Warwickshire Golf

The Scrap at Scraptoft

As Warwickshire’s players made their journeys of varying length over to Scraptoft GC, we would’ve struggled to predict the difficult day that awaited us – both the conditions, and our opposition would be equally challenging.

Warwickshire lined up a very different looking team to our previous friendly 2 weeks ago, in fact I made 7 changes to the team which lost narrowly 8-7 at Stonebridge against Northamptonshire. This was in order to see as many of the potentially squad in action before the Midland League Matches kicks off on the 11th of May.

Conditions were cold and very windy as the teams gathered around the first tee for the morning foursomes. The first hole at Scraptoft is a testing 424 yard par 4 dogleg right, made even tougher with a strong into, and left to right wind. With the players suitably wrapped up against the elements, let the games begin….

First off was experienced 2nd Teamer Phil Murphy (Handsworth) paired with Morgan Jackson (Stratford) fresh off his 2 wins at Stonebridge 2 weeks prior. The pair gelled well and on a day where holes would be traded regularly, this match would prove a tight game going all the way down the last hole with Warwickshire unfortunately losing by the slenderest of margins, 1 down.

2nd off saw 2nd Team stalwart and ex-team captain Neville Gardener (Stoneleigh), alongside a former 2nd team regular Chris Brown (Warwickshire GC). Unfortunately their Leicestershire opponents (Both plus handicappers!) made some early birdies, to compound a couple of Warwickshire bogeys and the match went the way of Leicestershire & Rutland 4&3.

Next off was Nathan Ray (Maxstoke) paired with Warren Bingham (Handsworth). Warwickshire battled to stay in touch with their Leicestershire counterparts and the score was always 1, or 2 up in favour of the home team. The final result would be another L&R win, this time by 3&2.

4th up was Chris Laird (Warwickshire GC) alongside Lee Hardy (Nuneaton) making his 2nd start for the County 2nd team. This match was all square after 6 holes, and Warwickshire looked like going 1 down on the 7th but an unlikely holed 45 footer for birdie from Chris Laird kept the match deadlocked at all square! Chris’ putter struck again on the 17th, another long putt holed for birdie meant they boarded the 18th tee 1 up, 2 regulation pars later meant a Warwickshire win, and a very welcome first point.

And last but not least, Karl Mason (Stratford Oaks) partnered Chris Reynolds (Maxstoke), playing against L&R’s team captain Rich Harris and experienced county player Ben Jacobs. Despite some solid golf from our pair, and some long drives from big hitting Chris Reynolds, the match went L&R’s way 4&3.  Which all meant a disappointing a 4-1 score a lunch in L&R’s favour.

With little change in the weather, the players got ready for the afternoon’s singles. First off for Warwickshire was Morgan Jackson, who battled hard against the experienced Oli Wilson to be 1 down through 16, a good win on the long par 5 17th and half down 18 meant an impressive halved match. 2nd off was Maxstoke’s Nathan Ray, who in the same vein as the 1st match, took his match all the way to the 18th and secured another notable half a point.

Next off at 3, 4 & 5 were Phil Murphy, Chris Laird & Lee Hardy who all suffered at the hands of very good golf from their L&R rivals, but despite all showing signs of battling back, they would succumb 5&3, 6&5 and 3&2 respectively.

At 6 & 7 were Chris Reynolds and Warren Bingham. Chris showed his short game strengths by holing from off the green on both the Par three 6th & 11th holes for birdie, but would shake hands on the 17th after a closely fought 2&1 defeat. Warren suffered the same fate and score against his very ‘vocal’ opponent, who if he fails to make a career from golf can move seamlessly into commentary, keeping us all informed of his every shot, good, bad or awful, throughout the day.

The match win now very much out of Warwickshire’s reach, Neville Gardner earned our first, and only full point of the afternoon with a very good 2up win. A feat I’m sure we’ll hear much more about over the coming months!  Chris Brown playing in the 9thsingles game showed signs of perhaps winning another point for the team, and was 1 up through 10 holes, but would play the 18th 1 down, and after finding trouble off the tee eventually concede the match, 2 down.

Finally in unquestionably the biggest turnaround of the day, saw Karl Mason go against L&R captain Rich Harris, who raced to a 5up lead through only 7 holes. Karl whilst not playing his best golf kept chipping away, and had battled back to just 2 down through 11! An untimely 3 putt on 15 meant he went dormie 3 down. However 2 good wins on 16 & 17 reduced the damage to 1, and with his opponent in trouble a regulation par on 18 was good enough for the most unlikely halved match!  Surely rivalling George Allen’s performance at Stonebridge Vs. Northants (also playing at number 10) where he won 4 of the last 5 holes to halve his match!

Overall a disappointing 11.5 - 3.5 score line for the Warwickshire players, but given the sheer strength of the Leicestershire & Rutland Team and tricky conditions on the day, added to the unpredictable greens, meant a valiant effort from all concerned. The team have one more friendly against the Warwickshire boys team on April 20th, before our 2014 campaign begins away to Shropshire & Herefordshire, when I have no doubt the team will better demonstrate their true ability and recover from our recent disappointments.

Chris Leonard
2nd Team Captain

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