Richard Owen
Richard Owen
NAPGC Ballantyne Trophy, National Semi-Final
Richmond Park played their National Semi-Final pairs matchplay against Royal Epping Forest golf club at Haste Hill golf course (neutral venue) and won 3:0. The team now play at the NAPGC National Finals Day at Winter Hill golf club on Saturday September 6th.
Most of the team had a practice round at Haste Hill on the eve of the semi-final, which helped significantly, particularly with the difficult front 9 holes.
Our first pair (Paul Green & Mel Dunn) had a comfortable 6&5 win against their low-single-figure-handicap opponents. Game 2 was a lot closer but was closed out “1up” on the 18th hole by Adrian Wells & Julian James. Our 3rd pair (Gerard Ouattara & Richard Owen) went ahead on the 2nd hole, again against low handicap opponents, steadily built up a 4-up lead over the front 9, and finished on the 16th hole with a 4&2 win.
Round 4, Ballantyne Trophy 2025
On the final day of a heatwave, the Richmond Park team played Wycombe Heights B (last year’s Ballantyne Trophy winners) on Stockley Park golf course – a ‘neutral’ course, as this was the Regional Final. The result was a slow and hard-fought 2:1 win for Richmond Park. The next round is the National Semi-Final, to decide who plays at NAPGC Finals Day.
Our first pair (Paul Green and Mel Dunn) were soon trailing against stiff opposition and the match closed out with a 5&4 win for Wycombe. Our second pair (Adrian Wells and Julian James) were also soon trailing 3 down but gradually reeled their opponents in and finished 2 up. Our third pairing (Richard Owen and Gerard Ouattara) got off to an explosive start with 4 birdies on the first 3 holes and were 4 up after 4 holes. However, by the 10th hole the match was all square and over the back 9 the score alternated between all square and 1up to Richmond Park. Gerard’s par on the 17th took us to 1up (and the ‘half’ secured), and Richard’s long 2 putt par on the final hole secured the win.
Hawtree, Round 3 Regional Final
On a heatwave day, the Richmond Park team played Easthampstead for a place at NAPGC Finals Day in September. It was an extremely close match which Richmond Park won 152:151 combined stableford points.
The away pairings of Sheena Harrington & Paul Green and Susan Smith & Mel Dunn both scored 37 points in their greensomes matches, to their opponents 34 points – so 6up Away (after a very long 5.5 hour round). At Home, on the Duke’s course, the RPGC pairing of Brendan Sullivan & Jayne Maxwell scored 44 points to Easthampstead’s amazing 46 points and in the other match RPGC’s Cheryl Woodhouse & Richard Owen scored 34 points to their opponents 37 points. So now it’s the Final at Winter Hill golf course on Saturday September 6th.
NAPGC Mitchell Thompson Qualifier 2025
Richmond Park fielded a team of 8 players (4 pairs) in this year’s seniors Mitchell Thompson qualifier at Stockley Park golf course, against 5 other teams from Basildon, Huntswood, Brent Valley, Farnham Park and Southsea golf clubs. The format was greensomes and the weather conditions were “heatwave 33 deg. C !!). Richmond Park were represented by Brett Colley & Mike Jones, Paul Green & Chris Jones, Russell Stewart & Adrian Wells and Richard Owen & Gerard Ouattara. Our combined score of 133 stableford points put us in 3rd place with the winners being Farnham Park (140 points). Top scorers for RPGC were Paul & Chris on 39 points, equally the best of the day. Only Farnham Park progress to Finals Day in September.
Horton Park match, Home leg
Six pairs from Horton Park Golf Club visited Richmond Park for the inaugural 4BBB match between the two clubs. The match was played on the Duke’s course in warm but overcast conditions, with a little occasional light rain. The Richmond Park team, all kitted out in yellow shirts (some brand new !), were Alan Treacy & Richard Back, Richard Owen & Manny Rasores, Joe Goncalves & Maher Sharma, Sunny Lall & Sajid Khan, David Grace & Will Balakrishnan and Gerard Ouattara & Cliff Morgan.
After the first 3 games had finished the result was not looking good for our home team (Horton 2.5 points : 0.5 points RPGC), however our final 3 pairs all came in with wins, making the overall result a win for Richmond Park, RPGC 3.5 points : 2.5 points Horton Park.
The match was played in a competitive but friendly atmosphere and the teams enjoyed pizza and chips in the clubhouse afterwards. The return fixture at Horton Park will be on Saturday September 13th (a week before the return leg at Rickmansworth).
Midsummer Trophy
Another hot, dry day with little wind and feeling humid – max 26 degrees but it felt warmer.
Today’s clear winner was Kim Jabbour who took advantage of the cooler early morning temperatures – in fact 3 of the six ‘early starters’ scored in the top 5. Kim’s winning score (44 points, gross 86) was the best of his 20 rounds with us, since getting his handicap in March, and earned him and ESR of -1. He had 21 points out (with one blob) and 23 points in.
Tied in second place on 41 points were Mike Jones and Seymour, Mike winning out on countback. Jonno McLean (40 points) and Joan Mulcahy (39 points and best lady) take 4th and 5th places. Well done to all the top 5. On the down side, many players found the round very slow, waiting for the group in front on every hole. There was no reason for this as there was ‘no-one’ holding up our mid-morning competition group and it was a stableford competition in 3-balls. Sweep pay-out was to the top 5 sweep entrants.
Round 3, Ballantyne 2025
The Richmond Park team entertained a very strong Tilgate Forest B team on the Prince’s course, on what was at times a breezy but very warm day. The result was a 2.5 to 0.5 win for Richmond Park, who will now play Wycombe Heights B in Round 4 (the Area Final).
Our first pair (Mark Bean and Brendan Sullivan) went 2 down after 9 and were still 2 down after 13. They then won holes 14, 15, 16, and 17 to finish 2&1 winners. Club captain Brendan had a very strong all round performance and was the player of the day.
Our second pair (Ray Esin and Mel Dunn) were also up against stiff opposition. After trailing for long periods of time, they had to dig deep to finally draw their match demonstrating a never give up approach to their game against a strong pairing.
Our third pair was made up of Justin Wildman and Russell Stewart. They found themselves 2 down after 2 holes and despite one of the opposing players losing the head of his club on the second, his tee shot still ran to the back of the green from where he managed to win the hole. Hanging on until the 7th Justin, got one back, then Russell got another back at the 8th. From that point it was tight and the low handicap player from Tilgate had 4 birdies. However taking advantage of the shots given the Richmond park pair closed it out on the 18th, winning by 2 holes.
The games were played in a very competitive but convivial atmosphere and the teams enjoyed drinks and pizza together on the veranda after play.
Friday Sweep
The rounds started in hazy sunshine and slightly more humid conditions than the previous heatwave days but the high clouds cleared by midday and it was another very hot day. With rock hard fairways, good tee shots ‘ran a mile’ but the greens and approaches were is great condition, due to their daily watering.
Charles Haines and Tom Laybourn were both in great form and tied at the top with 40 points. However Charles was the winner on countback (18 out, 22 back); Charles had a ‘purple patch’ in the middle of his round with birdies on the 9th, 10th and 12th – his birdie 3 on the 10th being a 60 yards ‘chip in’.
Tom had 22 out and 18 points in, with birdies on the 6th (a 25 yards chip in) and the 12th. Tom drove the back of the 9th green in 2 but only par’d the hole. Also, a better last 3 holes and he could have won with 44 points – that’s what pressure does to you!
Third place finds Seymour with 37 points (20 out and 17 in), continuing his steady, resurgent form. Without sluggish scores on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes he could have been challenging for top spot.
Easiest holes yesterday were the 9th and 12th and most difficult were the 7th and 8th (as usual). Lee Frost still leads the Friday Birdie Tree on 10, with Simon McKnight and Richard Owen sharing 2nd place on 8. Richard also narrowly missed out on an eagle 2 on the 17th by leaving his putt 9 inches away !
Rickmansworth match, Home Leg
The first leg of our annual match against Rickmansworth was played on a warm but overcast day and the Ricky team came with a strong team to avenge the 5-0 drubbing they suffered last year at the park. The rain held off long enough for the first 4 matches to finish in the dry but the heavens opened as the final 2 matches were finishing.
The match result swung one way and then the other as the scores came in but finished as a 3:3 draw. The winning pairs for RPGC were Alan Treacy & Craig Johnstone, Joe Gonclaves & Gerard Ouattara and Richard Back & Peter Harrison. So, much work to do to retain the cup, when we go over to Rickmansworth for the away leg of match, in its 60th anniversary year.
Hawtree, Rounds 1 and 2
The Richmond Park team met Portsmouth in Round 1 of this mixed greensomes competition and had a narrow win by 3 points (156 vs 153). The away team was Sheena Harrington & Paul Green and Joan Mulcahy and Joe Goncalves and the home side Cheryl Woodhouse & Justin Wildman and Jayne Maxwell & Brendan Sullivan. The home side both scored 40 but still lost by 2, but the away team outscored their opponents to see us through.
In Round 2 we played against Hoebridge and had another win, this time by 5 points (159 vs 154). Our ‘away’ team of Sheena Harrington & Paul Green and Caroline Stilwell & Mel Dunn scored a very creditable 77 points (to Hoebridge’s 79); at home, on the Duke’s course, our team of Cheryl Woodhouse & Richard Owen and Joe Goncalves & Joan Mulcahy scored 82 points (to Hoebridge’s 75). The matches were played in a very competitive but friendly spirit on a gloriously warm day.