Challenge Foursomes Final
Last Tuesday saw Duncan Stott (2 h'cap) and Dan Smart (h'cap 5) took on the might of Lincoln Boulton (8) and Mick Matthews (8) over 18 holes to determine the winners of this seasons Challenge Foursomes. Lincoln and Mick were to receive 5 shots over the alternate shots format.
Having played in many Pro/Captain Challenge matches this year, which were played in a very friendly atmosphere, I have to say that this final was just about as competitive as you could get with neither player asking, or giving anything in order to win this year's title. Having said that the sportsmanship and the respect for the opponents were there for everyone to see in what was going to be a keenly fought contest. All of the players were on the practice area prior to the 1st tee shot, a sight not seen for the monthly medals.
The 1st hole was halved in par 4s and the 2nd saw Duncan being asked to hole from 3 feet to secure a win on the 2nd. The 3rd was Lincoln and Mick's first "shot hole" and when Mick holed out positively from 12 feet for a nett 4 it looked odds on that the score would not change. However Duncan holed a tricky downhiller for a birdie 3 to make it 2 up after 3. What a start!!!!!!!!
Dan put his tee shot on the 4th in the bunker whilst Lincoln hit the green. This was enough to reduce the deficit to 1 down but this was handed straight back on the very next hole after suffering "tree trouble" on the right hand side of the 5th fairway.
More "tree trouble" was experienced on the 6th but Lincoln and Mick managed an excellent par from a difficult position. Unfortunately this was not enough because a combination of Dan's chip and Duncan's 5 foot put resulted in another birdie to move 3 up after 6 holes.
The 7th was halved in par 3s and with the 8th conceded by the Duncan/Dan partnership the score was back down to 2 up. This was the result of Mick playing one of the best "shots of the day" when he hit Lincoln's drive from 179 yards to within 15 feet of the pin with his trusty 5 wood. The 9th was again halved in par 3s after Mick was asked to hole out from 3 feet. (I told you that nothing was being given in this hard fought match). Score Duncan/Dan 2 up at the turn.
The 10th was an obvious hole for Duncan and Dan to further increase their lead due to the prodigious distances that both of them are able to hit the ball. Lincoln's drive found the trees on the right and from there it was always going to be difficult. A few minutes later the hole was conceded and the scoreboard moved on to 3 up after 10. At this point it was imperative that the Lincoln/Mick pairing won the next hole to reduce the deficit to give themselves a chance of getting back into the match. Unfortunately Mick's tee shot resulted in more "tree trouble" but this time it was Lincoln's turn to extricate his team from a tough situation. All he managed to do was to chip it into the front bunker and with Dan 12 feet above the hole a 2 putt moved them even further ahead to 4 up only 7 holes left to play.
Both pairings successfully holed from 4 feet for a hard fought half on the 12th before going to the 13th where after 2 bunkered tee shots, bogey 4s were the outcome. Duncan and Dan were 4 up with 5 to play in an unassailable lead. Or were they?????
On the 14th Dan put his entry into the "Shot of the Day" competition. It was a massive, straight drive which left Duncan an 80 yard sand wedge to the flag. A par 4 was guaranteed and Lincoln and Mick had to conjure something up now! Mick hit a fantastic shot off a tough downhill lie but it ran off the back of the green. Lincoln only managed to chip it to 12 feet and Mick failed to hole it for the win. However it had ran 4 feet past so Lincoln was now being asked to hole out to stay in the match. A miss and the match would be over....................he holed it..........dead centre. Dormy 4!!!!
Lincoln and Mick were to receive another shot on the 15th which they used well, and managed to force a concession from their opponents without the need to putt out. This was after Mick played yet another great shot from the fairway bunker on the 15th to 20 feet. Score 3 up with 3 to play.
The 16th was another hole which, on paper, was going to favour the bigger hitters however after Mick holed out from 20 feet for a birdie 4 the deficit was reduced to 2 with 2 to play. All to play for when you bear in mind that Lincoln and Mick would receive their final shot on the 18th if they could just manage to win the 17th hole. Mick's drive left Lincoln a difficult stance to play his shot into the green and this contributed to a poor result leaving Mick some 75 yards short of the flag. He was facing defeat but hit a wedge to 3 feet to give themselves a great chance of a par 4. Duncan's drive had managed to avoid serious trouble but Dan hit it too well and it ran just off the green to leave Duncan a tricky chip shot. The resulting 12 foot putt was narrowly missed by Dan leaving the stage to Lincoln to take the match up the 18th (with a shot). The putt was firmly hit but did not break into the hole and the match was finally over. The winners of the 2014 Challenge Foursomes were Duncan Stott and Dan Smart by a margin of 2&1.
"As Club Captain I would like to pass on my congratulations to the winners and my commiserations to the runners up. It was a great final to watch and a game played in the spirit that it should be played in. Thanks for the entertainment guys".
"Keeping You Posted" - Byelaws Reviewed
In order to maintain appropriate standards and facilitate the smooth running of the club your management committee has undertaken a review and update the Club's Byelaws.
The review is still to be completed but a number of changes have already been agreed:
1. Enforcement - Members are requested to report breaches of club rules to a member of staff or Hon. Secretary's Office but must not personally address individual breaches.
2. Single Seat Buggies - The restriction on the number of buggies is removed.
3. Electronic Communication Devices - The use of such devices in voice mode is extended to the car park whether or not in a vehicle.
4. Sports Bar - Is designated as a special area where all formal requirements may be relaxed.
5. Patio Area - Is designated a special area where formal dress requirements may be relaxed.
6. Footwear - Sports footwear is prohibited in the lounge and dining area.
7. Shorts - The definition of tailored shorts excludes cargo style garments. Also the requirement to wear sports socks is removed.
8. Dress Code - The requirement to wear jacket and tie after 20:00 hours on Saturdays is replaced by a requirement of "smart casual wear". The requirement to wear jacket and tie at other specified functions is to be removed and replaced by the requirement, "as specified by the Club Captain".
A proposal to extend the use of electronic mobile devices in voice mode to the patio area was rejected. I will keep you informed of any further changes.
AGM 2014
Issues regarding this year's Annual General Meeting are under consideration and I can give you advanced notice of the following matters.
Members Proposals - In order to meet deadlines and to allow for proper consideration by the Management Committee, members who wish to submit proposals for this year's AGM must do so in writing by Friday 10th October.
Proxy Voting - In order to satisfy Company Law requirements, Proxy Voting will be introduced from this year's AGM. This will allow members to appoint another member to vote on their behalf at the AGM.
Club Captaincy - Despite the continued success of Leek Golf Club it is becoming increasingly more difficult to identify members who are prepared to take on the role of Captain. It is clear that the current practice of leaving it to individual members to nominate suitable candidates is, by itself, no longer fit for purpose and we need to introduce a formal procedure that befits a golf club of our standing. Consequently, your committee has decided to introduce a more proactive approach whereby members are formally invited to consider nomination for the position.
It seems appropriate to contact members in order of length of service and to date I have written to those who have been members since 1980. Those who joined later will be contacted in due course. At this stage the aim is to identify members who are willing to consider nomination and therefore no-one will be excluded from consideration. It will be for the Management Committee to determine the nomination to be put before the AGM and in the event of there being more than one applicant in any year the Management Committee will continue to determine the nomination by closed ballot. It is envisaged that the custom of only publishing the name of the successful candidate will continue as being in the club's best interest as will the practice of inviting unsuccessful candidates to consider nomination for the following year.
Regardless of whether wishing to be considered for nomination or not, the feedback from those already contacted has been very positive and it is clear that this new approach is a step in the right direction. However, it does not preclude members from continuing to identify suitable candidates and I will be pleased to receive declarations of interest so that they may be formally progressed in line with the new procedure.
Please feel free to get back to me if you would like further detail or explanation on any of the above issues. Also let me know if there is an issue you think needs addressing.
Best wishes and please stay connected.
Hon. Sec. secretary@leekgolfclub.co.uk
Seniors Am-Am
The Senior section held its first Mixed Senior's AM-AM Open on Friday 19th September. The event attracts interest from players aged 55 years and over.
The Open was a Stableford competition with the best 2 scores counting from the 4. Prizes were awarded for the top 5 places and 2 Nearest the Pin prizes on the 4th and 7th holes.
The format was very popular with lots of positive comments received from the visiting teams on the day.
I would like to say a special thank you to the following people who were involved in the lead up to the event and during the day, Club Captain Dave Gallimore, Seniors Captain Syd Birch, Mike Barker, Jim Cumberbatch, Trevor Smedley, Wilf Bentley, Jake Scragg, Jen Flavell, Tony Clark & all other catering and bar staff that helped on the day.
1st Place J. Cordon, P. Cordon, P. Simmons & S. Simmons
2nd Place R. Ruscoe, L. Ruscoe, R. Stewart & J. Stewart
3rd Place R. Harrison, K. Wilshaw, N. Wittich & J. Wood
4th Place R. Morris, M. Wootton, B. Baggaley & M. Jones
5th Place B. Hollins, S. Hollins, P. Marriott & W. Marriott
Nearest the Pin 4th Hole A. Harrison
Nearest the Pin 7th Hole D. Griffiths
Best wishes, Michael Wainwright Seniors Secretary
1st Team vs. Astbury
In the second to last game of the season the 1st team dropped to an 8-4 LOSS to now league winners Astbury. The Results were:
Ian Curley & Gareth Salt LOST 3&2
Dan Bourne & Andy Martin LOST 3&2
Dave Gallimore & Dan Smart WON 2up
Warren Alcock & Chris Flavell LOST 3&2
Ross Salmon & Rob Furmston WON 4&3
Dennis Vincent & Andy Damjanovic LOST 5&4
This puts us second in the league and leaves a big match vs Wolstanton who are third in the league on Saturday 27th September.
A win will secure the team promotion to the PREMIER LEAGUE.
Extra Stableford 02/10/2014
There now will be a Final Extra Stableford next Thursday 2nd October. If you need another card for your handicap this is the last qualifying competition of the year.
September Extra Stableford - 18th September
Division 1 Dave Mullen 37 Points
Division 2 Steve Matthews 35 Points
Division 3 Jim Lepke 37 Points
Division 4 Brian Flynn 38 Points
October Medal & Medal Final - 21st September
Division 1 Phil Davies Nett 69
Division 2 Steve Matthews Nett 65
Division 3 Jim Lepke Nett 66
Division 4 Paul Bradley Nett 75
Congratulations to Steve Matthews on winning the Medal Final with a brilliant nett 65.
