Cornwall Golf Union
U18 Boys Beaten By Their Elders
[County Seniors Captain Warwick Holland reports]
After two months of wind and rain, Bude GC was blessed with warm, sunny and relatively tranquil conditions on Monday and furthermore the course was presented in brilliant condition particularly the greens and tees. It’s exciting times for Bude GC as clearly the new landscaping and bunkering will certainly add to an already well presented course.
With near perfect greens it was the perfect environment for, what would prove to a real match play test for both teams.
The Seniors Captain was lead out man, along with new cap Stuart Hill. They, like most of the Senior team were immediately confronted with the amazingly strong long hitting of the U18’s (often 60 yards ahead). Nevertheless these matches are not won from the tee, but what is achieved on and around the greens. So standing on the 17th tee, the two gritty seniors were 1 up. Holland left a 15ft birdie putt in the jaws on the 17th only to see Archie Haynes roll in a 10 footer for birdie to take the match up the 18th, which was halved in pars, match halved, a very fair result.
Shaun Matthews (one of five new caps) partnered a fellow ex navy colleague Guy Norris in match 2. Their vast international match play experience was too much for James Tucknott and Jack Welch, winning 7 & 6. However, the very strong pairing of Mark Blaber and Mark Johnson, playing off scratch and one respectively found it very hard going against Harry Kirkland and Heath Coombes. The U18 pairing had a combined handicap of 12, but that didn’t stop them playing well under par (gross) and even though the Senior pairing played to par it was not enough to see off Fred Kirkland and Heath Coombes who won 3 & 1.
At this stage the match was finely balanced, but Steve Barns and the South West of England Champ Simon Knowles kept clear heads to win 4 & 3 over Tristan Woolcock and Oban Webber. Then the U18 pairing of Hugo Watson and Kai Dingle never let up against new cap Richard Emery and evergreen Andy Rowe winning 3 & 2.
So it all came down to the last match. Another new cap, Andy Postans partnered one of our England Golf County finalist Gary Hawking. It proved to be too much for Kian Williams and Joab Atkins. The two seniors got their noses in front from the off and never let up, winning 4 & 2, which was enough to take an overall victory to the Seniors 3 1/2 v 2 1/2.
A very creditable performance by both teams and players with most matches seeing scores under par. So a promising start to the season and a bright light that both teams will perform well based on this form, especially considering the Seniors were fielding five new caps and the U18’s three.
Well done to all, including Mark Jenkins and the team at Bude GC for a great venue, including the weather arrangements, thanks.
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