Simon Byford’s golf column: My thoughts on my favourite local ‘little’ holes, the par 3s, including Bury St Edmunds, Flempton and Haverhill
Love is in the air this week so I thought I would give you a little taste of my love for local golf with my thoughts on my favourite local ‘little’ holes, the par 3s.
What makes a perfect par 3 in my opinion is a good visual looking hole from the tee box, with interesting green structure rewarding a good tee shot and making it tricky if not. Plus, my own successful history on these holes has also shaped my views!
We start at home with Bury St Edmunds and the 2nd hole. This hole is not the hardest from the outset, but a severely sloping green from back to front, with many contours means that an out-of-position tee shot will leave a devilish up and down or tricky two putt.
The home of a slam-dunk hole-in-one (a la Grillo last week) for me also skews this hole into my favourites!
Down the road at The Suffolk (my former home), the 7th is one of the best par 3s around. The green is extremely wide but narrow, meaning short or long tee shots will bring the ditch in front or river behind into play. Once aboard the green you are rewarded with a flat putt, but often a long one.
Travelling west we reach Flempton and the 5th/14th. A great looking hole with a stream running up the middle of the hole, and across the front left of the green. A very slopy green with interesting mounding surrounding ensures some amazing pin placements. The winter mat, which feels like it has been tucked directly into the woods behind, makes this hole very long through the colder months.
Further west we find Royal Worlington, and again the 5th/14th is the standout par 3. The green is the polar opposite of the 7th at The Suffolk, being very long but very thin. Couple this with the biggest drop-offs both left and right, and a missed green with the tee shot will inevitably bring four, five or even a six into play.
If you haven’t played Royal Worlington, and it is a must by the way, the 5th is practically worth it on its own, especially as you get to play it twice.
Haverhill has a good set of par 3s, but the standout for me is the 12th. A tough hole up a gradual hill, however a massive green means that it is difficult to get close to the hole. Judging your first putt or chip shot is often the key to getting away from this hole with a three.
We next head to Thetford, and while the 16th often gets the plaudits, for its beautiful heather, bunkering in front and blind tee shot, it’s the 1st hole for me. Again probably my hole- in-one here helps, but I like the raised tee shot looking over the whole hole, and I like starting on a par 3 as it sets the tone for the speed of play of the remaining round. The group in front can get away down the 2nd while you play the 1st, and the group behind must wait until you are clear before proceeding.
At the other end of the spectrum I love the 18th at Stowmarket. Finishing on a par 3, with the clubhouse balcony full of people is absolutely stunning. I have been lucky enough to stand on that balcony and watch, and also be in closing groups on big competition days. It may not quite be the 16th at The WM Phoenix Open, but it’s the closest we get in Suffolk to a stadium par 3.
Haverhill GC
The Haverhill Ladies Saturday Stableford was won by Justine Brain with 35 points. Elaine Ward and Sarah Wordley needed some calculations from ‘The Count’ to separate them as they both returned 32 points, Elaine Ward Prevailing in the end.
It was continued success for the Brain family in the The Junior Stableford played on the same day. Charlie Brain was second with 35 points but the winner on the day was Charlie Webster-Spriggs with 40 points.
The Men's Midweek Stableford was won by Jake Warner with a whopping 42 points! Mark Firman came in second place with 38 points with Peter McLennan in third with 37 points.
The Ladies’ Midweek Stableford was won by Linda Alexander with 37 points. Amanda Smith came in second on 34 points, with Elaine Ward third on 32 points. The Ladies 9 hole competition was won by Siobhan Harrison on 11 points, thanks to the help of ‘The Count’ from Ann Thompson also on 11, third place going to Denise Walker on 10 points.
Stowmarket GC
The Stowmarket Seniors held a Stableford across two Divisions. In Division 1 Neill Harris was first on 36 points, Ron Gilchrist second with 35 and John Roberts third on 34. Division 2 saw Mark Swallow emerge victorious with 37 points. Andrew Mason was second on 34 and John Smethem third on 33.
The Ladies’ Stableford had sufficient entries to be played across three Divisions. Amanda Rush had the round of the day to win Division 1 with a very credible 36 points. Liz Laflin came second on 31 and Jo Finter third on 29.
Division 2 saw George Anderson first on 28, with Julie Jones just edging out Anna Suggett by virtue of The Count as they both returned 27 points.
Division 3 was also a close affair, Lesley Barnes was first on 29, with Tracey Kettle ahead of Barbara Miller, again with the help of ‘The Count’, they both scored 27 points.
To round off a busy week of competition at Stowmarket, the Men’s section held Stablefords across the weekend, and across three Divisions. The Saturday edition was won by Matt Holbrook (who continues to adorn the top of leaderboards recently), his 36 points was one better than Mark Jones’ and Matt Pizzey’s 35.
In Division 2 Paul Collins was first with 37, again ‘The Count’ was needed to separate a pair of 36, Mike Eaton’s adjudged greater that Jamie Prentice’s.
For Division 3 we saw the round of the day, Tony Deane returning a massive 40 points, one ahead of Mark Winter on 39 and Chris Farthing in third on 35.
The Sunday iteration saw Ian Ramsey top Division 1 on 38, Dan Miller second on 36, this time Matt Holbrook had to settle for third on 35.
Division 2 held the round of the day this time, with Gareth Knowles scoring 41 points, second was Michael Williams on 38 and Roger Hall third with 35.
In Division 3 Callum Braker was victorious with 36 points, second went to Malcolm Appleyard on 33 and Nathan Budd third with 32.
Thetford GC
The three-month long Winter Eclectic competition for the Everard Gates Trophy was concluded at the end of January in fine style. The last few days of eligible play saw some amazing changes to the leaderboard with a number of competitors posting fine rounds with their last throw of the dice.
The format requires players to play a maximum of two rounds each month and the best score they record on each hole over the three months is the one that counts at the end of the competition.
The competition started in November and straight out of the blocks Matt Pearce, a plus-3 handicap player, posted an incredible score. He shot a gross 65 that featured two eagles, one of them a hole-in-one on the par 3 16th. He then followed this round with a gross 66 that included many birdies on holes where we had previously had pars.
Although missing one eligible round, Pearce delivered a barely believable score of gross 54 (18-under par) across his five rounds, leaving only three holes where he did not birdie or eagle! With his handicap added back on his score was a remarkable net 55.5.
Some players did manage to get within two shots of Matt during the competition, however it was on the final day where things became very close. Martin Jackson delivered a wonderful final round, improving his total by six shots to finish on net 58, while Luke Du Plooy almost caught Pearce closing with an array of birdies and eagles to finish on net 56. However, it was Matt Pearce that rightly won the trophy in what was possibly the best Eclectic competition in recent years. Fine golf by a fine player on the Thetford course that showed its credentials as being one of the finest winter courses in the area.
Have a great golfing week.
