Competitions
Competitions
Clapham Common – Rd 1 v Iver Golf Club
Result: Win by 11 points
Home team (+16)
Rob Urquhart & Richard Owen
Toby Hunt & Dave Winter
David Marsh & Jason Loubser
Away team (-5)
Jon Cooper & Phil Flanagan
Ian Smith & Nick Heale
Graeme Syme & Tim Meyer
RPGC started the year with a stonking victory over Iver Golf Club. The format is teams of six on the home course and six on the away course playing greensomes stableford. The total points for both teams are added up home and away and the most points overall wins.
Getting 12 players for the Bank Holiday weekend was no easy task, and I would like to thank all of you who turned out and did such a sterling job. Iver is a tricky 9 holer and your Captain made his first big mistake by encouraging the team to practice on the very fast putting green. The Iver team sat in the clubhouse and watched the lambs practice putting, knowing this was the only green not sanded and hollow tined, ensuring three putts for most players for the first six holes!
The away team fielded two new members to ‘team golf’ in Nick Heale and Graeme Syme. Graeme partnered Tim Meyer and achieved a very creditable 28 points, whilst Nick carried – I mean played with – Ian and also achieved 28 points. I played with Phil Flanagan, who decided this was a good day to try out his new spectacles. I now know what ‘astigmatism’ means, the glasses having an inbuilt bias for all putts of 5 feet to the right. Suffice it to say I would not park next to Phil for the next week or two until he gets used to them. It did, however, provide me with a ‘first’ as Phil started to ask me to read his putts for him. Hitherto, no-one has ever let me read anything for them, including the local rules. Phil and I three putted our way to a stunning 29 points. Overall, we lost away to Iver by 5 points. We then waited an hour for the home team results (a three and a half hour round at Iver – really!).
Eventually the results came through. Our secret weapon – Richard Owen and Robert Urquhart – had burned up the course with 39 points – a massive 14 more than their playing partners. Dave Marsh and Jason Loubser (another welcome new team player) beat their playing partners by three and Toby Hunt and Dave Winter met expectations with a reliable and hefty 35 points. Thanks to the away team holding on – and the home team winning by an amazing 16 points – the first round ended in a win for Richmond Park.
Whitewebbs – Team A Rd 1 At Portsmouth
Result: 2-3 Loss
Ladies Team A (Julie, Lia, Lorna, Sheena, Tracy) met Portsmouth in the 1st round of the White Webbs Competition. It was closely contested, with two matches halving, and these could easily have gone either way. Portsmouth won 3-2. Thank you to the team for a vigorous effort.
Boxing Day Sweep
A drizzly start was punctuated eventually by bright spells and the passage of a cold front heralding a colder easterly airflow.
In such conditions, Geoff Foreman returned 38 points with an impressive front nine 22 points. Pat King chased with 36 and Team Ludlow Ruffian Michael Hinks-Edwards claimed 3rd sweep prize with 34 points – and a welcome deposit towards the exciting 2006 Bournemouth Open week in June.
Three guests – Tom Mahoney, Peter Jagger and Tony Spicer – joined the festive round. Results…
Winter Competition Rd 3
LADIES
With a reduced field of only 6 ladies, Sheena Harrington won the Stableford competition with a very good score of 36 pts despite the frosty greens. Jan Oliver was 2nd with 31 pts and Lia Donath 3rd, also with 31 pts. Results…
After 2 rounds in the Prince’s Eclectic, Sheena continues to lead with net 74½. However, not far behind in 2nd is Lia on net 76 with Julie in 3rd on net 77½.
MEN
Keeping a six off his card (couldn’t you get a box of golf balls years ago?), Ole Leon-Martin breezed his way around with a net 61 gross 80 to collect 44 points. Ole’s winning margin was 4 from Tony Pickard and Geoff Foreman with Kerry Sargeant in 4th with 39 points. Results…
The balance of play against SSS 65/40 was such that CSS computed to 66/39. Men’s handicap list…
In the Winter Competition it’s still early days. With five rounds to go Richard Owen leads Geoff Foreman by 1.
In the Prince’s Eclectic, Richard has a commanding lead of 4 from Peter Harrington.
Captain’s Log
Captain David Marsh has issued his final monthly Log of the year. It’s available now online. More…
Christmas Hamper
The deserved and clear winner by 3 points is our Treasurer, Dave Williams who returned 40 points scored in frost and fog that came and went (possibly exacerbated by the fuel fire). Gurpal Sekhon and Tony Pickard challenged with 37 and 36 respectively. In the ladies section, Tracy Wright put in another sterling performance for 35 points. Results…
With at least 9 temporary greens, the event was of course a non-qualifier for handicapping purposes.
A warm portacabin fire welcomed all – along with some drinks refreshments ‘super-cooled’.
Monthly Medal
LADIES
Well done to Tracy Wright who with a net 68 earned her third consecutive monthly medal. In 2nd place was Jan Oliver with a net 74. Results…
This was a non-qualifying competition for handicap.
With only one round to go in the LGU Silver Medal, Tracy Wright has a virtually unassailable lead thanks to good performances in the last 3 monthly medals. In 2nd place is Sheena Harrington.
Again with just one round to go in the LGU Bronze Medal, Cheryl Woodhouse leads by 7 shots over Ann Gardner.
MEN
Bill McSorley clinched the medal with a barn-storming 61. A birdie at the first set the tone for the round and but for a 7 at 16 a 59 or lower was on the cards. Excellent scoring followed from Messrs. Fogarty, Sargeant and Eden with 63s and 64s, with special mention for Kerry with a level par 69. Results…
With 2 temporaries, the round was a non-qualifier. Men’s handicap list…
Champagne Chase
LADIES
Di Jackett romped away to win the Ladies’ Champagne Chase comfortably with 40 pts from Cheryl Woodhouse in 2nd on 37 pts. Sheena Harrington squeezed into 3rd place on 33 pts but only by a nose from Tracy Wright (best back 6 actually!). Results…
The CSS remained unchanged at 38 pts, unfortunately not enough to cut Di’s playing handicap.
MEN
Winner of the bottle of champagne was Peter Harrington with 41 well deserved points – closely followed a point behind by Ian Smith and Arthur Dolby. Results…
CSS remained at SSS 38 points and Peter earned a handicap reduction to 12 (the only playing handicap change). Men’s handicap list…
Leader of the Prince’s Eclectic is confirmed as Richard Owen and Tim Meyer’s hole-in-one is depicted as ‘the golden shot’.
Richard also heads the Winter Competition leader board.
Winter Competition Rd 2
LADIES
18 provisional greens posed no problems to Sheena Harrington who was the clear winner in the Ladies Stableford competition with 34 points. In 2nd place, after several week’s break from golf due to injury (beware the injured golfer!) was Lia Donath on 32 points. Results…
This was a non-qualifying competition for handicap due to the aforementioned provisional greens.
Sheena takes an early lead in the Prince’s Eclectic on net 81½ with Julie Smith in second on net 85½.
MEN
Playing on 18 temporary greens due to frost, Richard Owen put together a 6 over par round which included 4 birdies for a total of 46 points! In 2nd place was Peter Harrington on 43 pts with Jason Loubser two points further adrift in 3rd. A special mention to Tim Meyer who was helped to 4th place with a hole-in-one at the 10th hole! Results…
There are no handicap changes since this was a non-qualifying round. Men’s handicap list…
Richard Owen has taken a strong lead in the Winter Competition after 2 rounds played (84 points), nine ahead of Jason Loubser in 2nd with Tim Meyer and Peter Harrington joint 3rd on 74 points.
The Prince’s Eclectic results will be available when Paul returns from holiday!
Winter Competition Rd 1
LADIES
Proving that several weeks’ break from golf doesn’t necessarily harm your game, Di Jackett won the first round of the ladies’ Dukes Eclectic with 33 points, with Jini Beacham one point behind in second. Results…
Since the scores were relatively low, this was a Reduction Only round for handicap.
Only 3 ladies – Sheena, Jini & Cheryl – managed to complete all the holes for the Eclectic. Sheena currently leads on net 86.5 (off half handicap).
MEN
Graeme Syme put together a solid opening Winter Competition round winning on 41 points, two ahead of Toby Stevenson and Dave Williams. Results…
Reflecting the benign conditions, scoring was generally good, elevating CSS to 39 from 38. Men’s handicap list…
There was a fair sprinkling of birdies in the first round of the Duke’s Eclectic. On top at present are Paul Appleton and Dave Williams on 71.5 after half handicap allowance.