February 2007
Doctor coup - By Jim Bray
DAVID Grieve conquered the atrocious underfoot and overhead conditions to win the fourth round of the veterans' Duckworth Salver at Tiverton Golf Club.The Tiverton doctor, a 10-handicapper, put in an excellent round to rack up 38 stableford points and head Tuesday's 36-strong field.
Roger Tucker (11) collected 35 points to secure second spot on a countback from third and fourth-placed Ken Wells (27) and Mike Hurley (10), and one behind them were Roger Norton (22) and Duncan Ferrier (27).
With the poor playing conditions and a trolley ban in place, the original field of 50-plus was reduced and many of those taking part finished the round thoroughly soaked. Twos were few and far between, with only Grieve, Tucker and Norton successful.
One player who found the going particularly difficult was Hugh Crowle, who discovered he had left his putter out of his golf bag and was forced to use a 4-iron instead. "It didn't work too well," he lamented.
The veteran who scores the most aggregate points in three of the event's five rounds will eventually win the salver, with the final event due to be played on Tuesday, March 20.
Val Walker (12), Shirley Ward (22) and Phyllida Dunn (14) all scored 25 points over 18 holes to finish joint first in the' ladies medalford competition on Wednesday, when 20 intrepid players braved the near gale-force winds to take part.
The front nine was stableford and the back nine medal, with the stableford points deducted from the medal score to give the total.
In the 11-hole competition, in which the front six was stableford and the back five medal, Chris Bacon (21) came first with seven points.
She started with an excellent stableford score of 15 after six holes as she beat runner-up Jackie Leonard (16), who finished on 11 points.
Early conclusion in Goblets - By Jim Bray
THE Mixed Goblets at Tiverton fell victim to the rain once again on Sunday, which meant the league stage had to be brought to a premature end.The semi-finals will see vice-captains Peter Boax and Gail Stuckey take on Richard and Amanda Moyes, while James Lambden and Jane Walton will go head to head with Gerry Franklin and Chris Williams.
There will be a greensomes stableford over 11 holes on Sunday, with all mixed pairs welcome to enter.
New Tiverton professional Tim Waldron and former club captain Neil Carthew moved through to the last 16 of the men's Winter Foursomes thanks to a last-hole victory over veterans Noel Thomas and David Neilson.
Nick Conabeare and Gary Aitchison saw off Joe Knowles and Chris Cardwell to book a second-round tie against Ian Binding and Kevin Harper.
The weekend's action was again washed out by persistent rain, so the deadline dates have been put back once more.
Five first-round matches must now be played by Sunday, with the last 16 by March 11, the quarter-finals by March 18, the semi-finals on March 24 and the final on March 25.
Updated second round draw: Top half - Andy Bolt/Mike Blackmore v James Lambden/Nick Kelland; Colin Taylor/Tony Lavery or Colin Baker/Jeremy Millett v Colin Carey/Ian Loudon or Chem Austin/Charlie Durnan; Matthew Woodgate/Kelvin Woodgate v Graham Dyson/Bill Tobin or Keith Williams/Lee Davey; Phil Moulding/Lloyd Sampson or Roy Ireland/John Sampson v Tim Waldron/Neil Carthew.
Bottom half - Peter Stuckey/Gerry Franklin v Derrick Barrett/Rod Wiltshire; Andy Lovell/David Curl v John Phillips/Ray McIntosh; Ian Binding/Kevin Harper v Nick Conabeare/Gary Aitchison; Peter Boax/Mark Sangster v Roger Norton/John Lyon or David Wright/Andy Brown.
The men's Yellow Ball stableford was cancelled on Saturday but the veterans were due to be playing their latest Duckworth Salver event on Tuesday while the ladies have a medalford competition on Wednesday.
Ladies deliver Mail win - By Jim Bray
TIVERTON’S ladies picked up a great 3½-1½ win at home to
Fingle Glen in their first match of the year to surge into the second round
of the Mail on Sunday competition.
Captain Charlotte
Snow led by example with a 3 and 2 victory while Lesley Crossley (8 and 7)
and Jo Lloyd-Davies (2 and 1) were also successful.
Sue Persey halved and Val
Walker lost 2 down but Tiverton weren’t to be denied a spot in the next
round, which will be played some time in March.
The ladies
returned to action in their February Stableford on Wednesday, 22 choosing to
play 18 holes and 15 opting to play 11 in a separate competition as there was
a trolley ban.
Three-handicapper
Hannah Grant won the Silver Division with 35 points, which included three
birdies at the 4th, 16th and 18th.
Anne Franklin also
had a birdie two on the 14th on her way to winning Bronze Division Two, also
with 35.
Results: 18-hole
competition: Division One – 1 Hannah Grant (35); 2 Sheila Ball (29). Bronze
Division One – 1 Chris Williams (35); 2 Shirley Ward (30). Bronze Division
Two – 1 Anne Franklin (35).
JAMES Lambden and Nick Kelland knocked 2006 finalists Alby Cruse and his son Rhys out of the men’s Winter Foursomes with a 2 and 1 victory in the first round at Tiverton on Saturday.
Kelland will, however, not meet his twin brother Simon in the last 16 after he and Jim Bray surrendered a 3 up lead after six holes to succumb 3 and 2 to a resurgent Andy Bolt and Mike Blackmore on Thursday.
Kelvin Woodgate and his son Matthew, the junior captain, held off Andy Brice and Nobby Clarke 1 up in the only other match played in the top half of the draw.
Peter Stuckey and Gerry Franklin saw off the other Woodgates, Lewis and Simon, to book an all-veteran tie against Derrick Barrett and Rod Wiltshire, who beat Neil Forward and Heath Ellis on the 13th.
Club caterer Andy Lovell, in the week of his 25th wedding anniversary, and pro David Curl edged past Eric Cole and Steve Hosford 1 up just before the Tuesday afternoon deluge and next face John Phillips and Ray McIntosh, who overcame Dominic Bristow and John Stuckey.
Ian Binding and Kevin Harper were too strong for Roger Millett and Dave Horn while Mark Sangster and Peter Boax were handed a walkover by Ian Maclure and Richard Colman.
The rest of the ties must be played by this Sunday, after the deadline was extended due to the recent bad weather, while the last 16 takes place the following weekend.
This year’s format is a first at Tiverton and was introduced to spruce up interest, with the leading eight pairs from four qualifying competitions then battling it out in matchplay.
Second round draw: Top half – Andy Bolt/Mike Blackmore v James Lambden/Nick Kelland; Colin Taylor/Tony Lavery or Colin Baker/Jeremy Millett v Colin Carey/Ian Loudon or Chem Austin/Charlie Durnan; Matthew Woodgate/Kelvin Woodgate v Graham Dyson/Bill Tobin or Keith Williams/Lee Davey; Phil Moulding/Lloyd Sampson or Roy Ireland/John Sampson v Tim Waldron/Neil Carthew or Noel Thomas/David Neilson.
Bottom half – Peter Stuckey/Gerry Franklin v Derrick Barrett/Rod Wiltshire; Andy Lovell/David Curl v John Phillips/Ray McIntosh; Ian Binding/Kevin Harper v Joe Knowles/Chris Cardwell or Nick Conabeare/Gary Aitchison; Peter Boax/Mark Sangster v Roger Norton/John Lyon or David Wright/Andy Brown.
The Mixed Goblets enters its final week of league action with Peter Boax and Gail Stuckey assured of winning the Yellow section. They are on seven points after beating David Simpson and June Carver 2 up.
In the Red group, Peter Garnsworthy and Sheila Ball notched a 3 up victory against Steve Bradley and his daughter Jessica.
In earlier matches weaved in around the bad weather, Gerry Franklin and ladies’ captain Chris Williams fended off Tony and Karen Allsopp 1 up in the White section while Alan Broom and Gina Churchill halved with Richard and Amanda Moyes in the same group.
Any outstanding league games must be played by the extended deadline of this Sunday, with the top team in each of the three groups and only one highest runner-up qualifying for the semi-finals.
The semis take place on March 4 and the final is on March 11, with a mixed greensomes stableford open to all on both days.
The men’s February midweek stableford will not be restaged after it was cancelled due to a waterlogged course last Monday. There is a Yellow Ball stableford for men not involved in the Winter Foursomes this Saturday.
The ladies return to action with a stableford on Wednesday after their Melody competition fell victim to the elements on Valentine’s Day while the veterans have their latest Duckworth Salver event next Tuesday.
A TOTAL of 84 members were on hand at Tiverton’s 74th AGM on Thursday to ratify the selections of Paul Steele as club vice-captain and Rosemary Perry as ladies’ vice-captain for 2008.
Paul joined Tiverton in 1994, was treasurer from 1998 to 2001, chairman of the greens committee in 2005 and has been the club chairman for the past 12 months.
Paul, who was proposed by current skipper Colin Hart and seconded by the Past Captains, told members: “I shall do my very best to be a good vice-captain in 2008 and captain for 2009.”
Rosemary, a former assistant secretary at the club, has played for the ladies’ Sheelah Creasy and Devon League teams and this year will organise and represent the President’s Trophy side.
The 19-handicapper is the current ladies’ competitions secretary.
“She has made an excellent job of this and it will be very difficult to replace her when she is captain,” said 2006 skipper Chris Williams, who seconded Rosemary’s proposal by the ladies’ committee.
“Rosemary will make an excellent ladies’ captain. I’m sure she will have lots of support and I wish her all the best for 2009.”
There was drama during the election of general committee members as several recounts were needed, along with a second vote, to confirm that David Simpson and Martin Mountstevens would be the two men to join the already selected trio of Mark Sangster, Sue Norris and Sue Probetts.
On his 46th day in office, Colin Hart was also able to divulge more details about the Festival of Golf week that will mark the club’s 75th anniversary.
The opening ceremony on Saturday, June 9 will feature Sir Ian Amory and the Mayor of Tiverton, followed by a barbecue and a jazz band.
There will be competitions for members every day and the festival climaxes with a special Braid’s Original event held on both Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16, when a band will close out the week.
Former captain Derek Aldridge will do a visual presentation, looking back to the club’s opening in 1932, and members have been encouraged to come forward immediately with relevant photos.
Colin said much work was being done behind the scenes to ensure the festival was a success.
He said: “It is going to be a good week and lots is going to happen. There will be something for everyone.”
THE incessant rain of the past week or so has forced Tiverton Golf Club officials to put back the deadlines for matches in their winter competitions.
The first round proper in the men’s Winter Foursomes was due to be completed by or on this Saturday but pairs now have until Sunday, February 25 to fulfil their fixtures, provided the weather doesn’t cause further disruption.
The last 16 has a deadline of March 4, the quarter-finals of March 11 and the semi-finals of March 18, with the final scheduled for Saturday, March 24.
The men’s team event last Saturday, the Daily Mail clash with Fingle Glen on Sunday and the February midweek stableford on Monday all fell victim to the elements, along with the ladies’ Melody competition on Wednesday.
The Daily Mail tie has been rearranged for this Sunday while the men’s stableford will not be restaged.
Sunday’s penultimate league round of the Mixed Goblets was also called off, so the competition will go into overtime to catch up with games lost due to the weather.
The final league date has been pushed back to February 25, with the semi-finals on March 4 and the final on March 11. There will be a greensomes stableford open to all on the same days as the semi-finals and final.
In Goblets matches that have been weaved in around the weather, Gerry Franklin and ladies’ captain Chris Williams fended off Tony and Karen Allsopp 1 up in the White section while Alan Broom and Gina Churchill halved with Richard and Amanda Moyes in the same group.
With only one pair to qualify from each league plus just the one highest runner-up, every section could change by the end.
ALBY Cruse and his son Rhys won the fourth Winter Foursomes qualifier at Tiverton Golf Club on Saturday to sneak into the last 32 at the final attempt.
Last year’s finalists shot a bogey score of +2 to make it into the knock-out stages along with runners-up Derrick Barrett and Rod Wiltshire (level). Third-placed Graham Dyson and Bill Tobin (level) had already booked their place.
The final six pairs to qualify were John Phillips and Ray McIntosh (-3), Neil Forward and Heath Ellis (-3), Noel Thomas and David Neilson (-4), Roger Norton and John Lyon (-4), Ian Binding and
Kevin Harper (-4) and Roger Millett and Dave Horn (-4).
The Cruses have been drawn to face James Lambden and Nick Kelland in the first round proper, with all matches to be played before or on Saturday, February 17.
Full first round draw: Top section – Andy Bolt & Mike Blackmore v Jim Bray & Simon Kelland; Alby & Rhys Cruse v James Lambden & Nick Kelland; Colin Taylor & Tony Lavery v Colin Baker & Jeremy Millett; Colin Carey & Ian Loudon v Chem Austin & Charlie Durnan.
Second section – Matthew & Kelvin Woodgate v Andy Brice & Nobby Clarke; Graham Dyson & Bill Tobin v Keith Williams & Lee Davey; Phil Moulding & Lloyd Sampson v Roy Ireland & John Sampson; Tim Waldron & Neil Carthew v Noel Thomas & partner.
Third section – Simon & Lewis Woodgate v Peter Stuckey and Gerry Franklin; Derrick Barrett & Rod Wiltshire v Neil Forward & Heath Ellis; Andy Lovell & David Curl v Eric Cole & Steve Hosford; John Phillips & Ray McIntosh v Dominic Bristow & John Stuckey.
Bottom section – Roger Millett
& Dave Horn v Ian Binding & Kevin Harper; Joe Knowles
& Chris Cardwell v Nick Conabeare & Gary Aitchison;
Peter Boax & Mark Sangster v Ian Maclure & Richard
Colman; Roger Norton & John Lyon v David Wright & Andy
Brown.
Val Walker (12), Chris Bacon (21) and Marian Stevens (27) notched 44
stableford points to take first place in the ladies’ 3-2-1
competition over 11 holes on Wednesday.
They finished one point ahead of Rachel Bray (15), Jill Ford (21) and
Antonina Hajduk (27) while Hannah Grant’s (3) birdie three on
the 11th helped her, Liz Hall (22) and Annie Straiton (33) claim third
spot with 41.
Bridget Holland (18), Gail Stuckey (21) and Elizabeth Marriott (28)
were joint fourth on 40 along with Jackie Leonard (16), Gina Churchill
(26) and Anne Franklin (34).
The event attracted 14 teams of three featuring one player from each
handicap band – Silver, 21 to 26 and 27 to 36. One score
counted on the par-5s, two on the par-4s and all three on the par-3s.
There was not much action in the Mixed Goblets on Sunday, although
James Lambden and Jane Walton boosted their hopes after hitting back
from two down with three to play to beat Steve and Jessica Bradley.
The penultimate league round of the Goblets takes place this Sunday,
weather permitting.
Val-uable
win - By Jim Bray
VAL Walker and Sue Persey qualified
for the ladies’ Kirkman Dish after heading the field in the
January Par on Wednesday.
Walker (-2) won the Silver Division (0-20 handicaps) ahead of Persey
(-3), who edged out Jo Lloyd-Davies (-3) on a countback.
Ladies’ captain Chris Williams (-4) took the Bronze Division
One (21-28) honours ahead of Jill Ford (-5) and Gina Churchill (-6)
while Anne Franklin (-5) was the leading player in Bronze Division Two
(29-36).