Senior Men’s Golf Chair’s Report
Like other parts of the golfing community at Roehampton Club, the seniors have been playing with four temporary greens over the past month. This has made some holes, the 6th and the 15th in particular, considerably easier despite the difficulty of putting on the ‘fairway’ greens. This was put into perspective for some of us when we played a home match against Malden where the overall condition of the course was much appreciated. The Malden match yielded a victory for our team, very welcome in a season of few wins!
Recent Competitions
On 17th July, we played a team Stableford competition with a mulligan for each player. Congratulations to the team of Nigel Brown, Martin Waller, Gilbert Ellacombe and John Tyrwhitt who won with a four ball adjusted 81 points. The runners up were Kristoffer Huldt, Martyn Ryan, Gavin Tingle and David Moss with a 4-ball adjusted 77 points.
The following week, we played a team Stableford competition with Joker. This allows each player to double their points score on a hole chosen before teeing off. Well done to Gavin Tingle, Egbert Veldman and Chris Cowan who won with a magnificent score of 102 points. The runners up were Quentin Robey, Peter Sabine, Martin Waller and Giles Clark with a four ball adjusted 100 points.
On 31st July, the competition was a team Stableford with yellow ball. In this format, the player with the yellow ball on each hole doubles their points total. A team of Andrew Long, Tony Durrant and Egbert Veldman won the competition with 116 points. The runners up were Les Barlow, John Trotter and Erik Van Meeteren with 108 points.
Finally, yesterday we played a team Stableford competition in which players were allowed only to use four clubs and a putter. I chose this format because of concern that the course would be difficult with four temporary greens. Though this did not prove to be the case, it was interesting to have to improvise shots where the appropriate club was not in the bag.
Nigel Brown, Donald McKenzie and Evert-Johan Schenk won on countback with a total of 83 points. The runners up on countback were a team of four, comprising Danny Gesua, Terry Dillon, Chris Cowan and John Tyrwhitt also with a four ball adjusted 83 points. We had a field of 29 players which is a splendid turnout for the holiday season.
John Ling Salver
Our over 55s team is currently competing in the John Ling Salver competition, having previously lost in the main trophy competition. As a recent winner of the Salver, our team is always keen to do well. We were drawn away at Addington Court. Captain Nigel Brown reports:
‘We won the match 3-2, all matches going to at least the 17th and experiencing lots of ups and downs. We had had to rearrange the team a couple of times as well due to illnesses.
Roy Martin and Nigel Brown were 3 down with 6 to play after being hit by numerous gross birdies from their opponents on the front nine, before Roy had a crucial birdie of his own on the 13th which triggered a great fightback, and we won on the 18th.
Simon Culliford and Danny Gesua had both reconnoitred the course on the previous day and used their knowledge and skill to keep ahead throughout their match and win 2 and 1.
They then went out on their golf buggy to support John Fooks (who had been called into the team only on Thursday morning) in his sole and heroic quest to take his match up the 19th and onward, after he and Simon Lucas had halved their match and poor Simon had to leave and get home. The valiant John halved the 19th and then won the 20th against the shell-shocked Addington pair!
A big shout out to all the team; as I said, all matches were close. We are now in the quarter final, to be played at home to Bletchingley Golf Club, with the match having to be played by 6th September.’ Well done to all, especially to Nigel for his leadership.