Warwickshire Golf

Warwickshire made the long journey north to play in the English Seniors County Finals at Goswick Golf Club near Berwick-on-Tweed, and what a memorable week it was. The whole event from start to finish was wonderfully handled by England Golf and all the staff at Goswick Golf Club and on such a magnificent golf course the four participating teams all enjoyed a week to remember.

Our first match against Gloucestershire saw us behind by 2.5 points to 0.5 points after the three morning foursomes, but what a response by the team in the afternoon with 5 wins from the 6 singles matches seeing us safely over the line by 5.5 to 3.5.

Day 2 saw us again behind at lunchtime but on this occasion against Sussex we were not able to reproduce the heroics of the first day  and the latter won by a scoreline of 6.5 to 2.5. This score however does not represent the closeness of all the matches, with 6 of the 9 games played all going to the last hole! - Warwickshire however were only able to win the 18th hole in one of those 6 matches.

 

On Thursday our opponents were the Champions Elect, Yorkshire. Many peoples favourite at the start of the week, Yorkshire despite it's great golfing traditions and with over 185 affiliated clubs had never won the Seniors County Champions title before. Again Warwickshire were behind at lunchtime by 2 points to 1, but with wins in the opening two singles from Tony Allen and Andrew Carman saw a very real possibility of another come from behind victory.

Yorkshire won matches 3 and 5 but a Warwickshire win in match 4 saw the game tied at 4 points each, with the final match between Rob Soen and Peter Ward all square playing the last. Robs superb approach to some 4 feet, with the ball actually rolling over the hole, was eclipsed by Peter's shot to within 6 inches. The latter's putt was conceded and with Rob's putt sliding agonizingly past the right edge, Yorkshire were home and the title was their's.

 

Warwickshire finished in 3rd place but came very close to winning the overall event. Indeed there was a period on that last afternoon where we were in a winning position. 

 

My congratulations to Yorkshire on their fine win and to Sussex and Gloucestershire for proving such worthy adversaries. All the matches were played in a great spirit and enjoyed immensely.

 

I would like to thank England Golf for their hard work and diligence through the week and Goswick Golf Club for their wonderful course and all their staff for making everybody feel so welcome. Please look them up if you travel north to Edinburgh from Newcastle, they will make you so glad you did.

 

My thanks also to the Warwickshire Golf Union for all their support and commitment to the cause; to President Bob Harrison and his wife Bridget, President Elect Graham Barton and his wife Lyn for their attendance at the event and to Operations Director Matt Nixon, for all his help both on and off the course and not least his caddying duties through the week. To all the other caddies who served the team so well, thank you for your time and effort last week, the players and I are very grateful.

 

My final thanks must of course go to my team. In qualifying from Hawkstone Park against a very strong field of 9 other Midlands counties and also winning the West Midlands League for the first time, you have elevated the status of Seniors Golf in the county. I am thrilled to have been there with you and share in some small way in your success.

I am very proud to be your Captain-thank you all.

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Reynolds