BB & O County Matches

 

The third League match of the year, against Hertfordshire, took place at Gerrards Cross Golf Club on 3^rd August. Both sides needed to win this match to have any chance of topping the League, so the standard of golf was expected to be high from the top players in the teams. Once again our foursomes play was disappointing and we could only mange to share the morning games with good wins coming from Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park) with Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire) and Clive Bowler (Oxford City) with Luke Rusher (Burnham Beeches).

 

Excellent golf from three of the top four singles saw the match score swing in our favour after Tom Lawson (Ellesborough) and David Addison (Parasampia) won comfortably and Lee Gauthier managed a great half despite his opponent making 6 birdies in the last 8 holes. Kevin Freeman had got his match back to all square, playing the last, after being 4 down with five to play but unfortunately he lost the last. The news from the remaining games was not good and we eventually lost the next three games which gave Hertfordshire the match and despite Stephen Lewton’s half we went down 5-7 and now have lost our League Title. The team are anxious now to concentrate on winning at Formby in late September in the English Golf Union County Championship.

 

Team at Gerrards Cross: David Addison (Parasampia), Clive Bowler (Oxford City), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park), Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire), Tom Lawson (Ellesborough), Stephen Lewton (Woburn), Luke Rusher (Burnham Beeches).

 

We had a good away result against in our last League match against a strong Middlesex side at Muswell Hill on 7^th September. Some impressive scoring from both teams – David Addison (Parasampia) and Matthew Briggs (Parasampia) were 6 under when winning their foursomes 2/1. Graham Homewood and Greg Evans of Middlesex finished with 3 straight birdies to edge out Tom Lawson (Ellesborough) and Geoff Harris (Reading) in the top foursomes. Greg Evans was 6 under when he beat Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire). On the positive side there was a great return to county golf for Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath) with an excellent win against Middlesex stalwart Graham Homewood. Last but not least, David Addison’s impressive 5/4 win against England Elite Squad player Matthew Richardson. David's round included 3 eagles in his 9 under score over 14 holes. Good contributions from the rest of the team enabled us to come out winning 9-3 and we are hoping we can carry this kind of form on to Formby.

 

Team at Muswell Hill: David Addison (Parasampia), Steven Barwick (East Berkshire), Matt Briggs (Parasampia), Clive Bowler (Oxford City), Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire), Geoff Harris (Reading), Tom Lawson (Ellesborough), Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath).

 

 

Team at Muswell Hill

 

The County Team took on Frilford Heath on 21st September. The home Club were looking for revenge after their surprise defeat last year and took a convincing lead at lunchtime 3½-½. They continued in fine form as the County side could only manage two wins in the afternoon singles to leave the Club worthy winners 9½-2½

 

Team at Frilford Heath: Charles Brown (West Berkshire), James Carpenter (Calcot Park), Paul Chana (Hadden Hill), Steven Doyle (Woburn), Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), Martyn Palmer (East Berkshire), Darrell Robertson (Buckingham), Karl Walker (Hadden Hill).

 

The last match of the season for the County Team was played at Calcot Park on Saturday 11^th October. After a disappointing morning, losing the foursomes 1-3, the afternoon singles were in marked contrast as the County side won them convincingly to leave Mark Greenwood, the Team Manager, delighted in his last match in charge. We would like to thank Mark for all his hard work in running the Team during the past few years.

 

Team at Calcot Park: Leon Beer (Goring & Streatley), Jon Carter (Reading), Paul Chana (Hadden Hill), Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), Paul Heselden (Harewood Downs), Paul Lines (Windmill Hill), Matthew Rendell (Reading), Darrell Robertson (Buckingham), Paul Skinner (Buckingham).

 

BB & O Colts Matches

 

The Colts’ Team suffered their second defeat of the season against Middlesex at Temple GC on Saturday 23rd August. We lost the foursomes 1-3 and although a better performance followed in the afternoon, there were four halved games that might have gone in our favour and made the result slightly closer. In the end we went down 4-8 and hope that we can end on a winning note against Hertfordshire.

 

Team at Temple: Jack Bircham (Woburn), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Matthew Haddy (Bicester), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), Duncan Montgomery (Newbury & Crookham), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Andrew Sheffield (Brailes).

 

The Colts lost their final match of the season 5½-6½ in a very close encounter at East Herts on 13th September. We were level at lunchtime, after wins from the Woburn pair of Daniel Taylor and Haydn Brooks and Colts champion Mark Browning (Donnington Valley) partnering another newcomer Scott Hunt (The Oxfordshire). We were just unable to get the better of the opposition in the singles and none of the games that reached the 18^th green went in our favour and we lost by the narrowest of margins.

 

Team at East Herts: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Jack Bircham (Woburn), Haydn Brooks (Woburn), Mark Browning (Donnington Valley), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Scott Hunt (The Oxfordshire), Michael Joy (Hazlemere), Daniel Taylor (Woburn).

 

BB & O Juniors Matches

 

At the delightful Mannings Heath Golf Club in difficult wet conditions, BB & O Under 14’s ran out worthy winners with some magnificent golf over the testing Waterfall course on 26^th July. Lead well by Captain Lee Frame a 3/1 winner, Dean Wright and Simon Pollington weighed in with emphatic wins of 7/6 and 7/5 respectively, both only dropping two shots to par. Anthony Sage, Carl Norman and Craig Tackley all had fine wins. Special mention must be made of 12 year old Eddie Pepperell from Drayton Park, who had a superb 6/5 win and again was only two over par

 

 

Team at Mannings Heath: Lee Frame (Donnington Valley), Luke Horsted (Richings Park), Matthew Johnson (Chipping Norton), Nick Joy (Hazlemere), Carl Norman (Sand Martins), Tim Newton (Badgemore Park), Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park), Simon Pollington (East Berkshire), Ben Ratcliffe (Gerrards Cross), Anthony Sage (Gerrards Cross), Craig Tackley (Hazlemere), Dean Wright (Reading).

 

The Under 15 Team played the Bucks Junior Girls at Gerrards Cross on Monday 21^st July. The Boys just managed a narrow win 4½-3½ and as this was such a good test for both teams we intend to make this an annual fixture.

 

BB&O team at Gerrards Cross: Robert Hart (Stoke Park), Lee Frame (Donnington Valley), Luke Horsted (Richings Park), Tim Newton (Badgemore Park), Simon Pollington (East Berkshire), Anthony Sage (Gerrards Cross), Tom Woolley (Chipping Norton), Dean Wright (Reading).

Bucks Junior Girls team at Gerrards Cross: Liza Bowles (Beaconsfield), Haley Christian (Beaconsfield), Natasha Gough (Ellesborough), Stephanie Gough (Ellesborough), Vicky Hamilton (Beaconsfield), Victoria Harris (Beaconsfield), Clara Leathers (Ellesborough), Nicole Whitmore (Woburn).

 

 

The Teams at Gerrards Cross

 

The Juniors had an excellent match against their hosts the Oxfordshire Captains at North Oxford on 6th August. On the hottest day of the year youth overcame experience and the boys came out winning 4-2 in the series of fourball games

 

Team at North Oxford: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Chris Boyd (Gerrards Cross), Matthew Bransby (Bicester), Mark Drummond (Beaconsfield), Lee Frame (Donnington Valley), Mark Hall (Oxford City), Ben Harwood (Hazlemere), Michael Joy (Hazlemere), Nick Scrutton (Maidenhead), Chris Tellett (Woburn), Lee Wanklyn (Sand Martins) Adam Wootton (Oxford City).

 

 

The Junior Team at North Oxford

 

The Under 14 Team played a tripartite match against Hampshire and Wiltshire at the delightful Wellington College Golf Club on 10^th August. Playing Hampshire in a ‘scratch match’ the boys won 6½-3½ and in a ‘handicap match’ overcame Wiltshire 6-4

 

Team at Wellington College: Daniel Caton (Burnham Beeches), Robert Hart (Stoke Park), Lee Frame (Donnington Valley), John McNally (Stoke Park), Tim Newton (Badgemore Park), Simon Pollington (East Berkshire), Michael Roebuck (Mentmore), Tom Woolley (Chipping Norton), James Weight (Woburn), Dean Wright (Reading).

 

In a very close fought match, the Under 16's edged out Surrey under 16's 8½-6½ at the impressive West Hill Club. After winning the morning foursomes by two points, BB & O wagged its tail in the singles to halve the singles 5-5. Our thanks go to the Mortimer Ubiquitous Golfing Society who sponsored this match and presented the boys with MUGS trophies and golf balls.

 

Team at West Hill: Craig Drew (Studley Wood), Mark Drummond (Beaconsfield), Mark Hall (Oxford City), Robert Hart (Stoke Park), Adam Hinkins (Chiltern Forest), Luke Horsted (Richings Park), John McNally (Stoke Park), Lloyd Notley (Aspect Park), Lee Wanklyn (Sand Martins), Adam Wootton (Oxford City).

 

The Under 16’s Juniors finished their season with a narrow defeat at the hands of Warwickshire Under 16's. Played at the Brailes Club, Warwickshire edged the foursomes in the morning 3-2. The afternoon singles saw many of the matches swinging each way. However, Warwickshire hit hard in the top half of the order to secure a deserved win.

 

Team at Brailes: Craig Drew (Studley Wood), Mark Drummond (Beaconsfield), Mark Hall (Oxford City), Robert Hart (Stoke Park), Luke Horsted (Richings Park), John McNally (Stoke Park), Matthew Rendell (Reading), Anthony Sage (Gerrards Cross), James Weight (Woburn), Adam Wootton (Oxford City).

 

 

The Team at Brailes

 

BB & O Seniors Matches

 

The Seniors continued their winning ways with victories over Surrey and Sussex in this preliminary round of the English Golf Union Southern Counties Foursomes. They now go on to meet the other group winners in the Final at Royal Ashdown Forest on 6th October.

 

Team at Bramley: Peter Batchelor (Woburn), Brian Berney (Gerrards Cross), Rod Crisp (Ellesborough), Peter Franklin (Stoke Park), Robert Gill (Gerrards Cross), David Kelly (East Berkshire, David Lane (Goring & Streatley), Anthony Parsons (Denham), David Shaw (Goring & Streatley), David Stevenson (Burnham Beeches).

 

A very close match played at Hadden Hill on 21st August just went in favour of the home side and we won our third League match of the season. We play the League decider against Hertfordshire next week at Batchworth Park.

 

Team at Hadden Hill: Peter Batchelor (Woburn), Tim Clutterbuck (Beaconsfield), Peter Franklin (Stoke Park), John Gill (Sonning), David Kelly (East Berkshire), Ron Nightingale (Frilford Heath), Anthony Parsons (Denham), Ken Procter (Burnham Beeches), David Stevenson (Burnham Beeches) Tom Wells (Burnham Beeches).

 

Played at Batchworth Park on 26th August this match was to decide the winners of the EGU SE Group North of the Thames League. A keenly fought series of singles games resulted in a narrow win for Hertfordshire. This is the first loss for our Seniors for three years, but the better side on the day won and congratulations to Hertfordshire.

 

Team at Batchworth Park: Peter Batchelor (Woburn), Duncan Forbes (Sonning), Peter Franklin (Stoke Park), Bob Gill (Gerrards Cross), David Kelly (East Berkshire), David Lane (Goring & Streatley), Anthony Parsons (Denham), Ken Procter (Burnham Beeches), David Shaw (Goring & Streatley) Jim Walkinshaw (Denham).

 

The Seniors having won their Preliminary round matches at Bramley Golf Club went to Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club on Monday 6^th October for the Finals with Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Gloucestershire making up the other finalists.

 

Expecting to play against Hertfordshire, as drawn in the morning, it came as a disappointment to all the players that Bedfordshire had scratched from the event as they were unable to muster a team despite having qualified for the final back in August. This meant that the final was reduced to a straight 18 holes match play with each county playing the other two in the same game. Hertfordshire played some inspired golf throughout the morning and finished worthy winners of this curtailed final.

 

Team at Royal Ashdown: Rod Crisp (Ellesborough), Duncan Forbes (Sonning), Peter Franklin (Stoke Park), Bob Gill (Gerrards Cross), David Kelly (East Berkshire), David Lane (Goring & Streatley), David Shaw (Goring & Streatley), David Stevenson (Burnham Beeches).

 

 

The Team at Royal Ashdown

 

BB & O Championship & Trophy Meetings

 

Seniors Championship

 

Played at Castle Royle Golf & Country Club on Wednesday 21^st & Thursday 22^nd May 2003. 103 players contested this event held this year on the very challenging Castle Royle layout, the longest course ever used for this Championship at 6,800 yards. Play is split over two days and after the Wednesday round there were 7 players within 4 shots of the leader David Kelly (East Berkshire). Duncan Forbes (Sonning) and Mark Dixon (Huntercombe) were the best placed two shots back at 75 and Anthony Parsons (Denham) was also in the running after his 76. The Standard Scratch of 73 proved a real test as just 11 more players broke 80 in this first round. David Lane (Goring & Streatley) and Brian Berney (Gerrards Cross), both of whom as past champions were expected to challenge the leaders on the second day were also handily placed after 77’s. As the second day progressed and the wind picked up, the battle for first place intensified and on the last nine holes the gap between Duncan, David and Anthony narrowed and it was the tough 16^th that finally proved Anthony Parsons undoing as he dropped a shot and despite his good finish the mark at 151 always looked as if it would be bettered. Two groups behind David Lane (Goring & Streatley), was making up ground and was playing excellent golf and reached the 14^th level par and was in fact one shot in front of Duncan Forbes (Sonning), himself another two groups back. Unfortunately the defending Champion and holder of the Title for the past five years was not able to finish as he hoped and he dropped a shot at both the 17^th and 18^th. Meanwhile the Scotland Senior International made a great birdie at the 14^th and finished with four excellent pars to take the Title by two shots. Thanks must go to the host Club for producing a course in such magnificent condition and whilst some competitors found the going a little tough all would agree that the Championship was a great success.

 

 

 

Duncan Forbes (Sonning) Seniors’ Champion

 

 

Anthony Parsons (Denham) winner 55-59 Age Group

 

 

Geoff Barlow (Frilford Heath) winner over 70 Age Group

 

Champion Club Scratch Team Finals

 

Played at Burford Golf Club on Saturday 26^th July. The event is contested by the top 12 Clubs qualifying through the June Medal round played at their home course. This final format is the best two medal scores from three counting both morning and afternoon. The leading Club goes on to represent BB & O in the English Champion Club Tournament being held at Kings Lynn Golf Club on 12^th & 13^th September.

 

The morning finished with four clubs very much in the running, Gerrards Cross and Woburn were leading on 1 under par with Goring & Streatley and Frilford Heath tied at 1 over par. The highlight of the morning had been the superb 4 under par rounds from Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath) and John Stapleton (Gerrards Cross) which equalled the course record at Burford. Two other sub par rounds came from David Lane (Goring & Streatley) and Daniel Taylor (Woburn). Gerrards Cross and Frilford Heath were out first in the afternoon and with heavy showers forecast they seemed to have an advantage on the later starters. However, neither took as much advantage of the better weather as they would have liked but Adrian Donkersley’s fine 71 enabled the Gerrards Cross team to set the pace at  3 over par for the day. Goring and Streatley were playing steadily and would eventually tie for third place with The Oxfordshire on 290 but lose out on countback of the third score. Daniel Taylor was the first Woburn player home and his excellent level par 71 in the worst of the weather meant the result rested on one of the last two Woburn players beating 75. Unfortunately neither could quite manage it and Gerrards Cross took the title by two shots. We wish them luck in their attempt to become English Champion Club later in the year at Kings Lynn GC.

 

 

 

The Gerrards Cross Team

L to R: John Stapleton, Adrian Donkersley, Craig Buttivant

Douglas Johns Trophy

 

Played at Harewood Downs Golf Club on Thursday 31^st July this Open event is contested by players aged 16 years and under from all over the Country, with competitors coming from as far away as Cornwall and Scotland. This is the eleventh time the event has been held and there was an excellent field of 60 from 55 different clubs. The status of the event has risen to such an extent that the ‘cut’ for entry was 5.2 handicap and below. England Boys selectors were on hand to witness golf of such a high calibre that par and sub par rounds were commonplace over the tight par 69 course. Ian Winstanley (Formby) set the early pace with a 66 with Oliver Fisher (West Essex) and Toby Clayton (Churston) just one shot further back. At lunch 5 players were within four shots of the leader and the afternoon promised an exciting finish. As the afternoon progressed scoring was exceptional and 15 players would eventually score 71 or better. James Watts (East Herts) and Chris Wood (Long Ashton) both had level par rounds but seemed too far back to be in contention. Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere) was next in and his 4 under par 65 was the best score of the day but his morning round seemed destined to leave him in the minor prizes. Out on the course Ian Winstanley had got to 5 under par for the day after 10 holes. Playing the back nine first, Oliver Fisher had slipped back to 1 over par and the contest seemed over until Winstanley started to drop shots with Fisher picking up two as he played the last nine really well. Despite his best efforts Winstanley could not birdie either of his last two holes to force a play off and England Boys International Oliver Fisher joined the long list of prominent young golfers to take this Title.

 

The results were as follows: