Warwickshire Golf

Warwickshire Seniors began their 2018 campaign with a friendly match against near-neighbours Leicestershire at Copt Heath Golf Club. The home side was looking to reverse a defeat suffered to their East Midlands opponents last year and both sides were grateful that the anticipated wet weather, which has so dogged this particular fixture in recent years, kept away. With both sides featuring one debutant, the home side's Tim Cooley from Ladbrook Park, was unable to add to his halved match in the morning, suffering a last hole defeat in the afternoon. However at lunch Warwickshire led by 4.5 points to 1.5 points.

 

All of the morning matches had gone to at least the penultimate hole and this theme was maintained during the afternoon matches as well. Leicestershire won the opening four ball however with the next four matches seeing three wins and a half for the home side any likelihood of an away win for the visitors was quickly extinguished. The biggest margin of victory all day was just 3 and 1, which showed the closeness of all the matches. Warwickshire returned 100% contributions from their pairings in matches three, four and five and with match two also contributing both in the morning and afternoon, this was the main difference in the day's play. The Copt Heath course was presented in first class condition with players from both sides commenting on the quality of the greens which provided an excellent surface to putt on.

 

The matches were as always all played in an excellent spirit and my best wishes to Alan Turton and his Leicestershire team for their remaining fixtures. We look forward to seeing the county again in the Midland 6's regional qualifying at Kedleston Park in August. The result, a 11.5 to 6.5 win for Warwickshire was exactly the same score Leicestershire had beaten us by in the rearranged fixture at the end of last year. 

 

My thanks to Copt Heath Golf Club for their hospitality during the day and to the green staff for the quality of the course, and also to the catering staff who looked after everyone at breakfast, lunchtime and at dinner.

 

 

Mark Reynolds

 

Senior Captain