Warwickshire Golf
Ladbrook Park win The Warwickshire Cup
This year's Warwickshire Cup Final was played at The Warwickshire Golf Club on Sunday 22nd May 2022 between the teams from Ladbrook Park Golf Club and North Warwickshire Golf Club. The match consists of three foursomes matches played off scratch with the winning team being the first to two points.
The matches set off on a bright afternoon and although showers were threatened the players were not inconvenienced by any wet weather.
The opening match saw Ed Hull and Jake Larden, members of the winning 2016 Ladbrook Park team up against the North Warwickshire pairing of Dan Stanley and Carl Kirby. Despite losing a ball from their opening tee shot on the first hole, the Ladbrook pairing quickly established the momentum to lead by 2 holes at the turn.
The second match saw Aaran Brown and Frank Niblock from Ladbrook against James Barton and Rich Keegan from North Warwickshire. The match also saw the Ladbrook pairing start the better winning three of the first four holes and were still ahead at the halfway point although their lead had been trimmed to just two holes at the turn.
Match three saw Phil Hoye and Tom Brewer from Ladbrook playing Chris Brown and the North Warwickshire Captain Adam Law. The performance of the latter pairing in this match was much more encouraging for the team from North Warwickshire. Capitalizing on some errant shots from their opponents and solid putting saw the Brown/Law pairing steadily win holes during the opening nine to lead by four holes at the turn. Chris Brown, who plays right handed, but putts left handed, adapted well to the speed of the greens, indicated by a beautiful putt of some twenty feet on the 8th green which used all the hole and fell into the cup with the balls' last revolution. The back nine however saw the Ladbrook pairing play some fine golf themselves and to wipe out their arrears completely and so stood on the 18th tee with the match all square.
The opening match had also reached the 18th tee with Ladbrook Park holding a 1up lead, with the North Warwickshire pairing having the honour. However the tee shot from Dan was sliced away down the 10th fairway and Ed needed no further invitation to send his own drive straight and long down the middle of the fairway. A fine recovery shot from Carl and subsequent third shot from Dan found the home green in regulation, but when Jake hit his second shot to the front apron of the green, two putts later the birdie four and the match was sealed for the Ladbrook pairing by a score of 2up.
Match one to Ladbrook Park.
The second match did not reach the 18th hole and despite a spirited fight from North Warwickshire's James and Rich, were unable to get back on terms from their early holes deficit and they succumbed on the 17th green by a score of 2 and 1. Match two to Ladbrook Park also. Match score was now 2-0.
The third match had now reached the final green and with both teams having equidistance putts for their par 5's, the pairings agreed to call the match a half.
Final score Ladbrook Park 2 wins and a half to North Warwickshire a half.
Congratulations to Ladbrook Park and their non playing Captain Graham Hargreaves. Their victory gives them a second win in the competition after their triumph in 2016. Commiserations to North Warwickshire Captain Adam Law and his team.
My thanks to The Warwickshire for the presentation of the course and their continued support of the competition and also to the bar and catering staff for looking after everyone on the day.
Thank you to Phil Croft for acting as referee for the matches.
Thanks also to the caddies and supporters of both teams who helped to make the day so enjoyable.
Mark Reynolds
President
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