Competitions
Competitions
June Monthly Medals
Women
Our third monthly medal of 2026 but with only 50% of the players (12 in May & 11 in April).
Not the nicest of days with the wind that was pretty strong at times but at least it didn’t rain. However, the combination of wind and the rain of the last week contributed to the less than optimal scores today. The ball was definitely not running as it was a fortnight ago, when we were last on Prince’s.
Not quite the same stellar performance from Lia that she showed midweek but with her better back 9 it was sufficient to pip Bella for the win – both net 73s
Men
A dry but cloudy day with moderate south westerly wind. The rain that we have had over the first week of June has ‘greened up’ the course and the bounce and run of May has largely subsided. Only one player in Division 1 beat Par (Henry L-B) and just 3 players in Division 2 – out of a total of 56 players.
Congratulations to:
Division 1
1st Henry Lindesay-Bethune (67)
2nd Nick Rogers (68)
3rd Sam Goodchild-Way (68)
4th Nigel Ward (68)
Division 2
1st Dennis Keough (63)
2nd Gregory Jean-Baptiste (65)
3rd Seymour Laird (66)
After 4 rounds of the Grand Medal (report below) , Gavin Laniger leads from Kerry Sargeant (although only 4 members have played 4 rounds) and in Division 2, David Grace has a commanding lead – although it’s early days!
NAPGC Ballantyne Round 3
The Richmond Park B team played their 3rd round match against Portsmouth on a very windy and occasionally wet day on the Duke’s course. All the games were close against determined opponents, however Richmond Park won 2:1 and move to the Area Finals next.
Our first pair of Richard Back & Peter Harrison were looking good at 2up with 3 holes to play but Portsmouth birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th to win 1up. Our second pair of captain Richard Owen & Angus Robertson went 1 down on the first and couldn’t get back to evens until the 8th hole, courtesy of a Par by Angus. Richard then won the 10th, 11th and 12th, and Angus won the 13th, so 4 up with 5 to play. Richard then halved the 14th and 15th holes to give the team a 4&3 win. Our final pair of Iker Lanzagorta & Aiden Hurley also went 1 down on the first and stayed 1 or 2 shots down until Aiden won the 14th to make it All Square. The team then won the 16th and 17th holes to give a 2&1 win.
Mitcham Friendly – 1st leg
Played on what turned out to be the last of the mini heatwave days the match was the away leg at Mitcham. The Mitcham bounce was in evidence after this period of dry weather so there was also a lot of run on the ball.
Richmond came away with a 2-1 lead with victories for Alison & Kelly (2&1) and Donna & Nida (5&3). The pairing of Sheena & Doreen lost on the 18th. It was good to see Mitcham able to field a team of 6 again after last year when they could only find 3 to play.
As ever it was played in a very friendly spirit and we were supplied with sandwiches & chips afterwards but the hot weather suppressed many appetites!
NAPGC Ballantyne, Round 2
Following a concession by Addington Court in Round 1 (couldn’t raise a team !) the Richmond Park B team played Tilgate Forest B at Richmond Park (Duke’s) on a hot Saturday afternoon and won 2:1, to move to Round 3 (for the 3rd year in a row). The match was played in a friendly, but very competitive atmosphere, and was anyone’s match till the 17th hole of the final group’s game.
Richard Back and Peter Harrison were Richmond’s first pair out and took complete control early on, finally winning out 7&6 with 3 birdies on the front 9 and a level par score for the 12 holes played. Our second pair (Richard Owen and Gerard Ouattara) went 2 down after 3 but were back level after 5 holes. However, the Tilgate captain, playing off 13, only dropped 3 shots to par on the front 9 and so they were back to 2 up after 9 holes and the match was closed out on the 16th green as a 4&2 loss. Our third pair out (Iker Lanzagorta and Nick Rogers) had a close match all the way, level after 14 holes but securing a 2&1 win on the 17th green.
NAPGC Siemens Bowl
Richmond Park’s progress in the Siemens Bowl has rarely been straightforward, and our opening two rounds of the 2026 competition offered further evidence that this competition seldom grants comfort. It serves only to show that perseverance, more than anything else, carries teams forward.
Hennerton 3rd May — A Narrow Win in Heavy Conditions
The opening tie against Hennerton was shaped long before a ball was struck. Torrential rain the previous day had left the course soft underfoot, the greens holding but unpredictable, and the fairways offering little run. It was a day for patience rather than panache.
Away from home, Alex and Sean produced a measured performance, edging their match 40–39. It was the sort of away result that matters in this format — not spectacular, but valuable. Alongside them, Julian and Cuneyt, it was a match that never quite broke free, settling at 43–43 — an impressive result for both teams, and an outcome for a contest defined by the smallest of margins. Back at Richmond Park, conditions were marginally kinder. Tony and Richard controlled their match from the outset, winning 40–33, while David and Jonno were edged out 35–32 in a fixture that turned on a handful of putts.
Once the arithmetic was settled , Richmond emerged with a narrow but deserved 155–150 win — a reminder that we had been tested, and had just about done enough to come through.
Brent Valley 30th May— Heat, Pressure and a Strong Away Showing
If Hennerton was a study in resilience, Brent Valley was a test of endurance. The heat was unrelenting, the air heavy, and the fairways firming by the hour.
Alex and Sean, again on the road, found themselves 3 points down at the turn, their opponents adapting more quickly to the pace of the greens. But as the temperature rose, so did Richmond’s resolve. The pair steadied, then surged, turning deficit into a 4‑point victory as Brent Valley faded late on.
Cuneyt and Tony were more assured, winning 43–36 with a performance built on consistency and some impressive shot making.
At home, Julian and Rob delivered a masterful 10 point win, while Jonno and David held their nerve for a narrow 2‑point success.
The final margin, 153–130, brought a sense of tired relief more than anything else, though a win by thirteen points in this competition is no small feat. It reflected a long, draining day in which Richmond simply kept going and were rewarded for it.
Wycombe Heights Awaits — 4 July
We now move on to Wycombe Heights, where the challenge will be different again. The margins will tighten, the pressure will rise, and the competition will demand more of the same resolve that has carried us this far.
Midweek May Plate
Another hot and sunny day made more more pleasant by a cooling breeze. The ground is still dry and running and the scoring was good.
Two players topped the leader board with 37 points with Chris Rudkin edging out Julian James on countback by having scored 20 points on his back nine. Peter Fisher in 3rd scored 36 points but could only manage 15 on the back nine after scoring 21 on the front. Tom Simpkins and Brian Ransom each scored 34 points but Tom won on countback with 17 on the back nine to take 4th place.
Spring Bank Holiday Plate & Women’s Committee Cup Rd2
Committee Cup
Congratulations to Ellie for winning her first major comp with us – I’m sure there will be many more to come Ellie! and to Jenny for her 34 points yesterday and only losing out by 1 point overall… total scores 66 to Ellie & 65 for Jenny.
It is fair to say that no one apart from Jenny shone in the sun with scores being somewhat surprisingly low.
But there were 3 birdies yesterday which is probably our best day for them for some time.
Unusually this leg was held in conjunction with the plate so all playing today figure in the plate results below.
Plate
Unusually for a Bank Holiday weekend the sun shone but it didn’t inspire many to great things.
Rannesh with his 38 points took over the lead from Kerry on 37 and as more of the scores from the following 3 games were entered, his confidence in a win increased and he left sure of it. If he’d waited another couple of minutes he would have seen PaulK’s 39 points going into the system.
So Paul won the plate, but Rannesh was still a winner as Paul doesn’t enter the sweep.
Founder’s Cup – J Hume (3 of 6)
No excuses with the weather, apart from a gentle to moderate breeze. The greens were fairly true. The fairways were patchy but it’s still preferred lies, so no excuse there either. Off the fairway, not always so easy.
For the men, scoring overall seems fairly equitable across white or yellow tees, but its noted the top two scores were white. One such score being from Martin Hay, who wins the day by a fairly comfortable 3 points. Really well done.
Ellie Rhodes and Gina Jillett were also at the top, although it was Gina with the rare eagle, on 18, and banking 5 points in the process. The assumption has to be an exquisite short wedge hole out.
In the Founders Cup series, after 3 rounds, Gina leads by one from Ellie, and they are both well clear of the rest, and will take some catching. – see attached.
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.