Introducing the County President – Jim Walkinshaw

Jim, who is Past President of the Glasgow County Golf Union (1972), represented Glasgow County as a player on over 100 occasions between 1955-1976 and was their Match Play Champion in 1972. He was the youngest ever Captain of Haggs Castle Golf Club in 1966 and their Secretary between 1972-75. He was in the Haggs Castle team which won the Evening Times Scottish Foursomes Champion at Longniddry Golf Club in 1955 and won the West of Scotland Champion of Champions Tournament in 1974. He represented the West of Scotland in many district matches. When studying accountancy in the early 1950s he represented Glasgow University at golf and later became the first President of the then newly formed Glasgow University Golf Society and was also President of the University golf section. He succeeded in winning Club championships in five different decades at Clubs including Haggs Castle, Royal Troon and Denham. He had many other successes in open tournaments both North and South of the border and reached the fifth round of the Amateur championship in successive years in the 1960s at Royal Porthcawl and Carnoustie respectively.

After moving south in 1976 he played County golf for the BB&O Union of Golf Clubs until 1981, and was the “player of the year” in 1977. In more recent times he has been both Captain and Chairman of Denham Golf Club.

Best wishes for good golfing in 2007

Friendly Inter Team Match

The Colts took the honours in this 3 way match kindly hosted by Buckinghamshire Golf Club on 2^nd April. The Seniors still have to break their duck against the Juniors but gave them a close match. The Colts were too good for either of the other sides and came out worthy winners.

Colts Team: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Brandon Caddow-Young (Royal Ascot), Alex Carey (Sand Martins), Matthew Hawkes (Royal Ascot), Josh Kensit (Richings Park), Tim Newton (Reading), Carl Norman (Sand Martins), Ben Paterson (Frilford Heath), Jim Prince (Sonning), Tom Wilde (Beaconsfield).

Juniors Team: Adam Corless (Studley Wood), Ben Cotton (The Oxfordshire), Jonathan Hewitt (Gerrards Cross), Nick Joy (Hazlemere), Steven O’Connor (Tadmarton Heath), Chris Whelehan (West Berkshire), Sam Williams (Castle Royle), Joe Winfield (Woburn), Dean Wright (Reading).

Seniors Team: Jim Cameron (The Oxfordshire), Bob Clarke (Mentmore), Rod Crisp (Ellesborough), David Doodson (Temple), Duncan Forbes (Sonning), Neil Franklin (Beaconsfield), Robert Gill (Gerrards Cross), Ian Hunter (Maidenhead), Gilbert Runnicles (Gerrards Cross), David Stevenson (Ellesborough).

BB & O County Matches

At West Surrey on 21^st April we trailed after the morning foursomes, against a strong Surrey side 1½-3½, but a spirited fight back and an excellent performance from the 'tail' saw us earn a very satisfying draw in this warm up match.

Team at West Surrey: Steven Barwick (Stoke Park), Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Gregg Blainey (Bearwood Lakes), Matthew Briggs (Stoke Park), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Kevin Freeman (Stoke Park), Tom Lawson (Ellesborough), Malcolm Reid (Royal Ascot), Darren Walton (Woburn), Adam Wootton (Oxford City).

The Team at West Surrey

At The Lambourne on 29^th April against Dorset we fielded a side of potential Colts for the year ahead. Whilst we were experimenting a little, we felt that we should still put up a good challenge and at lunch it was all square. But the greater experience of the Dorset team told in the afternoon and we eventually went down 4½-7½

Team at The Lambourne: Brandon Caddow-Young (Royal Ascot), Alex Carey (Sand Martins), Craig Hinton (The Oxfordshire), Tim Newton (Reading), Carl Norman (Sand Martins), Jim Prince (Sonning), Tom Wilde (Beaconsfield), Joe Winfield (Woburn).

An excellent all round performance saw the County side beat Stoke Poges on 29^th April. With some interesting pairings, one or two of the players must have felt quite satisfied at the end of the day as the County came home 8-4

Team at Stoke Park: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Craig Buttivant (Gerrards Cross), Jon Carter (Reading), Josh Kensit (Richings Park), Angus Moir (Royal Ascot), Malcolm Reid (Royal Ascot), Keith Robinson (Sonning), Adam Wootton (Oxford City).

BB & O Colts Matches

The Colts had a good win against the Club at Stoke Park on Saturday 31^st March. It was close in both the foursomes and singles but the Colts held on to win 6-4 

Team at Stoke Park: Adam Birdseye (Hazlemere), Brandon Caddow-Young (Royal Ascot), Alex Carey (Sand Martins), Josh Kensit (Richings Park), Ben Paterson (Frilford Heath), Tom Wilde (Beaconsfield), Dean Wright (Reading).

BB & O Juniors Matches

The County Juniors under Manager Jan Hubrecht had an intensive week of coaching at La Cala in Spain during March. A group of players from each of the Junior, Under 16 and Under 14 Squads were put through their paces by coaches Alasdair Barr and Gary Smith. Junior Managers - Jan Hubrecht and Mike Styrka ran a series of skills tests and a Rules Quiz to ensure the boys had a full and varied schedule. All the players worked extremely hard on their games and we hope to see the benefits over the coming months. Early results from the Faldo Series have been very encouraging.

The 1^st match in the new League saw the Under 16 team lose narrowly to Hertfordshire but beat Bedfordshire convincingly at Harpenden on 10^th April. The new League and format looks as if it will work and whilst not the start we were looking for, good results at home should still give us a crack at the League Title.

Team at Harpenden: Sandy Bolton (Magnolia Park), Jamie Davies (East Berkshire), Robert Harrhy (Frilford Heath), Tommy Obergan (Gerrards Cross), Steven O’Connor (Tadmarton Heath), Vince Porter (Henley), Max Smith (Newbury Racecourse), Harry Whittle (Woburn).

A disappointing series of singles games in the afternoon resulted in a defeat for the Juniors at Sandford Springs on Thursday 12^th April against Hampshire. Just Joe Winfield (Woburn) and Sandy Bolton (Magnolia Park) were undefeated on the day as we lost the match 4-8

Team at Sandford Springs: Sandy Bolton (Magnolia Park), Ben Cotton (The Oxfordshire), Robert Hart (Castle Royle), Mathew Johnson (Chipping Norton), Ben Kirby (Buckingham), Tim Newton (Reading), Jim Prince (Sonning), Joe Winfield (Woburn.

BB & O Championship & Trophy Meetings

Junior Championship

The BB & O Junior Championship was played at Frilford Heath Golf Club on Wednesday 4^th April 2007. 60 Boys aged 18 and under contested the Championship on the Red Course playing over 6,800 yards. On a sunny, but very cold day with a stiff breeze the boys played well and 13 players had rounds of 77 or better. Leading the way with outstanding scores of 71 (2 under par) were England Boys International Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park) and Sandy Bolton (Magnolia Park). Both were former members of Frilford Heath and their local knowledge enabled them to open up a 4 shot lead from Danny Winfield (Woburn), Max Smith (Newbury Racecourse), Tyrrell Hatton (Harleyford) and Steven O’Connor who had all had very fine rounds of 75. Realistically it appeared that only these 4 had a chance of challenging Eddie and Sandy for the Title.

The conditions in the afternoon did not get any better and the scoring went the same way. After 9 holes no one had made any impression on the leaders, who were playing on opposite sides of the course, as they battled it out for first place. It was Eddie Pepperell who was just ahead. He reached the turn in 1 under par after a terrific birdie at the long and demanding 8^th  but was only one ahead as Sandy Bolton reached the turn in level par. After both players had played 15 holes the scores were reversed with Bolton holding the upper hand, but he could not match Pepperell’s efforts on the closing holes of the front 9 and with a relatively easy finish Pepperell came home with a birdie and 2 pars to take the Title by just 2 shots. Sandy Bolton finished a very creditable 2^nd and he also took the Under 16 Title with his score of 145. Jonathan Hewitt had an excellent 74 in the afternoon to finish 3^rd and also won the Handicap Trophy with net 142, just edging out Max Smith (Newbury Racecourse) whose two rounds of 75 also gave him the runners up spot in the Under 16 section. Our thanks to Frilford Heath Golf Club for allowing the Boys to play on such a challenging Championship layout.

Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park) Junior Champion receives the Trophy from Jim Walkinshaw

Sandy Bolton (Magnolia Park)                                                      Jonathan Hewitt (Gerrards Cross)

Winner Under 16 Trophy                                                                 Winner Handicap Trophy

BB & O County Union Annual Dinner

The 45^th Annual Dinner of the County Union was held at the Blue Mountain Golf Centre on Monday 5^th March. Some 350 people had an excellent evening listening to our three Guest Speakers. Richard Palmer, President of the EGU and John Uzielli, Past Captain of the R&A were the Principle Guests and Ian Robertson our final speaker, ensured everyone went home laughing and a little poorer as we raised a substantial amount for the Wooden Spoon Charity.

from left to right:

Richard Palmer (President EGU), David Lane (President), John Uzielli (Past Captain R&A).

Richard Palmer was also delighted to present a Commemorative Plate to 4 Club Captains who were celebrating their Centenaries in 2007

Whiteleaf GC                                              Harewood Downs GC

Henley GC                                                     North Oxford GC

Ben Cotton (The Wychwood) won the Boddington Trophy in 2006. 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 each year to help fund Junior golf within the Union.

Ben Cotton (The Wychwood)                                Mathew Johnson (Chipping Norton) 

receives the Boddington Trophy                            receives the 2006 Order of Merit Trophy 

BB & O County Union Annual Council Meeting

A disappointing turnout of just 42 attended the Annual Council Meeting on 29^th March. David Lane handed over the Presidency to Jim Walkinshaw from Denham and wished him well for his period in Office.

David Lane (Goring & Streatley) hands over to Jim Walkinshaw (Denham)

An amendment was agreed to the County Union Constitution as follows:

Appendix 1 - Affiliation Fees - Paragraph 1 the following additional wording was added at the end of the paragraph: The Affiliation Fees for both the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Union of Golf Clubs and the English Golf Union, are due on the total number of Male Members on the Club’s register as at the 30^th June in the preceding year, regardless of a Club’s financial year end or membership renewal date.

Nomination of Officers for 2007 had been announced at the October 2006 Half Year Council Meeting and these were confirmed as follows:

i)          President                                       J R W Walkinshaw (Denham)

ii)         Captain:                                         D M Forbes (Sonning)

iii)       Colts Manager:                              J Carter (Reading)

iv)       Junior Manager:                             J Hubrecht (Gerrards Cross)

v)        Seniors Manager:                           D Shaw (Goring & Streatley)

In accordance with the Notice sent to all affiliated clubs in November 2006. Mr G L Pearce was unanimously elected to the Executive Committee.

Sandy McNicol (Flackwell Heath) and Gary Wells (Royal Ascot) were the worthy winners of the first 'major' of the year as they took the afternoon Greensomes by just 1 point from the chasing pack.

Sandy McNicol and Gary Wells