Stonebridge 2012 Report

Stonebridge Report Saturday June 9th

Stonebridge hosted our latest event that saw the returning Dave Blakeborough take the honours with an impressive gross 74 for a 41 point Stableford hall. His back nine of 25 points was gross par 33 made up of 7 pars one birdie and one bogey. Dave has returned from working abroad and will see out the rest of the season with us before returning to work next year. His reward was a handicap reduction to 11.6 (12). Our newest and youngest member is again showing his elders the way with a third consecutive second place and the only other golfer to break par on the day. His round of 39 Stableford points could have been a winning one if he had not lost a bit of concentration on the 16th and 17th with his only blob and 1 point scores of the day. His gross 79 was another solid round and gave him his third consecutive round under par slipping him down the handicap ladder and closer to a Division one spot next year. Third place was last years mister consistent taking 7 prizes was our elder statesman John H. His par round of 36 was a good result after two blobs in the first 3 holes.

Bez was on course to become our first single figure golfer with a one over par front nine gross of 34, converting into 22 Stableford points. Unfortunately he could only muster up 13 points on the back nine, 2 blobs and two single point scores put paid to a winning score and the handicap reduction needed for single figures. This event saw the first running of our new "WGGC Match play" competition. Running as a trial competition for 2012 it is already clear this format is a favourite with almost everyone. Out of the 8 matches contested 5 of them went down to the 18th hole, with two being decided on the Countback rule of the highest Stableford score. Krys Jilks, Graham Aulton and James Heathcote took their matches on the 18th with Anthony H, Greg Whatsize and Mark Cassels finding it a little easier. Match of the day was probably between Captain Pete and Blunders. Lee took a four hole lead after 4 holes before the captain reduced the deficit to one at the turn. A 60 foot chip in and some poor putting from Lee gave Pete a slender lead at the 14th. More poor putting from Lee and a 15 foot putt from the Captain kept Pete only one hole ahead till the 18th, where Lee fired two balls out of bounds handing the match to Pete taking it 2 UP.