Gunston rocks around the clock at Minehead

Another year gone by and another format was played for the Professional’s Day competition. This time four ball aggregate was played which means both player’s scores count for the overall team score.

Some very good individual scores were recorded and the best of these were 47 by Trevor Kerridge and 45 by Lewis Perry. The team scores were headed by John Jones and Steve Barber who had a 41 and 40, the format meant both players had to play well to have a chance of winning and none more so than Lewis Perry and his partner, who had a total of 75. Lewis played superb golf and was round in a gross 62! His partner, slightly more.

I would like to thank all that took part and especially all who made the effort to attend prize giving. I would also like to thank all the sponsors below who help make these days even more enjoyable.

www.lastminuteteetimes.co.uk, Potburys of Sidmouth, Swan Inn, Sidmouth, Dukes Sidmouth, Delderfields, Beauty Within, Sidmouth Garage, Baters Removals, Martin Hailstone Taxis.

? Martyn White, Competitions Chairman and club legend, has won the Digger Cup, a bogey competition which is basically the player versus the course.

Nett Birdie = a win, Nett Par = a half, and a bogey or worse = a loss. The winning score by Martyn of +4 was matched by another competitions committee member, Mike Knight, who I understand three putted the last to lose out to Martyn on the back 9. In third place was George Barber. Paul Hitchcock managed to pick up fourth place in the sweep as George is not yet old enough to enter.

? The latest Monday Stableford, sponsored by www.lastminuteteetimes.co.uk, had a record number of entrants, 103 cards being returned. Brian Cole and Barry Venn entered both sections of the competition and walked away with the club Stableford and the Seniors’ prize. Brian won �52, and Barry, who entered the sweep, won �68.

In third and fourth places were the Andertons, Michael beating his dad, Jim, with a better back nine score - I am sure he congratulated Michael profusely!

The Seniors’ section was dominated by Brian and Barry, who were four points clear of Barry Jones and Roy Smith.

I can only think that the pins on the par 3s must be in some very accessible places as, on Pro’s day, there were 20 twos and there were also 20 twos in the Stableford.

?SENIORS - ay Gunston and John Saunders led the way as Sidmouth’s seniors played the away match against Minehead.

Coastal walkers will know that Minehead is the northern start point for the SW Coast Path, and just thinking about the tough, vertical first few miles to Ilfracombe makes my feet ache.

Sidmouth’s pair was all right on the largely horizontal golf course, and won the first two holes. They held this lead at the turn, but lost 16, 17 and 18 to concede their game. Ray felt a misunderstanding on the last didn’t help, when he was advised by the home pair that the line for his tee shot along the shore edge was the rock. He did question the advice when his ball finished on the pebbles, but it appeared he had misheard their suggestion that he aimed for the clock (on the clubhouse wall).

Doug Goodall and Colin Paddon were next off with Doug giving 6 and 11 shots to the delighted Minehead pair. Despite losing the first three holes, Sidmouth’s pair fought back to level at the turn and 1 up after 12, but slipped back again to narrowly lose 2 and 1.

Dieter Ritz and Jim Culver were up to the task of stopping the rot, and Jim’s gross birdie on the seventh, despite receiving 12 shots, did weaken the home pair’s confidence and didn’t do the team any harm.

An impressive 5 and 4 win pulled back a point, leaving Bob Cook and David Roberts to try and level the match.

Despite what seems a lifetime working in the dry Home Office, there is never a dull moment on the course with Bob, and his win on the eighth hole, although he had lost his first ball off the tee, won’t have surprised David.

A halved point kept Sidmouth in the match, but Peter Emery and David Bromage struggled to overcome having to give nine shots to the home pair, and lost 2 and 1. This defeat was followed by a 3 and 2 loss by Charles Warren and John Hicks to give Minehead a 3 point victory, not quite enough to cancel out Sidmouth’s home win last month.

Result: Minehead 4�, Sidmouth 1�

? The team’s second visit to a seaside resort within a week was for an away match against Teignmouth, following the 3-3 draw at Sidmouth in May.

Ray Gunston, partnered by Pop Banfield, gave us a good start. They were two up at the turn, and held that lead after 15 before pressure built in the run in. A half with birdies on the 16th was followed by another birdie for the home pair on the next to leave everything depending on the last, which was halved to give Sidmouth the point.

Doug Goodall and Peter MacMillan lost their game, despite being all square at the turn, and Mick Munro, with Chris Grubb, lost by a 4 and 2 margin to give the home side the advantage with three games still to finish.

George Hudec and Ian Brown were next off, and an impressive 3 and 2 win levelled the match. George apparently had a good round, which his captain felt was just as well as he had double booked, and should have been at Woodbury Park in an Open. An easy mistake for us seniors!

Roger Bawden was paired with Brian Cole for the next game, and a recent handicap cut had Roger giving the shots to the home pair. A six hole deficit at one stage prompted a great fightback by the Sid pair, but a 15 foot putt on the 17th secured a narrow 2 and 1 win for the home pair.

As the home match had resulted in a 3-3 draw, and this match now stood at 3-2 for Teignmouth, Sidmouth needed a point from the last game to allow Ray Gunston to face management with his head held high when he got home. Nigel Sharp and Ken Rothwell were up for it and were never down in their game. However, the home pair levelled the game on the 17th to leave our captain’s nerves in tatters before Sidmouth’s pair won the last with a four to pick up the crucial point.

?The Orr Cup was the prize for Wednesday’s competition, which was a Stableford, played in wonderful conditions after the recent rain.

Thirty five ladies entered and fortunes were mixed, resulting in the competition scratch being raised to 70.

Marie Timms maintained her good form to return a 37 and so reduce her handicap to 19. Sue Pyne took second place with 36. Ros Eaton won the money for the only two. A magnificent score of 80 has been achieved this week by Janet Humberstone. To celebrate the occasion, a birthday cake was baked by the Lady Captain, Ann Willoughby. It was delicious !

?There are still spaces available on the ASQ PGA Level 1 Coaching Golf Award on September 11 and 12 at Padbrook Park Golf Club.

The course is targeted at volunteers who would like to assist a PGA Level 2 or 3 coach at either their club, school or possibly the DGP Junior Academy.

You might be a Junior Organiser, part of the club committee or an elite young player. Whatever your current coaching experience, if you have a passion to coach juniors, beginners or other groups and are willing to work alongside PGA Professionals, this course could be for you.

There is part funding for the course through the Devon Golf Partnership for all volunteers showing a commitment to their club, school, or DGP coaching scheme.

More information or application packs can be obtained from either Craig Townsend or Justyn Branton on 07827 944522 for further information. Entry closes on August 2.