a more challenging round but also most enjoyable .