Warwickshire Golf
WARWICKSHIRE WIN MENS MIDLAND CHAMPIONSHIP
(Left to Right: The Team, Pete Clarke, Team and supporters)
EG County Championship – Midland Qualifier – Shrewsbury Golf Club – 18th June 2016 – Through the eyes of the Captain….
This year’s EG County Championship – Midland Qualifier was held at Shrewsbury Golf Club. This golf course measures 6,207 par 70 which requires accuracy off the tee, precession approach play and excellent green reading skills to master the subtle slops.
This event is 6 players in a team and all medal scores to count over 36 holes. Due to the strength of our squad, team selection was very difficult but the selected team was:
Adam Lumley, Finlay Mason, Max Martin, Pat Ruff, Tom Ibbertson and Sam Broadhurst. Reserve Louie Pett
The team had prepared well and players were all in form so I was really looking forward to it.
Unfortunately the Wednesday before the event I had some devastating news that my dad had passed away. This meant that I was unable to be with the team on the day but I did get a personal message read by Nev Gardner to the players the night before…….
So, with the team ready and Pete Clarke on the course to provide information to me, it was time to play…
I first looked at the clock at 06:30, thinking the early starters would or should be up and now and thinking about getting to the course. The next look was 08:00, I had views of Tom Ibbertson practice swinging on the 1st tee ready to start our campaign…. I was constantly looking at the time having views of each player either on the 1st or 10th ready to hit their first shot and it was only when Patrick Ruff, our last man out, who tee off at 09:30 when I could think about somethings else…..
I decided to take my dog out for a walk, trying to take my mind off things as there was nothing I could do. Whilst out getting fresh air I had to contact Pete for the early scores through 9. The team news was good as we were around level par, early days but anything around that score is great.
Then having got home I was making lunch when I got a communication from Pete that Tom shot 81, then 20 minutes later Sam shot 64… This got my juices going again as I knew Sam’s fantastic score nullified the 81. Then Max came in with 74 and Lummers 69…. Still all to play for. News then came through that Finlay shot 70 and Pat 71 leaving the morning scores at:
Half time scores:
Lincolnshire +4, Staffordshire +8 and Warwickshire +9. I was happy with that as I knew 5 shots in a six man team was absolutely nothing.
Then what was about to happen must go down in history as possibly the best roller coaster ride Team Warwickshire has ever been on; it had it all………
Whilst Pete was updating me with the scores after 9 holes I knew this was going to the wire…
Prior to Tom’s second round I received a call from him on the range, needing a pep talk. The conversation was simple and an easy one to put Tom back in the right frame of mind to go and play….. I knew we still had a chance and it just needed him to express himself and play and he did just that….. Tom posted a superb 70 (level par) round, which could possibly be his best ever score under the circumstances…
Then Sam came in with a 66 following his course record of 64 in the morning…. A star is born! Sam had 13 birdies, 1 bogey and 1 double ( par 3, 52 degree wedge, thinned in the water!!!! ) You have raised the bar Sam and a fantastic performance to win the individual competition by 2 shots against a top quality field. Well played….. quality golf Sam.
I was watching the website from home whilst contacting Pete Clarke on the course. Whilst Pete was updating me with the scores after 9 holes I knew this was going to the wire…
Then we had Max in with another great level par score of which I knew at this stage we were on the heels of Lincolnshire; who had a total combined team handicap was +14. A very strong team meaning Team Warwickshire’s togetherness and spirit needed to come to the forefront for us to overcome their lunch time lead.
Adam Lumley’s score came in next, who had 2 great rounds of 69 but admitted he couldn’t get anything doing…. Well my friend you definitely got me going and along with Louie your caddie. (dream team) 69 was the score that put us in the lead by 2 shots…… Well played Adam.
I was talking to my dad all afternoon…. Asking him if there is anything you can do up there then please get the lads across the line…… I couldn’t sit down or make contact with Pete because of his phone battery so all I had was the Midland website which kept me updated all day.
With two players left on the course, Finlay and Patrick, we were 2 shots ahead and as you know that’s nothing… Then Finlay came in with a 72 following his level par morning score. A fantastic fighting performance Finlay and I thank you for that……
However news came in that Ashton Turner the 5th Lincolnshire player posted a great 67 meaning that we were now 3 shots behind with Patrick and Sam Done from Lincolnshire left on the course. They were both on the other side of the course so we didn’t know what was going on…….
Although we were 3 shots behind I knew we had count back. For some reason the scores took an age to appear on the website…. But when it did I could see that the Sam posted a 72 and then Patrick scored 69…. I jumped up out of my seat and cheered, was in shock, what a way to win it….. Patrick sent me a text before the match saying “we will win it for your dad” and my word Patrick “you did bring it home”. Absolute joy, Thanks.
The guys then ‘face time’ me. It was an emotional call as I could see the lads full of enjoyment. This is what team togetherness is all about, something that I have been promoting since the start of my Captaincy..… It was a superb victory… and one that I will never forget.
I would like to thank Nev, Matt and Pete for their support leading up to the event and also on the day….. President of Warwickshire Bob & his wife Bridget, Past President Graham & his wife Glenda for your support over the weekend and John Duncombe for your support on the day. Thanks also to the caddies who played their part but most of all I want to thank all the players, not just the players who played in this event but everybody involved.. You have all been great and thanks for putting your trust in me… I knew we had the team to do it on the day………
NOW, WE ARE NOT STOPPING HERE…….. SORRY…
We hope to use this as a platform to win the league and then…. I will do everything I can for Warwickshire to win the England Finals, which we haven’t won for 26 years…. after this performance we will most definitely be there on merit and will have a great chance to win it……… PERIOD!
Stuart Bloxham
County Captain
FULL SCORES CAN BE VIEWED HERE
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