APRIL 2002

Message from the County President – Bob Stewart

After a successful golfing year for the County Union in 2001, we look ahead to 2002 with a deal of confidence. Matthew Briggs continues as County Captain and with last year’s team plus new players joining the squad, competition for places is bound to be tough. Colts Manager, Craig Buttivant, also continues and will have many very good under 21 year olds to consider for a place in his League team. Peter Phillips intends to relinquish the position of Junior Manager at the end of 2002 and his squad intend to do all in their power to make it a successful final year for him. Brian Roake will be assisting Peter with the Juniors in the coming year. After many years with the ‘A’ team, Brian Lewis, is standing down as their Manager and will be succeeded by Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill). With new fixtures against the Army and other Counties the team will be known as a ‘County Team’ and will give more opportunities to up and coming players looking to represent the County.

The BB&O website will be regularly updated and as in previous years entry forms for County Championships and Trophy events will be available from the site as well as from your Club. The County Union continues to thrive through its many affiliated Clubs and affiliated Members, and aims to continue assisting in golfing matters, from administration of the SSS & Handicapping Scheme to queries on the Rules of Golf and the many other aspects relating to Amateur Golf.

Once again the opportunity is taken to thank all the Clubs who act as venues for our County events, and the support given by so many people that is much appreciated. In this latter category one includes the Officers and Executive members of the County, together with the Championship, Juniors’ and Assessment sub-Committees.

We look forward to continuing support for all our events and I wish all golfers a happy and successful season.

BB & O County Matches

Our County Team now play against both Clubs and other Counties. The Club matches are friendlies and are managed by Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), he is also responsible for our fixtures against The Army, Northamptonshire, Dorset and Warwickshire. Matthew Briggs (Frilford Heath), continues as County Captain and organises our League matches as well as our friendly fixtures against Hampshire, Wiltshire and Surrey. We have played two Club matches the first against Beaconsfield on 7^th April which resulted in a draw and achieved an excellent win 8-4 at East Berkshire on 21^st April. The match against The Army at Caversham Heath on 13^th April also resulted in a draw. We have played two friendly matches against Wiltshire on 17^th March at Tidworth Garrison, winning 10-4 and against Surrey at The Berkshire on 14^th April we managed an excellent win 8½-6½.

Team at Beaconsfield: Paul Barrow (Studley Wood), Leon Beer (Hadden Hill), Brian Davies (Parasampia), Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), Paul Lines (Windmill Hill), Martyn Palmer (East Berkshire), Andrew Sheffield (Brailes), Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath).

Team at Caversham Heath: David Addison (West Berkshire), Paul Barrow (Studley Wood), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), Matthew Haddy (Frilford Heath), Paul Heselden (Harewood Downs), Paul Lines (Windmill Hill), Robin Long (Windmill Hill).

Team at East Berkshire: David Addison (West Berkshire), Brian Davies (Parasampia), Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), Paul Lines (Windmill Hill), Robin Long (Windmill Hill), Peter Newton (Parasampia), Stewart Scott (Castle Royle), Andrew Sheffield (Brailes).

Team at Tidworth Garrison: Steven Barwick (East Berkshire), Clive Bowler (Oxford City), Matthew Briggs (Frilford Heath), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire), Mark Housego (Gerrards Cross), Stephen Lewton (Woburn), Simon Maynard (Sonning), Dean Yates (Burford).

Team at The Berkshire: Steven Barwick (East Berkshire), Clive Bowler (Oxford City), Matthew Briggs (Frilford Heath), Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park), Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire), Mark Housego (Gerrards Cross), Jamie Hunt (Hazlemere), Stephen Lewton (Woburn), Oliver Lindsay (The Berkshire), Simon Maynard (Sonning).

BB & O Colts Matches

The Colts have played a friendly against Gerrards Cross on 3^rd March. The Colts played well to secure a draw with the Club.

Team at Gerrards Cross: Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Andrew Elias (Frilford Heath), Matthew Haddy (Frilford Heath), David Hunt (Frilford Heath) Jamie Hunt (Hazlemere) Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath) Stephen Richards (Chartridge Park)

In their second friendly against Temple on 23^rd March they won 5-3 win.

Team at Temple: Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Andrew Elias (Frilford Heath), Matthew Haddy (Frilford Heath), David Hunt (Frilford Heath) Jamie Hunt (Hazlemere) Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath), Stephen Richards (Chartridge Park).

In their third friendly against Stoke Poges on 6^th April they produced a stunning 14-1 win. 

Team at Stoke Park: Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire), Matthew Haddy (Frilford Heath), Neil Hume (Gerrards Cross), David Hunt (Frilford Heath) Jamie Hunt (Hazlemere) Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath), Stephen Richards (Chartridge Park).

BB & O Juniors Matches

The Juniors played. against the ‘Reading League’ on 3^rd March. at Reading. This is played as Foursomes Match Play. The Reading League normally provide a top pair from each of their 7 participating Clubs. The Boys played extremely well and managed a well deserved draw.

Team: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Kyle Cullum (Mentmore), Stewart Hamilton (Oxford City), Adam Hinkins (Chiltern Forest), Chris Hollingdale (Lyneham), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), William Roebuck (Mentmore), Daniel Wesolowski (Sand Martins ).

The Juniors played Hampshire and Wiltshire in a three way match at High Post on 10^th March. Once again the weather was bad with very high winds making club selection extremely difficult. We had 5 players away on England Regional Coaching and 1 with the Wales Squad. We did well to beat Wiltshire 7-3 and just lost to Hampshire 6-4.

Team: David Cobley (Weston Turville),Kyle Cullum (Mentmore), Luke Hawkins (Mentmore), Chris Hollingdale (Lyneham), James Lafferty (Wokefield Park), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Peter Lane (East Berkshire),  William Roebuck (Mentmore), Daniel Wesolowski (Sand Martins ).

The Juniors have, for the second year running, played a match against the ‘Seniors’ and this resulted in a win for the Juniors by 3 games to 2 playing fourball betterball. Last year the Juniors registered a much larger win playing Singles and no doubt the Seniors will try to find yet another format, next year, to enable them to notch up their first win!

Team: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Sean Cooke (Henley), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park),  Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Ben Harwood (Hazlemere), Stewart Hamilton (Oxford City), James Lafferty (Wokefield Park), Peter Lane (East Berkshire), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath).

The Junior Squad play a knockout during the Winter with the finals played at Gerrards Cross. This year Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park), beat Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley) in one semi final and Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath) beat Kyle Cullum (Mentmore) in the other. Andrew then went on to beat Carl in the Final.

Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath) and Kyle Cullum (Mentmore)

Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley) and Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park)

BB & O Seniors Matches

This year sees the start of a Seniors League run along the same lines as the EGU South Eastern Group Colts and 1^st Team Leagues. In preparation, the Seniors, captained by Tom Wallis (Ellesborough), played a friendly against Kent at North Foreland on 3^rd April narrowly losing by just one game.

Team: Brian Berney (Gerrards Cross), David Doodson (Temple), David Hearn (Ellesborough), Tony Finch (Flackwell Heath), Duncan Forbes (Sonning), Peter Franklin (Stoke Park), David Lane (Goring & Streatley), Paddy Nolan (Ellesborough), David Stevenson (Burnham Beeches), Tom Wallis (Ellesborough).

BB & O Championship & Trophy Meetings

The Junior Championship was played at Castle Royle on 3^rd April.65 Boys aged 18 and under contested the Championship on a wonderfully prepared course playing over 6,800 yards. With a Standard Scratch of 73 the quality of golf in the morning was excellent with Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere) heading the field with a fine 70 leading by two shots from Daniel Taylor (Woburn) with Ben O’Dell (Henley), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), who had a hole in one on the 17^th, two more shots back. Local player Matt Collis was just one further back. On a lovely, warm spring day scoring was expected to improve in the afternoon and many players who struggled in the morning found their form in the second round. John Cronly (Hadden Hill) continued his fine play and he and his playing partner Barry Mann set the mark at 150 and would finish 2^nd and third respectively. However, Daniel Taylor was playing some fine golf and produced another excellent 72 to take the title by 6 shots. Daniel’s fine performance saw him take both the Handicap Trophy and the Under 16 Trophy too, leaving James Hennessy another Woburn player in 2^nd place in the Handicap event with Andrew Lowden (Reading) in 3^rd. Adam Birdseye had the consolation of being 2^nd in the Under 16’s. As our rules only allow a player to win one prize voucher Daniel’s brother Craig Taylor also of Woburn picked up the 2^nd place prize voucher in the Under 16’s to cap a fine day for the Taylor family and the Woburn Junior Squad.

The results were as follows:

Daniel Taylor (Woburn) receives his three trophies from Robt. Stewart

BB & O County Union Annual Dinner

The 40^th Annual Dinner of the County Union was held at the Blue Mountain Golf Centre on Monday 4^th March. Some 350 guests were present to hear some excellent speakers, namely the President of the English Golf Union, Bill Bryce, proposing a toast to the ‘BB & O’ with the response from the BB & O President, Bob Stewart, who also proposed a toast to ‘Our Guests’. The response to this toast was given by the Captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Graeme Simmers and to round the evening off as ‘Guest Speaker’ was Norman Forrest, Past – President of Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs.

from left to right: N Forrest (Guest Speaker) W Bryce (President EGU)

R Stewart (President (BB & O), G Simmers (Captain R & A)

Bill Bryce (President EGU) presented a ‘Centenary Plate’

to Dougie Brown Vice-Captain Beaconsnfield GC

During the Dinner, Matthew Briggs presented County Colours to Tom Lawson (Ellesborough), Clive Bowler (Oxford City) and also presented the Captain’s Tankard 2001 to Steve Barwick (East Berkshire). Lastly the President, Bob Stewart presented Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park) with the Order of Merit Trophy for 2001

Tom Lawson (Ellesborough) receives his ‘County Colours’ from Matthew Briggs

Clive Bowler (Oxford City) receives his ‘County Colours’ from Matthew Briggs

Steven Barwick (East Berkshire) receives the Captain’s Tankard from Matthew Briggs

Bob Stewart presents Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park) with the Order of Merit Trophy 2001

BB & O County Union Annual Council Meeting

The Annual Council Meeting of the County Union took place on 13^th March at Maidenhead Golf Club. The Council comprises the Secretary or Manager of each of the 121 affiliated clubs, together with provision for each club to nominate a ‘second representative’ who may attend.

A very good attendance gathered to go though the business of the meeting, with the President’s Report followed by reports from the Captain and Team Managers. The Finance report was presented by the County Secretary/Treasurer and after a motion proposed from the floor, it was agreed to increase the BB & O Affiliation Fee for 2003 to £3.00 per member. Nomination of Officers for 2002 had been announced at the October 2001 Half Year Council Meeting and these were confirmed as follows:

Tim Clutterbuck (Beaconsfield) was proposed by the President – Bob Stewart as President-Elect for 2002, to take office in 2003. The proposal was carried unanimously.