While Europe were busy showing the world how to play team golf in the foursomes and fourball at The Ryder Cup, the juniors at Bury St Edmunds Golf Club competed for The Michaelmas Bowl, also a foursomes event.
One of the major tournaments of the year at Bury, the alternate shot format not only adds a little pressure to proceedings, but gets the juniors ready for stepping up to county junior and adult team competitions, which are often played using the foursomes format.
If you are looking for models of consistency in junior golf, then the 13-year-old pairing of Hugh Oliver and Edward Cobbald is a great place to start.
Hugh Oliver and Edward Cobbald were triumphant at Bury St Edmunds Golf Club Picture: Simon Byford
Hugh is a 9 index and Eddie 12. and while the boys may not overpower the golf course from the back tees just yet, what they may lack in power they more than make up for in repeatability.
They tore the field apart, returning 37 points, which was a fantastic score on a wet and windy day.
Shae Baldwin and Luke Lisney same in second on 31 points, with Max Watson and Sam Everett in third.
It was also that time of year at Bury St Edmunds where the past captains hold their events.
First up was the Jim Bright Salver, which is played for by past men’s captains of the club. On the day it was a close affair with only one shot separating the top four players.
Paul Glasswell had the assistance of The Count to come out on top, his 36 points deemed to be superior to that of Stephen Beahan. The Count also deciding that Garry Clark’s 35 was ahead of Guy Lesser in fourth place.
The Ladies’ Past Captains Cup does not adorn the name of its founder, although it was inaugurated by A Merris in 1976.
Again the criteria of entry is to be a former captain, and Judy Hamshere scored the round of the day returning 34 points to top the leaderboard. Debbie Anthistle was second on 32, with Sandra Reed third on 31.
Haverhill GC
Lyn Fish continued her recent run of fine form by winning the Lady Captain’s Cup this week.
Her nett 69, however, was matched by Linda Alexander and Anne Reed, which required The Count to swoop in to calculate that Lyn was the winner, with Linda settling for second and Anne third.
The Haverhill seniors held their Summer Meeting, which again was a close affair.
Richard Baker had the round of the day, scoring 42 points, which was good enough for a one-shot victory over Andy Howard on 41, with Anthony Moseley third on 40 points.
There was also a Midweek Stableford, which won by James Farenden on 40 points. Christopher Williams was second on 38 and Russell Gritty third on 36.
Thetford GC
Thetford’s Scratch team have enjoyed an amazing season this year.
Playing in a national competition – the Elite Scratch – the team finished top of their regional pool, one that included teams across the region, including Bury St Edmunds GC.
In 2022. Thetford finished top of this league, as had Bury last year, and this year’s triumph meant they qualify to meet other league winners across the country in a knockout competition.
In their national quarter-final match, the Thetford squad played a very high-quality team from Addington Palace. Played at home, the Thetford team always had the edge and ran out winners in a high-quality, and low scoring match.
Thetford then advanced to the semi-final to play Woburn away from home. Always a tough team and venue, indeed Woburn were the team who previously knocked Thetford out of this
competition in 2022.
Again, Woburn draw from a very strong squad, and played Thetford over the very tight Duchess Course, one that really does provide home advantage.
In the end the Woburn team was too strong and Thetford were well beaten.
Their team captain Luke du Plooy said: ‘I’m very proud of this team. It was the furthest the club have ever progressed on this national stage and we fully intend to build on this next year with our elite players.”
Meanwhile, the final of the Ladies’ Handicap Knockout was played on Saturday between Paula Claxton and Carmen Batty.
With the weather set fair, it was a Claxton who raced to a fast start, 3up after four holes. Batty pegged the match back winning the 12th and 13th holes, however Claxton was dormy 4up standing on the 15th tee.
Despite losing this hole the match finished on Thetford’s iconic 16th hole with Claxton triumphant.
The Suffolk GC
There was just two competitions this week at The Suffolk, the first of which was a Midweek Medal. That saw Barry Franklin return a nett 75 for the best score of the day, while Trevor Wright used The Count’s calculations to finish second ahead of James Laflin as the pair both scored nett 76.
There was also a Seniors’ Fun Day, in which Andrew Rudd enjoyed himself the most, finishing top of the pile on 33 points.
Just one shot back on 32 was Nick Rippington and Roger McGann one shot further adrift on 31.
Lark Valley GS
The Lark Valley Golf Society held its curtain-closing event of the year – the Captain’s Cup – at Felixstowe.
It is traditionally a ‘Trilby Day’ with all players invited to don a trilby for their round. This proved rather difficult at Felixstowe as the sea breeze had other ideas, but meant for some comical moments as hats were removed from heads unceremoniously!
On the day Ian Turner blew the field away with 40 points. There was also success for Nigel Bryant, albeit with the help of The Count, to win the Men’s Division 1 on 37 points, from Stephen Rout on the same score.
Men’s Division 2 went to Ray Burns, who pipped Ray Keil by just one point, 32-31.
Michelle Gough took the Ladies’ prize on 26 points, with Sheila Burns in second.
It was an excellent day for the Burns family as Ray Burns also picked up the season-long Golfer of The Year award.
