County Jottings November 2014

Message from the County Secretary/Treasurer – Peter York

Welcome to the Autumn edition of the County Jottings. Our golfing season is complete and we have had some success this year with our Seniors Team winning the Daily Telegraph League Final at Corhampton in October.

Our Junior teams have had another good season against other Counties with the Under 16s winning their League again and remaining undefeated for the third season in a row. The Nike Futures Tour has had a very successful third year and this programme of events will continue through 2015. Congratulations to all the winners of our Championship and Trophy Events, also to those who represented the County at Junior, Senior and County levels. Jack Haines (Gerrards Cross) won the main Order of Merit as well as winning the Autumn Trophy for the third time in four years. George Gardner (Castle Royle) was the winner of the Junior Order of Merit as well as the Junior Championship. George had an outstanding season which culminated in him being capped and going to Canada with the England Boys where George’s performance helped them to victory.

The work of the Golf Partnership continues although there are no plans to run the Academy Coaching programme during 2015 due to Sport England asking us to focus on older players. We are examining ways we can continue the programme without the funding.

Please visit our website to obtain details of our events and to enter them online. Please let us know if you would like us to include any other information.

A special thanks to all the Clubs and Members who willingly gave up their courses for our events this year. We are appreciative of your support of County Golf.

We are grateful to our Sponsors – Fullers and Nike – for their support this year and for their continued support for 2015.

BB & O Juniors Matches

Junior Elite

BB&O defeated a weakened Wellington College at East Berkshire on Sunday 12th October. The away side could only field seven players in this ten a side match due to Surrey County commitments and injury. Two East Berks juniors were drafted in to help balance the numbers. George Gardner, recently included in the England squad for 2015, was matched up against Edourdo Lipperilli, an Italian international who has played in all four rounds of the previous two Italian Opens. This was certainly the headline match of the day and didn’t disappoint as both went round in 1 under Par 68’s. George was the more disappointed of the two having held a four shot advantage with three holes to play. An unfortunate ricochet off the road on the 17th led to a double bogey six while Edourdo birdied two of the last three holes to tie the match. The BB&O Elite team played solid if not spectacular golf with the rest of the boys shooting between 72 and 76 against a Par of 69, with BB&O running out victors by a comfortable margin.

Team at East Berkshire: Alex Buckner (East Berkshire), Zac Cooper (Stoke Park), Michael East (Burnham Beeches), Nick Elmey (Frilford Heath), George Gardner (Castle Royle), John Gough (Stoke Park), Chris Little (Frilford Heath), Alex Nicholls (Goring & Streatley), Steven Stanhope (Frilford Heath), Elliot Wills (Stoke Park).

Nike Futures Tour

Now in its fourth year the Nike Futures Tour is proving to be a great success with the events attracting large entries. The youngsters have had an opportunity to play at some of the best golf courses in the country and we have seen some outstanding golf and some real prospects for the future. The winners of the individual competitions are listed below:

Frilford Heath

With any one of 3 players able to win the Under 14 Order of Merit, Kristian Tannum-Donaldson (Buckinghamshire) ran away with the title after scoring an excellent 67, finishing in style with birdies at each of the last 3 holes at the final event at Frilford Heath on 30th October. Harrison Arnold (East Berkshire) finished second just beating fellow Club Member Bradley Tuckett by just a third of a point!
In the Under 12 Order of Merit Sebastian Tannum-Donaldson (Buckinghamshire) and Thomas Gregory (Stoke Park) were neck and neck coming down the last. Thomas was looking favourite as he had a makeable birdie putt with Sebastian only likely to make a par which would tie their scores. Agonisingly his chance just slipped by and with Sebastian winning by one shot he overtook Thomas to win the Order of Merit.
In the Under 14s Max Stradling (Goring & Streatley) finished second after a fine 71 and in the Under 12s Jamie Kerley (Harleyford) took second place on countback.
A great finish to a very exciting season and we thank Nike for their support.

Futures Tour Order of Merit Under 14

1st Kristian Tannum-Donaldson (Buckinghamshire)
2nd Harrison Arnold (East Berkshire)
3rd Bradley Tuckett (East Berkshire)

Nike Futures Tour Order of Merit Under 12

1st Sebastian Tannum-Donaldson (Buckinghamshire)
2nd Thomas Gregory (Stoke Park)
3rd Taylor Paul (Stoke Park)

BB & O Seniors Matches

We finished our League matches with a draw against Middlesex at Muswell Hill on 8th September. Thanks to everyone who represented the County this year, especially those who stood in at the last minute when asked.

The team at Muswell Hill: Ashley Brewer (Denham), Jim Cameron (The Oxfordshire), Adrian Donkersley (Gerrards Cross), Stephen Fenton (Burnham Beeches), Duncan Forbes (Sonning), Robert Gill (Gerrards Cross), David Niven (Newbury & Crookham), Cliff Pearce (Ellesborough), Gilbert Runnicles (Gerrards Cross), Phil Sewell (Castle Royle.

The Seniors played Kent in the Daily Telegraph League Final at Corhampton on 16th October. Both teams had won their respective Leagues, North and South of the Thames, to reach this stage. Kent had won all their games and we had won 3 and drawn one. This final would be close fought as both sides fielded some very strong players and it was a question as to who got the batting order right. We got off to a poor start and after 6 games were 4½-1½ down. We needed to win all 4 of the last games to win and despite being well up in 2 were down in one and just up in the other. Steve Fenton turned his game round and put another point on the board after a 2&1 win. David Niven added another after taking his game 3&2, so it was left to the last 2 out on the course to take us past the finish line. Bob Lander was 1 up on the 18th tee and his fine birdie allowed him to concede his opponent's putt and to make the score 4½-4½. Ashley Brewer, Seniors Captain-Elect, also came to the last 1 up having just lost the 17th . Both players were short of the Par 5 18th in 2 and about 25 feet away in 3. Ashley hit a great putt to about 18 inches and his opponent seemed at first to have conceded the next, which left the crowd somewhat confused. The Kent man just missed his effort and Ashley then calmly holed his to take the game and the match 5½-4½. A fitting finale for Rod Crisp in his last Match as Seniors' Manager before he takes on the Presidency next year and his inspired order of play resulted in us getting the better of Kent - for a pleasant change.

The Team at Corhampton: A Brewer (Denham), A Donkersley (Gerrards Cross), S Fenton (Burnham Beeches), D Forbes (President), R Crisp (Seniors’ Manager), R Gill (Gerrards Cross),
B Lander (The Lambourne), D Niven (Newbury & Crookham), C Pearce (Ellesborough), M Reid (Sonning), P Sewell (Castle Royle), G Wilson (Calcot Park).

BB & O Championship & Trophy Meetings

Autumn Trophy & Open Championship

Jack Haines (Gerrards Cross) won the Autumn Trophy for the 3rd time in 4 years at The Lambourne Club on 21st September with a fine round of 1 under par. He finished 2 clear of Michael Sanders (Beaconsfield). This win culminated a great year for Jack as this triumph also gave him the Order of Merit title. He was also awarded his County Colours, having played 5 times for the 1st Team.

Well done to John Kennedy (Wexham Park) for his excellent 4 under par 68 round also at The Lambourne on 21st September, to take the Open Championship by 2 shots from defending Champion Lewis Atkinson (Buckinghamshire) and by 3 from Jack Haines (Gerrards Cross).

Scratch Total
1st & Trophy Winner Jack Haines (Gerrards Cross)71
2nd Michael Sanders (Beaconsfield) 73
3rd Charlie Brown (Castle Royle) 75

Handicap Total
Sam Bower (Stoke Park) 71

Hillman Trophy

Wokefield Park, the current holders of the Hillman Trophy, defended their title in the final at Harleyford on 11th October by beating Beaconsfield 5-2. As ever, an excellent Championship this year and we look forward to 2015 when the 90 odd clubs who enter battle it out for the Trophy.

Hillman Trophy Plate

Castle Royle was always in charge of this match played on the Red Course at Frilford Heath on 18th October. They conceded just ½ a point through the first 5 games and the title was already in the bag before they added another 2 points to make the final result 5½-1½. As ever, the match was played in great spirit and our thanks to Frilford Heath for hosting the event.

Order of Merit

Jack Haines (Gerrards Cross) won his first outright Order of Merit title at The Lambourne after a year-long battle with Alex Wills (Harewood Downs). Nip and tuck throughout the season, it was all to be decided in the last event of the year. Jack, needing to finish in the top 4 and beat Alex, got off to a flyer and reached the turn in 4 under par. With Alex, not at his best, it was almost all over bar the shouting. With Alex slipping out of the points it was left to Jack to round off a great year by picking up the Autumn and OOM Trophies and a couple of decent sized prize vouchers!

Junior Order of Merit

George Gardner (Castle Royle) capped a great year by winning the Junior Order of Merit. Just back from Canada where he finished ahead of the pack in the International challenge, he was confirmed as the winner of the OOM and he finished well clear of Kristian Tannum-Donaldson (Buckinghamshire) in second place. George won the Junior Championship and also was selected for the 1st team during the year to add to his England Cap.

England Golf – South Eastern Group Events

South Eastern Group Seniors Championship (Alan Hobson Trophy)

David Niven (Newbury & Crookham) got the better of the Three (not so merry) Men of Kent at Littlestone on 24th/25th September to win the title by 1 shot. Coming down the stretch the lead was always with one of the Kent men, until they started to falter during the last 3 holes. David was the only one to keep making pars and his birdie at the last and Chris Hurst's bogey on the same hole, enabled David to lift the Alan Hobson Trophy for the 3rd year in a row.

BB & O County Union Half Year Council Meeting

A very good turnout for the meeting on 17th October. The President Duncan Forbes highlighted the achievements of the year and the Secretary/Treasurer gave a presentation on the finances of the County Union and led a discussion on the merits of changing the Affiliation Fee collection process.

After the meeting the delegates enjoyed the hospitality of The Springs Golf Club for lunch and golf.

Brian Kelly & Mike Bodington from Sand Martins took the honours in the Greensome Stableford.

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