The County, under the Captaincy of Craig Buttivant, had an intensive week of coaching in Portugal during March. A group of players from each of the Junior, Colts and 1^st Team were put through their paces by coaches Ian Godleman, Paul Cook and Alasdair Barr. Junior Manager - Brian Roake and Colts Manager - Brian Davies were also in attendance to ensure that the programme ran smoothly. All the players worked extremely hard on their games and we hope to see the benefits over the coming months as we try to regain the County and Colts League titles both lost last year.

Tom Lawson (Ellesborough) receives the 2003 Order of Merit trophy from Tim Clutterbuck

BB & O County Matches

As usual the teams open up with some Friendly fixtures and our first County match was against Hampshire at Liphook on 4^th April. An excellent all round performance enabled the team to edge a narrow win 8-7

Team at Liphook: David Addison (Donnington Grove), Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Jack Bircham (Woburn), Matthew Briggs (Donnington Grove), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Matthew Haddy (Bicester), Tom Lawson (Ellesborough), Ben Smith (East Berkshire), Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath).

The Team at Liphook

The County played their second Friendly match against Surrey on 18th April. Both sides had a number of players away, taking part in the Selborne Salver and Hampshire Hog events. This gave some of the youngsters opportunity to play in a senior match and there were good performances from Ben Harwood (Hazlemere) and Robert Christian (Beaconsfield). A on very wet day the team went down narrowly 6½-8½

Team at Mill Ride: David Addison (Donnington Grove), Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Jack Bircham (Woburn), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Ben Harwood (Hazlemere), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Luke Rusher (Burnham Beeches), Ashley Walton (Frilford Heath).

BB & O Colts Matches

The Colts played their first Friendly match against Gerrards Cross on 7^th March. The morning foursomes were shared 2-2 but a better performance in the afternoon singles led to the match being won 7-4

Team at Gerrards Cross: Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park), Matthew Haddy (Bicester), Michael Joy (Hazlemere), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), John McNally (Stoke Park), Mark Rubber (Maidenhead).

The Colts have played their second warm up Friendly match and came up against a strong side at Stoke Park Club on 3^rd April. However, a first class performance in the morning foursomes saw them take 4½-½ lead into lunch. The afternoon singles were much closer but the lunchtime lead was decisive and the Colts won the match 10-5

Team at Stoke Park Club: Haydn Brooks (Woburn), Carl Corbin (Wokefield Park),  John Cronly (Frilford Heath), Robert Christian (Beaconsfield), David Fulcher (Woburn), Matthew Haddy (Bicester), Michael Joy (Hazlemere), Keith Leahy (Mill Ride), Andrew Mason (Tadmarton Heath), Mark Rubber (Maidenhead).

BB & O Juniors Matches

Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere) won the Boddington Trophy in 2003. This award, given by the Honourable Company of Oxfordshire golfers is to the most improved Junior in BB&O. The Honourable Company also make a substantial donation to the County Union each year to help fund Junior golf within the Union.

Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere) with the Boddington Trophy

The Juniors played Hampshire and Wiltshire in a three way match at Test Valley on 7^th March. Unfortunately due to very poor weather conditions the matches had to be abandoned after a few holes.

Team at Test Valley: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Mark Hall (Oxford City), Robert Hart (Stoke Park), Adam Hinkins (Chiltern Forest), William Roebuck (Mentmore), Daniel Taylor (Woburn), Chris Tellett (Woburn), Lee Wanklyn (Sand Martins), Adam Wootton (Oxford City).

The Junior Team at Test Valley

The Juniors played their annual match against the BB & O Seniors at Beaconsfield on Wednesday 7^th April and once again were too good for the opposition and came out winning the fourball matches 4-1

Team at Beaconsfield: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Haydn Brooks (Woburn), Laurence Eltham (Goring & Streatley), Robert Hart (Stoke Park), Ben Harwood (Hazlemere), Adam Hinkins (Chiltern Forest), John McNally (Stoke Park), Matthew Rendell (Reading), Craig Taylor (Woburn), Daniel Taylor (Woburn).

The Junior Team at Beaconsfield

The Boys Under 14 Team played Bedfordshire at Hazlemere on Thursday 8^th April and in a series of very competitive games took the match 6½-3½

Team at Hazlemere: Sandy Bolton (Hinksey Heights), James Brockington (Studley Wood), Lloyd Cassidy (Studley Wood), Alister Haynes (Studley Wood), Tyrrell Hatton (Beaconsfield), Matthew Johnson (Chipping Norton), Alex Land (Harleyford), Steve O’Connor (Tadmarton Heath), Nick Robinson (East Berkshire), Ben Stewart (Burford).

The Under 14 Team at Hazlemere

BB & O Seniors Matches

The Seniors opened their 2004 campaign with a Friendly match against Kent at Sheerness on Thursday 1^st April and against strong opposition lost by 1½-3½

Team at Sheerness: Jim Cameron (Harleyford), David Doodson (Temple), Duncan Forbes (Sonning), Nigel Franklin (Buckingham), John Gill (Sonning), Robert Gill (Gerrards Cross), Ian Hunter (Maidenhead), David Shaw (Goring & Streatley), Tommy Wells (Burnham Beeches), Alastair Wright (Goring & Streatley).

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

Team at Beaconsfield: Peter Batchelor (Woburn), Tim Clutterbuck (Beaconsfield), David Doodson (Temple), Duncan Forbes (Sonning), Robert Gill (Gerrards Cross), Mervin Foulds (Maidenhead), Ian Hunter (Maidenhead), Anthony Parsons (Denham), David Shaw (Goring & Streatley), Alastair Wright (Goring & Streatley).

BB & O Championship & Trophy Meetings

Junior Championship

Played at Buckinghamshire Golf Club on Tuesday 13^th April 2004 62 Boys aged 18 and under contested the Championship on a wonderfully prepared course playing over 6,800 yards. With a Par of 72 and Standard Scratch of 73 the quality of golf in the morning was excellent with defending Champion Haydn Brooks (Woburn) heading the field with a brilliant 4 under par 68. He led four players on 74 including brothers Daniel and Craig Taylor also from Woburn, alongside Lee Frame (Donnington Valley) and Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere). Another 4 players were tied at 2 over par 75 but it looked as if the others were too far back to worry the leader in the afternoon. As usual, scoring improved in the afternoon and more than half the field played to their handicaps or better. Haydn Brooks got off to a bad start in the afternoon with a double bogey at his first hole but he quickly settled down and after 12 holes was back to level par. Meanwhile Daniel Taylor reached the turn in level par and after 16 had got to three under which put him 1 under for the day but still 2 shots behind the leader. Brooks after a couple of poor holes finished in style with a birdie 2 at the last to take the title by 3 shots. Roberts Hart (Stoke Park) played consistently to win the Under 16’s Trophy on countback from Lee Frame (Donnington Valley). Mark Hall showed a welcome return to form with two excellent rounds to take the Handicap Trophy from Ben Ratcliffe (Gerrards Cross) who, as an invitee, was not eligible to take the main prize. Once again the Juniors put some of their elders to shame by remaining for the presentation and applauding the winning players.

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

Robert Hart (Stoke Park) winner of the Under 16’s Trophy

Mark Hall (Oxford City) winner of the Handicap Trophy

BB & O County Union Annual Dinner

The 42^nd Annual Dinner of the County Union was held at the Blue Mountain Golf Centre on Monday 1^st March. Some 335 guests were present to hear some excellent speakers, namely the President of the English Golf Union, Paul Fisher proposing a toast to the ‘BB & O’ with the response from the BB & O President, Tim Clutterbuck, who also proposed a toast to ‘Our Guests’. The response to this toast was given by the His Honour John Slack

from left to right:

His Honour John Slack, Paul Fisher (President EGU), Tim Clutterbuck (President (BB&O)

Paul Fisher presents Flackwell Heath Golf Club’s Captain, Roger Warren with a Centenary Plate.

BB & O County Union Annual Council Meeting

The Annual Council Meeting of the County Union took place on 17^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 written 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 2005 would rise to £5.50 per member from £5.15. At that point the levy of £2.00 per head for the purchase of Woodhall Spa will come off reducing the per capita to £3.50. The BB&O fee would rise to £4.00 for 2005 as agreed at the half Year Council Meeting October 2003.

Nomination of Officers for 2004 had been announced at the October 2003 Half Year Council Meeting and these were confirmed as follows:

(1)   President:                                             T B Clutterbuck (Beaconsfield)

(2)   President Elect                                      D G Lane (Goring & Streatley)

(3)   Captain:                                                C Buttivant (Gerrards Cross)

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

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

(6)   ‘A’ Team Manager:                              M Palmer (East Berkshire)

(7)   Seniors Manager                                  R Gill (Gerrards Cross)

In accordance with the Notice sent to all affiliated clubs in November 2003. Mr C Tennant (Reading) was re-elected for a further two years and Mr A Mackie (East Berkshire), Mr M Foulds (Maidenhead) and Mr G Jones (Castle Royle) were unanimously elected to the Executive Committee.