Colin Paddon took a 14 man team to Teign Valley for the first match of the season and was looking for a win to set the right standard for a repeat of last year’s success, writes Terry Carter.

He partnered Colin Mitchell in the first game off, and both were receiving shots from the home pair. They were one up at the turn, but were disappointed to lose a close game two down.

Bob Winston and Bob Cook were next off and they lost their game 2 and 1, despite also receiving shots.

Ex-club treasurer John Townsend partnered Glynn Hewitt in the next game and, with closely matched handicaps, they fought hard to win Sidmouth’s first point of the day, 2 and 1.

Dieter Ritz was giving the shots in the next game and not many people can claim to have got anything from Dieter. However, as well as the home pair, his partner Nigel Sharp also received shots. In Nigel’s case 5 of them, but Sidmouth lost 3 and 1 to restore the home side’s two point margin.

Peter Emery and Trevor Bradley were hopeful of a win, but lost. Golfers will know that Teign Valley has more than its fair share of water and , as Trevor usually only carries two golf balls in his bag, he didn’t feel able to play with his normal cavalier style in case he lost a ball. The game was close, though, but the home side had the edge by 2 and 1.

With the match now lost, our Seniors pride was at stake but not evident, as Brian Cole and Brian LeMasurier lost by 2 and 1. With Colin Paddon pacing the last fairway, urging on his troops, George Hudec and Richard Whidden salvaged a half in yet another closely contested game.

Result: Teign Valley 5� Sidmouth 1�

? Seniors Vice Captain John Bainbridge took a team to the aptly named Windwhistle Golf Club for his first official duty of the season of course apart from laughing hysterically at the Captain’s jokes at the recent opening dinner. Understandably nervous, John was surprised to get a call from his wife ten minutes into the journey to ask if he had intended to wear the suit he had left hanging in the hall! Within a mere ten minutes he was on his way again, and perfectly relaxed as he and John Hicks were all square after six holes into their game. Two down at the turn, they were still in the game on the 13th when John Hicks pulled one back courtesy of a great second shot to the green from behind trees. However, they lost the 16th and 17th to go down 3 and 1.

Tony Willson and Roy Scott were up for the task in the next game and had won by the 14th in a 5 and 4 victory to square the match. Pop Banfield and David Roberts were also confidently progressing, and were three up at the 14th, but they then lost the 15th and 16th. On the 17th David was disappointed to see his third shot fall off the green and run all the way down the greenside embankment, but a superb chip to within three inches of the pin halved the hole. They went on to take the last and the game 2 up.

John Bainbridge tells me that he was in the clubhouse at this stage, and finding it difficult to keep calm finding himself in the lead in his first match in charge. He was apparently tempted to ring home and ask management if she would bring his dinner suit which was also hanging in the hall, but it was for a moment like this that the golf expression “And then the wheel came off” was designed.

Brian Skittrell and Ian Brown lost 5 and 4, despite almost winning the first, and David Bromage and Charles Warren matched that result, despite starting well, too.

Finally, it was left to Barry Jones and Derek Geear to secure a 3-3 away draw for our seniors but, although playing steady golf, they slipped to a 4 and 3 defeat.

Result: Windwhistle 4, Sidmouth 2