Simon Byford golf column: Captain Jerry Nunn has honour of sinking winning putt as Flempton Hickory players held their annual match versus the British Golf Collectors Society
The Flempton Hickory players held their annual match versus the British Golf Collectors Society (BGCS).
Captain of the Flempton Hickory players was Jerry Nunn, who is also captain of the club this year.
It is a banner year for Nunn, not only did he have the honour of holing the winning putt for the Flempton Hickory Players team, but he is also captain of the club 30 years after his father, Peter Nunn, penned the centenary book in 1995 when he was president.
The match against the BGCS is now in its fourth year and Flempton boasts a significant number of players who have their own hickory sets.
Indeed, the Flempton Hickory players are probably the largest group of hickory golfers located at a single club. Also, in Christian McMillan they have a member who represented BGCS in the hickory equivalent of the Ryder Cup versus the USA last year. A great honour for Christian and Flempton, and well deserved for the effort and interest he puts into hickory golf nationally and at the club.
The status of the matches is that Flempton have won two and the BGCS have won two.
The BGCS has been operating since the late 1980s and seeks to preserve the traditions and heritage of the game whilst unearthing new archival information relating to all aspects of the sport since its inception in Britain and around the world.
Chris Walker (current president of the BGCS) captained their side and gave his thanks to both teams and praised the wonderful state of the course and the lunch provided by the Flempton Golf Club chef, Brad.
The Ladies’ Coronation Foursomes was also played last week. Two pairings returned 41 points, so The Count was drafted in to decide the order. Karoline Chan and Charlotte Rust were adjudged to have had the superior back nine holes, with Claudia Robins and Suzanne Southgate having to settle for second
Good luck to Karoline and Charlotte in the next round as they progress to the regional finals.
The Men’s Friday Stableford was won by Steven Banthorpe with 40 points, while the runners-up were David Daniels and Dan Wilson with 37.
Stowmarket GC
The Stowmarket men held Medal competitions across the weekend.
On Saturday, Division 1 was won by Graham Tobin with the help of The Count ahead of Alex Davey as both players returned nett 68.
Division 2 saw the round of the day with Ken McCredie scoring a fantastic nett 62, while Dave Smith was second on 66.
Dave Withers topped Division 3 with a very credible nett 64, and Tony Gomez came in second on 66.
On Sunday the scoring was equally red hot, with Dale Chenery taking Division 1, scoring a nett 64. Mark Turnbull was second on 67.
Nigel Couchman also returned a nett 64 to win Division 2, ahead of Nigel Burch on 66. Carlton Matthew won Division 3 on 68, Ben Mills took second on 71.
Thetford GC
Thetford Golf Club held the Nunthorpe Cup on Saturday, April 26.
Fine weather and outstanding greens greeted a large field of over 100 competitors.
The winners, with an amazing score of 48 points, were Steve Cox and Jonathan Edwards. Their round featured two birdies by Cox in a first nine holes to race to the turn with 25 points.
Their margin of victory was three points over Robert Bentley and Peter Steve, who delivered a fine round of 45 points, which included two birdies.
Three teams finished on 44 points, a score that is often is a winning number. However, the fine and firm conditions at Thetford provided the opportunity for those who were on their game to go low.
The Suffolk GC
The Suffolk seniors played for The Mike Kirk Trophy, a fourball-betterball Stableford event.
Nick Rippington and Kieron Watson returned an excellent 40 points to take the win by three shots from Adrian Crowe and Richard Graves in second on 37.
Graves, however, got his revenge on the field with a 37 of his own to win the Seniors’ Midweek Stableford. Michael Field was second with 36 and John Ellis third on 35.
There was also a Midweek Stableford for the main members of the club, with Mark Rothon scoring 38 for a one-shot victory over Chris Carnaby.
Finally there was a three clubs and a putter competition held as a Sunday Social. John Pritchard proved that carrying 14 clubs is over-rated, as he scored 37 points. One shot back on 36 was John Dale and Brian Hay was third on 33.
Bury St Edmunds GC
The Bury members competed in a Mixed Stableford. Julian Cooksley came out victorious with a fantastic 44 points. Susan King avoided all the bunkers to place second on 38 points, with the help of The Count ahead of John Cauldwell also on 38.
Shae Baldwin continued his successful start to the season in the latest Junior Club Stableford, which counts towards the end of season Junior Order of Merit.
An eagle 3 on the last gave him 40 points, just pipping Jacob Severn into second place on 38. Rafa Richardson came third on 37.
Finally there was a Ladies’ Stableford, in which Susan Anderson was the winner with 38 points. Karen Batch came second on 37, again by virtue of The Count, in front of Alison Bass also on 37.
Have a great golfing week.
