Warwickshire Golf

Warwickshire Seniors suffered their first loss of the 2018 season when losing their crucial home league match narrowly to a strong Worcestershire side at Leamington & County Golf Club. The visitors now replace their hosts at the top of the West Midlands League with two wins from their opening two league matches relegating Warwickshire to second place who have also have two wins but from three matches played.

 

The players were met by a course that despite the recent drought was in excellent condition with fast running fairways and receptive greens. A slightly cool overcast morning saw players from both sides donning sweaters for the opening holes before the day became familiar of late with the increased temperature and warm sunshine bathing the players. The morning foursome matches were split at three wins apiece which confirmed how little there was between the two sides and how important for the overall league placings this match was.

 

After lunch the fourballs saw a rare defeat for Tony Allen and Neil Stewart in the top match for the hosts, however this was followed by wins from home pairings Mike Calvert with Nev Gardner and Martin Fell and Rob Soen. These two pairs both returned wins from both series of matches on the day, but a defeat for Tim Cooley and Graham Taylor in match three albeit on the last hole saw the visitors level the score. With matches five and six however both going the way of the morning with wins for the visitors, Worcestershire were over the winning line. The overall result was a win for Worcestershire by eleven points to seven.

 

My thanks to Bryan Frazer, Club Manager at Leamington & County Golf Club and his staff for their hospitality and the presentation of their fine course. To Worcestershire Captain Paul Newman and his team congratulations on a very fine and well deserved win and my best wishes for the remainder of the season. Worcestershire will now be favourites to win the league and to qualify for the league winners play-off match to be held at Henlle Park Golf Club near Oswestry in October.

 

My thanks also to Graham Barton Warwickshire Golf Union President for his support throughout the day.

 

Senior County Colours were presented for the first time.

 

In closing my thanks to the team yesterday in giving their all in what was to ultimately become a losing cause. I know that many of you felt we had the team to win yesterday but it was not to be and that as so often the case the odd putt here or there made the difference. We now have to pick ourselves up and concentrate our efforts in preparation for the Midland Senior 6's event at Kedleston Park in Derby next month. An event that we won last year and have a strong chance of doing so again.

 

The County's next fixture after Kedleston Park will be the non-league match against Cambridgeshire at Saffron Walden Golf Club at the end of next month.

 

 

Mark Reynolds

Seniors Captain