Simon Byford’s golf column: Rory McIlroy’s Masters glory acts as inspiration for Graham Chapman at The Suffolk Golf Club
The achievement of Rory McIlroy last weekend was nothing short of astonishing.
Only six golfers have every claimed the career Grand Slam and when you realise he has been without any major victories for 10 years, it just shows his immense determination.
It’s something we can all learn a lesson from. Golf can be tough but we should always keep trying to improve.
And while Rory was battling away at Augusta, the golfers on our patch here were also engaging in both team and individual competitions.
The Suffolk GC
The Suffolk Golf Club has always held their own Masters Jacket competition on Masters weekend.
Graham Chapman was the recipient of the wonderful navy jacket this year. His 34 points needed the help of The Count to overhaul Alf Jackson on the same score. Sheila Burns was third on 31 points.
Hambro & Tolly Round 1
It was opening round weekend for the men’s Hambro & Tolly teams, which sees eight men below 9 handicap for Hambro and above 9 for Tolly, playing 36 hole foursomes.
With all holes counted there are 144 up for grab, so players must really fight on every hole as it might just make the difference.
There will be no argument that the tie of the round was The Suffolk GC hosting nearby rivals Bury St Edmunds GC in the Tolly. With vastly more players to select, Bury St Edmunds would go in favourites, but on home turf you can never write off The Suffolk.
Bury got off to a flying start and were 13 up at lunch. I don’t know what Steve Hall (PGA Professional at The Suffolk) put in their lunchtime refreshments, but The Suffolk came out quick in the afternoon and after all the groups were through seven holes, The Suffolk were in the lead.
The back nine ebbed and flowed and in the end, unbelievably, the match was all square and a play-off was required.
The first hole of sudden-death was halved in par, and when both teams missed the par 3 second green, conventional wisdom would think that the match was heading down the third. After two more shots The Suffolk lay just three feet from the hole, Mitch Wright hit a great chip from a difficult location to eight feet and it was left to BSE’s junior vice-captain Shae Baldwin to sink the winning putt. It was a great moment for the young man and a fitting end to a great match.
Bury also took victory in the Hambro against another local foe in Stowmarket GC. These two clubs have a long history in this competition, with both teams being victorious on numerous occasions. This time Bury won but by just two holes, and it was another encounter to add to the annuls.
Stowmarket’s Tolly team, however, had an enormous 21-hole victory against Ipswich GC.
Haverhill GC also competed, gaining victory at home in the Hambro beating Southwold 8 up, but lost away to Rookery Park 6 down in the Tolly.
Flempton, unfortunately, had home defeats in both Hambro & Tolly competitions to Gorleston and Diss respectively.
Haverhill GC
Haverhill Ladies’ Weston team of Mandy Williamson, Anne Reed, Jackie Condon, Linda Alexander and Pat Kennedy had a convincing 4-1 victory over Bungay at home in the first match of the season.
The scratch singles was played in a Champions League format, and it’s personally one of my favourite competitions in Suffolk Golf.
Trevor Broomfield took victory in the Monthly Medal with a nett 66 from Gary Webb in second with a nett 69.
The Ladies’ Saturday medal was won by Lesley McKeane with a nett 72 with help from The Count from Mandy Williamson in second place, with Lyn Fish was third on net 73.
The Haverhill men also held a Midweek Medal, which won by Christopher Williams with a nett 66. Paul Hinchliffe finished in second place with a nett 68 and Luke Williams in third with a nett 70.
Meanwhile, the club’s junior section held the Wilbow Trophy. Josh Emery was the victor with an outstanding 41 points. In second place was Charlie Hammond on 34 points, with third place going to Rhys Turner on 27.
Stowmarket GC
The Stowmarket juniors also held their first trophy competition of the year – the Easter Cup.
Unsurprisingly it was an Edwards boy that won the day, this time it was Finley that took the spoils with a superb 42 points. George Prentice (another famous Suffolk golfing surname!) was second on 38 points and Reece – the younger brother of Finley – was third on 37.
Thetford GC
Conditions were perfect for the Ladies’ Spring Meeting. Thirty players took part in the first prestigious Ladies’ event of the year, second only to the Club Championship, to battle it out for the two main trophies.
Having not had any rain for several weeks the course was running well and the greens slick, accounting for some good scores.
Kath Malvern posted the best gross score to take the Woodland Trophy with a gross 80 and Fiona White the Highfield Trophy with a superb nett 68, 7 under for the round.
As it is customary that players can only win one prize, the division winners fared well, with Jan Bone (19) taking first prize in Division 1 with nett 74. In Division 2, first prize went to Anita Coteman (21) with nett 71.
Three birdie brooches were also presented to Anita Coteman on 7th, Caroline Langlands on 10th and Kath Malvern on 4th. Helen Ayres took the prize for the 13-hole competition.
The event was rounded off with a superb lunch provided by chef Tony Walton, followed by the prize giving and photographs of the day’s winners.
Elsewhere, the men’s scratch team hosted a Luffenham Heath this weekend in the first of the Five Counties Scratch League.
With many players away playing the Norfolk County Foursomes, the squad was called into action. This did not prove a handicap as the team ran out 7-1 winners. A winning start and optimism for the season to come.
John Aukett produced a stunning round in the Johnny Douglass Salver – the only bogey competition of the year. His score of 7 up against the course was three better than his nearest challengers – John Flint, John Tapp and James Camilleri.
Have a great golfing week.
