A warm, sunny early-autumn day greeted 23 players for the prestigious and hotly contested annual Club Championship—an 18-hole medal stroke-play competition played from the white tees. Following a rules briefing and group photograph, the first group teed off at 8.00 am. Although the fairways were a little dewy, this did not hamper the quality of play, and everyone got off to a strong start. One of the biggest surprises was just how green the fairways looked after the recent rainfall.
As the morning progressed, the fairways dried out and the more receptive ground contributed to some fantastic ball-striking. The competitive spirit prevailed, with the groups arranged in handicap order and everyone rising to the challenge.
One player, however, outshone the rest to claim a superb double victory in both the gross and nett competitions. Huge congratulations go to Paul Smyth, who recorded a gross score of 80 and a nett score of 69, finishing four shots clear of the field in the gross competition.
Club President Wendy Waite was invited to make the formal presentations.
Results
· Gross Champion: Paul Smyth — 80
· Gross, second place: Matt Wadey — 84
· Gross, third place: Shaun Malins
· Nett Champion: Paul Smyth — 69
· Nett, second place: Mike Robertson
· Nett, third place: Roger Newman
· Longest Drive: Roger Newman
· Nearest the Pin on the 8th: Bud Mercer
· Nearest the Pin in Two on the 12th: Darren Stevens
After play, everyone enjoyed a drink and a lively social atmosphere in the clubhouse, with plenty of banter and fun.
As always, our thanks go to Josh and the greenkeeping team for presenting the course in such excellent condition for the Championship, and to Niki, Emma and the team for looking after us so well in the clubhouse.
