KEEN to ring the changes, Dartmouth GC ladies played a Blues and Reds competition, writes Chris Mushens.
Originally intended as a straightforward alternate tee game, there was the added option and incentive of being able to double your points if you played from any blue tee.
Some took this in the spirit of a different challenge and game, others took the view that on a particular hole they often ended up in the pond and had to take a drop, so better to have the same drop for double points. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t!
With the bitter wind strengthening on the back nine, the welcome decision was made to miss out the fourteenth and fifteenth holes to hasten the return to the warmth of the clubhouse.
Jan Cousins and Shelley Durrans made the best of the blue tees, both finishing with 38 points and Jan winning on countback. Chris Mayer was a creditable third on 35.
One of the highlights of the day was welcoming back Mary Thompson who, as a consequence of falling and fracturing her wrist fracture badly while out walking, has been missing golf since last September. Hoping to manage a few holes, she surprised everyone and particularly herself by playing the majority of holes - even beating some ladies who played them all - no scores will be given.
The men’s midweek Stableford fell victim to torrential overnight rain so there was much relief when there was bright sunshine at the weekend. The mixed Stableford was first to tee off and produced the full range of scores, elation and despair.
Gary Bonser, who couldn’t buy a putt on the green, hoped that his long putt from the fringe to eagle the eight would ignite his round, but it wasn’t to be and, along with many of us, he had to settle for mid-table mediocrity.
Putts were obviously dropping for Barrie O’Shea who had a string of pars and 22 points on the front nine and, despite a shaky start to the back, continued to a 40-point win. Rob Penfold followed with 37 points and Kevin Eighteen with 34.
The penultimate round of the Winter League followed and saw current leaders Rob Haddy and Pete Hannaford continue their winning form with a tremendous 46 points. The 42 points of Edd Mitchell and Matt Young moved them up to second place, swapping places with Keith Sexton and Mark Scrivener, whose 37 points wasn’t good enough to be one of their best four scores.
Current points and places with one round to go - the top four progress to the knock-out phase:
1st: Rob Haddy & Pete Hannaford 171
2nd: Edd Mitchell & Matt Young 165
3rd: Keith Sexton & Mark Scrivener 160
4th: Ian Metchette & Alan Foot 160
MEANWHILE, the Thurlestone GC juniors competition on Saturday had a beautiful afternoon on the golf course with eight juniors entered, reports Liz Line. The warmth from the sunshine and a breeze cooling it a little, all the juniors enjoyed the competition.
Finn Robson (26) came out on top with 37 points, from Harry Robinson (21) with 35. In third place was William Hoskin (5) with 34 points and fourth was Aiden Mulligan (11) with 33 points.
The juniors’ season has started for Devon Golf with adults and junior boys and girls competitions underway.
Thurlestone’s Martha Massingham played in the Order of Merit final on Sunday at Tavistock. It was bitterly cold and Martha came third in the junior girls competition, with Lauren McGinnis, from Churston in 1st place and Susie Carr (Teignmouth) in 2nd place.
Teignmouth's junior Susie Carr came through to be the Devon Golf Women's Champion of Champions with Amanda Burchell (Bigbury) in second place. In third place in the Under 18 girls Order of Merit championship was Martha Massingham (Thurlestone), who is only 14 years old.
Matt Lyne (Stover) became the Devon Golf Men's Champion of Champions with a gross 73, pipping Jack Whiteway (Okehampton) into second place after shooting 74.
The Men's Order of Merit was a done deal at this point with East Devon's James Pickard having secured the trophy earlier in the season with 82 points. Thurlestone's Dan Rosevear's round of 77 was enough to secure him the second prize. Well done Dan.
OOM stands for Order Of Merit and involves Devon Golf, who have introduced an annual scratch Order of Merit (JOM) for boys (u14, u16 and u18 age categories), u12 boys handicap Order of Merit and an annual scratch and handicap Order of Merit for girl golfers (u18 age category).
Each JOM is made up of ten individual junior open competitions with the best six results counting toward the overall total for the player + the Finals Day (if qualified). The top three boys from each JOM and top three girls from both the Scratch and Handicap JOM qualify for the Finals Day at Tavistock GC. Well done Martha for qualifying for the finals day.
Pictured are Finn Robson and Martha Massingham.