BB & O County Matches

The County lost their opening Friendly Match to Hampshire on Sunday 16th March. With Hants taking the morning foursomes 4-1 it was difficult for the home side to come back from this position. An excellent win by Steve Barwick (East Berkshire) against an England International was the highlight of the afternoon.

Team at Reading: David Addison (Parasampia), Steven Barwick (East Berkshire), Matthew Briggs (Parasampia), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Jon Carter (Reading), Matthew Haddy (Bicester), Mark Housego (Wycombe Heights), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), John Shaw (East Berkshire), Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath).

The County lost their second Friendly Match against Surrey at Farnham on Sunday 23^rd March. Excellent golf from Surrey saw them take the foursomes 3-1 and we struggled again, in the afternoon with just Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park) and Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire) registering wins.

Team at Farnham: David Addison (Parasampia), Steven Barwick (East Berkshire), Matthew Briggs (Parasampia), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park), Lee Gauthier (East Berkshire), Mark Housego (Wycombe Heights), Tom Lawson (Ellesborough).

The third Friendly Match, on Sunday 30^th March, against a nearly full strength Wiltshire saw our team, drawn from our Junior Squad Colts and 'experienced' County A team players, nearly causing a major upset, before losing out 6½-8½. There were great wins in the singles from all three Juniors with a special mention to late substitute Michael Eltham (Goring & Streatley) who won’t be off 8 handicap for too long given his 5/4 victory over a Full County Wiltshire player.

Team at Goring & Streatley: Leon Beer (Goring & Streatley), John Cronly (Frilford Heath), Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Michael Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Adam Goff (Aspect Park), Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), Andy Hooker (Oxford City), Nick Howell (Goring & Streatley), Tom Platt (Beaconsfield), David Summers (Oxford City).

The County side played the Club at Beaconsfield on Sunday 6th April and after losing the morning foursomes 3-1 had an excellent afternoon, winning the singles 5-3 resulting in a drawn match. 

Team at Beaconsfield: Adrian Donkersley (Gerrards Cross), Darren Gatward (Calcot Park), Robert Hart (Stoke Park), Joe Murphy (Stoke Park), Martyn Palmer (East Berkshire), Will Roebuck (Mentmore), Jamie Hennessy (Woburn), David Summers (Oxford City).

The County side travelled to Tidworth Garrison to take on The Army on Sunday 13th April. The foursomes were close with the County just having the advantage at lunchtime. A good performance in the afternoon singles led to an 8½-6½ win for the County 

Team at Tidworth Garrison: Brian Davies (Newbury & Crookham), Wayne Dobbins (Bicester), Adrian Donkersley (Gerrards Cross), Steven Doyle (Woburn), Michael Forde (Calcot Park), Darren Gatward (Calcot Park), Mark Greenwood (Hadden Hill), Alan Kirby (Windmill Hill), Paul Lines (Windmill Hill), Ben Pile (Woburn), Matt Pile (Woburn).

BB & O Colts Matches

The Colts played their first friendly against Gerrards Cross on 2^nd March. The Colts led after the morning foursomes 2½-1½ but went down in the afternoon singles to lose the match 8-4

Team at Gerrards Cross: Jack Bircham (Woburn), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park), Matthew Haddy (Bicester), Luke Hawkins (Mentmore), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), Daniel Taylor (Woburn), Nick Wells, (Burnham Beeches), Adam Wise (Frilford Heath). 

The Colts lost their second Friendly Match against the Club at Temple on Saturday. Losing the foursomes 3-1 left the team with too much ground to make up in the afternoon fourballs and despite taking 2½ points from these, the Club held on to take the win.

Team at Temple: Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), John Cronly (Frilford Heath), Stewart Hamilton (Oxford City), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Mark Rubber (Maidenhead), Andrew Sheffield (Brailes). 

The Colts have played their third warm up Friendly Match and came up against a strong side at Stoke Park Club. Led by Kevin Freeman, the lowest handicap player in the Three Counties, the Club established a commanding lead in the foursomes and despite a good effort in the afternoon the Colts lost the match 5-10

Team at Stoke Park Club: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), John Cronly (Frilford Heath), Matthew Haddy (Bicester), Stewart Hamilton (Oxford City), Barry Mann (Frilford Heath), Mark Rubber (Maidenhead), Nick Wells, (Burnham Beeches), Adam Wise (Frilford Heath). 

BB & O Juniors Matches

The Juniors played Hampshire and Wiltshire in a three way match at Newbury & Crookham on 8^th March. We drew with Wiltshire 5-5 and lost to Hampshire 6½-3½.

Team at Newbury & Crookham: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Haydn Brooks (Woburn), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park), John Cronly (Frilford Heath), Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Mark Hall (Oxford City), Adam Hinkins (Chiltern Forest), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Daniel Taylor (Woburn), Chris Tellett (Woburn).

The Junior Team at Newbury & Crookham

The Juniors played a Friendly Match against a very strong BB & O Assistant Professionals' side at Bearwood Lakes on 14th April. Some excellent scoring from both sides resulted in a very good match but eventually the Assistants got the better of the Juniors by 7-3

Team at Bearwood Lakes: Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park), John Cronly (Frilford Heath), Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Mark Hall (Oxford City), Ben Harwood (Hazlemere), Adam Hinkins (Chiltern Forest), Nick Howell (Goring & Streatley), Michael Joy (Hazlemere), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Joe Murphy (Stoke Park).

The Juniors played their annual match against the BB & O Seniors at Ellesborough on 17^th April and once again got the better of their opponents, in this betterball format, by 4-1

Team at Ellesborough: Team Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Mark Hall (Oxford City), Ben Harwood (Hazlemere), Jamie Hennessy (Woburn), Michael Joy (Hazlemere), Lloyd Notley (Aspect Park), Lee Wanklyn (Sand Martins), Gareth Woodward (Witney Lakes), Adam Wootton (Oxford City).

BB & O Seniors Matches

The Seniors opened their 2003 campaign with a Friendly Match against Kent at Richings Park on Wednesday 9^th April and came out comfortable winners by 4-1

Team at Richings Park: Brian Berney (Gerrards Cross), David Doodson (Temple), Tony Finch (Flackwell Heath), Mervin Foulds (Maidenhead), Ian Hunter (Maidenhead), David Kelly (East Berkshire), Pat Nolan (Ellesborough), David Stevenson (Burnham Beeches), Jim Walkinshaw (Denham).

The Seniors lost their match against the Juniors as reported earlier by 4-1

Team at Ellesborough: Tim Clutterbuck (Beaconsfield), David Doodson (Temple), Peter Franklin (Stoke Park), John Gill (Sonning), Pat Nolan (Ellesborough), Anthony Parsons (Denham), Ian Pearce (Fernhill Artisans), Peter Phillips (Henley), David Stevenson (Burnham Beeches), Tom Wallis (Ellesborough).

BB & O Championship & Trophy Meetings

Junior Championship

66 Boys aged 18 and under contested the Championship on 24^th April at Studley Wood Golf Club. At over 6,700 yards and with a Par of 73 the quality of golf in the morning was excellent with Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere) heading the field with a fine 72 and leading by one shot from Haydn Brooks (Woburn) and two from defending champion Daniel Taylor (Woburn), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park) and local player Craig Drew. During the late morning and early afternoon the first significant rain for 7 weeks hampered some of the players and the scoring which would normally come down by 2 shots or more on average, in a field like this, only came down by ½ shot. This resulted in the front runners bunching up and in an exciting finish Lee Wanklyn (Sand Martins) birdied the last two holes to set the mark at 149 and this was shortly matched by Nick Scrutton (Maidenhead) who also birdied his last two holes. Out on the course Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere) was in the second to last group of contenders and he was unable to claim the par he would ultimately need at the last to take the Championship into a play off. Haydn Brooks needed now to make par or better on the 18^th and this he duly accomplished and he took the title by the narrowest of margins from Nick Scrutton and Lee Wanklyn. Adam Birdseye had the consolation of taking the Under 16’s Trophy and Daniel Caton (Burnham Beeches) had an excellent day and a fine net 65 in the afternoon saw him take the Handicap Trophy on a countback from David Cook, another local player. 

Haydn Brooks (Woburn) receives the Junior Trophy from Tim Clutterbuck

Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere) receives the Under 16’s Trophy from Tim Clutterbuck

Daniel Caton (Burnham Beeches) receives the Handicap Trophy from Tim Clutterbuck

BB & O County Union Annual Dinner

The 41^st Annual Dinner of the County Union was held at the Blue Mountain Golf Centre on Monday 3^rd March. Some 360 guests were present to hear some excellent speakers, namely the President of the English Golf Union, Bill Murray, 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, John Whitmore and to round the evening off as ‘Guest Speaker’ was Duggie Brown.

from left to right:

J Whitmore (Captain R&A) R Stewart (President (BB&O), W Murray (President EGU)

Bill Murray presents East Berkshire Golf Club’s Captain, Nick Smith with a Centenary Plate.

Past President Bob Fenning presented Bob Stewart with a Waterford Bowl

in recognition of his 13 years as Secretary and 3 years as President.

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 122 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 he advised that the English Golf Union fee for 2004 would rise to £5.15 per member from £4.65. This would probably increase in 2005 to £5.40 and in 2006 to £5.85. At that point the levy of £2.00 per head for the purchase of Woodhall Spa will come off reducing the per capita to £3.85.

Nomination of Officers for 2002 had been announced at the October 2002 Half Year Council Meeting and these were confirmed as follows:

(1)    President:                                              T B Clutterbuck (Beaconsfield)

(2)    Captain:                                                C Buttivant (Gerrards Cross)

(3)    Colts Manager:                                      B Davies (Newbury & Crookham)

(4)    Junior Manager:                                    B Roake (Gerrards Cross)

(5)    County Team Manager:                         M Greenwood (Hadden Hill)

In accordance with the Notice sent to all affiliated clubs in November 2002 advising of three vacancies on the Executive Committee. Mr M Palmer (East Berkshire), Mr B Davies (Newbury & Crookham), Mr M V Morley (Hadden Hill) were unanimously elected to the Executive Committee.