STAFFS SENIORS V WARWICKSHIRE SENIORS
After returning from the English Seniors Championship last Friday the players met up again on Monday at Handsworth Golf Club to contest a Midlands League match.
Great weather conditions and a wonderful course were the order of the day but points were required by both teams so a hard fought match with nothing given was expected.
In the morning foursome Duncan played with the County Seniors Captain Tony Wright from Little Aston but failed to trouble the scoreboard on this occasion. Dave played poorly and despite the efforts of his playing partner Ian Wilson from Beau Desert lost his match 3 & 1.
The pairings were changed for the afternoon with Duncan lining up with the experienced Dougie Pash (Beau Desert) whilst Dave partnered Mark Aston (Ingestre Park).
Dave got off to a flyer and after starting with 8 pars found himself 5 up. Mark then managed a super birdie to reach the halfway point 6 up. The pairing which had proved successful in the past went on to win 6 & 5 and provide some momentum for the Staffordshire team.
Duncan however was having a much tougher match. With a personal level gross after 9 he found himself 3 down going into the back 9. He then "caught fire" and proceeded to birdie 3 of the next 8 holes leaving him and Dougie 1 down playing the last. With all 4 players some 30 yards short in two on the closing par 5 it was Duncan and Dougie who knocked it close to give themselves a chance of a half. Dougie was first to putt and he confidently stroked it in to the middle of the hole.
OVERALL SCORE- WARWICKSHIRE 11 STAFFORDSHIRE 7
The next match is on July 1st and sees Dave, with Leek Golf Club colleague Ross Martin, travel to Prestatyn Golf Club to play a North Wales Seniors team.
ENGLISH SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP
Leek duo Duncan Stott (h'cap 2) and Dave Gallimore (h'cap 4) travelled to Surrey to participate in their first ever National Championship event. On the practice days they were able to experience the difficulties that the Worplesden and West Hill courses had to offer before the 36 hole Championship started in earnest. Both of these courses are in the "Top 100" according to Golf Monthly and in my opinion provide as stiff a challenge as anywhere that I have ever played.
Dave arrived at West Hill at 6am for his 7.20am start on the first day and had few expectations. "I have come to experience the event and to see how I would cope with the conditions that are faced by the players on the Challenge Tours. I would be more than happy to play to my handicap on both of the days and if that means making the cut I would be doing cartwheels all the way up the M 25". (The lowest 280 senior golfers qualify for the Championship with the top 80 and ties making the cut).
Duncan was to tee off at West Hill some 20 minutes later and had similar aspirations to make the cut. "The practice rounds at both courses went ok but I need to get a grip on the greens which are very difficult to read and judge the pace".
After being announced on the tee by the starter from England Golf the first drives were hit down the centre of the fairway avoiding the trees on the right and the mass of heather on the left. Deep breath, its game on!!!!
Dave started the biggest round of golf in his life with birdies at the 1st and 2nd holes and probably led the tournament at this time but after a double bogey at the 3rd he fell back into the pack. He ended up this "roller coaster" golf for the full 18 holes which is not his normal style. After running up 4 double bogeys (from nowhere) he fought hard to come back with 4 birdies to register a 79 gross.
Duncan drove the ball long and straight on the narrow fairways but, by his own admission, was unable to capitalise on the situation due to his iron play not being 100% on song. He went on to record a 78 gross and left West Hill feeling a little disappointed. Duncan ended the day in 95th position whilst Dave was a lowly 141st. A good score was required the following day (on the harder of the 2 courses) if either player was to progress any further.
"With lunch time tee offs we prepared for our rounds the best that we could. We knew that we needed to improve and felt a 76/77 would be enough for us to make the cut. We were prepared to take some chances and hoped to have a great start to provide some momentum".
Great drives once again down the centre of the fairway and left with a 7 iron to the green for a steady start. NO!!! We both managed to start with a double bogey 6!!!
Both players dug as deep as was humanly possible but Worplesden Golf Club under Championship conditions is not the place to look for your golf swing. The leader boards showed that the scores were higher than anticipated and we knew that we just had to hang in there and hope a putt drops.
After getting great up and downs from the bunker on the 18th hole (in front of a 3rd division gate) Dave signed for another 79 putting him on a total of 158. Duncan signed for a 80 putting him on the same total of 158. With scores escalating the England Golf organisers said that they anticipated that the cut line would be around 156.
Dave went on to say "I achieved most of what I wanted to because the CSS eventually ended up at 74. It was a fantastic experience and I have learnt a lot. For me there were a lot of wasted shots but on the other hand I played some of the best shots of my life. I putted as well as I ever have done and still had 3 x 3 putts"
Duncan also stated "It was a brilliant experience and I will look forward to playing next year but in hindsight, I feel that I have let myself down. I can play much better".
After waiting for several hours the cut line went up to 157 which meant that we missed out by one shot. We had tied for 83rd place out of a total of 280. The bags were packed back at the hotel ready for a quick departure but there would be no cartwheels being done on the M 25. Not this time!!!!
For those that know Bob Aston (Trentham Park) he shot 76, 76 to make the cut with room to spare. This put Bob in a tie for 25th after 2 rounds. The final round was at Worplesden on the Friday was contested amongst England's very best Senior golfers and Bob produced a fantastic 70 gross to eventually tie for 6th place. The winner was a member from Worplesden who only dropped 5 shots over the 3 rounds of some of the toughest golf I have ever had to endure.
Seniors' Open 2015, Friday 5th June
A very good and thoroughly enjoyable day. I have to admit my role of meet and greet was not in any way arduous - rather like the duck gliding along in an effortless manor whilst beneath the surface a highly efficient machine was working like mad.
What a lot of people I have to thank and in no particular order I will start with the Ladies Section, who, under the able leadership of Lady Captain Jayne Baxter did a sterling job of manning (or should that be womanning) the half way house and the raffle table. They were Janet Allen, Gill Armstrong, Jayne Baxter (Lady Captain), Sandra Blairs, Jenny Cordon (Saffs Seniors' Lady Captain), Tina Edwards, Janet Gilbert, Karen Griffiths, Jaqueline Salt, Jackie Sumerling, Anita Wainwright, Susan Watson and the odd one out Alan Yeomans. In the Pro-shop Jake did an excellent job of entering the cards, as well as dealing with the two's comp and at the same time running the Pro-shop. Our thanks to Mike Barker for setting up the event on the new computer system and to Karen in the office for dealing with all the entries, fees, printing out the starting sheets etc.
Jenny Cordon & Janet Allen
The Green staff also deserve a special mention for the magnificent way in which they set up the course for this day: I spoke to a great many players on the day and everyone I talked to had nothing but praise for the course and its presentation - Thank you lads.
Last but by no means least out able Seniors' Section Secretary Mike Wainwright, ably assisted by the Senior's Section Treasurer Trevor Smedley. Mike deserves a special mention for the vast amount of work that he puts into this event. Mike, like many others, does a great deal of work which goes unnoticed by the majority of members. It is the work that he puts in that enables someone like me to glide along, hassle free - as I tell my opposite number in each of the Seniors' matches, my role and only real duty, is to stand up and speak on behalf of the Seniors' Section of Leek Golf Club and to try not to put my foot in it as I do so.
This was a good day 188 players took part.
Nearest Pin:
7th Bob Harris 24" Oxley Park
11th Terry Lethbridge 29.5" Chevin
17th Ian H Burnside 106" Brocton
Main Prizes
1st Eddie Crawford and Keith Cleaver 43points Titherington
2nd Steve Crawshaw and John Nichols 42pts Litchfield
3rd G Painter and M Bevin 41pts (back 9) Doxley Park
4th G Dorrilot and A Holmes 41pts (back 9) Mickleover
5th D Hill and S Travers 40pts (back 9) Alsager
Over 70's
1st J Hammond and C Cason 39pts Ashbourne G.C.
2nd P Roome and R Hann 38pts Pastures G.C.
Seniors' Section Captain,
Jim Cumberbatch
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