First-4-Golf

Three Wrexham Golf Club teenagers took the Flintshire and Denbighshire Ladies’ Championships by storm last week when, as well as one of their number winning the championship, they collectively won the gross and net team prize for the local club.

Old Padeswood golf club hosted the championships last Wednesday and Thursday in what can only be described as excellent conditions on what was a golf course prepared to a first class standard. Chloe Williams, Jessica Jones and India Friswell won both the gross and net team championships and all three girls qualified for the match play stage of the championships. Sadly in the quarter finals, Jessica and Chloe were drawn against each other with Chloe edging her friend out on the last green, India also narrowly losing in her match against Beth Davies who has held the Championship for the last two years. Beth actually beat Chloe in last year’s final and this years final saw the two again playing against each other in what was to be proven to be a match of the highest standard.

Chloe was one down playing the fourteenth but managed to churn out four birdies in the last five holes to win by 3 and 1 on the seventeenth green. She became the youngest player ever to win the championship at this level.

The three girls combined their efforts to win the Minnie Bowler trophy for the best net team score as well as winning the gross total as well.

At the beginning of half term, Chloe had traveled up to Scotland to represent Wales in the Scottish under 16 Girls’championships. The Welsh team of three finished 4^th of nine teams with Chloe taking 7^th overall position on what proved to be very windy golf course indeed. The three girls are coached by Chloe’s father Paul Williams, professional at Wrexham golf club, with Jessica’s father Andre, a past county scratch golfer, adding to her practice sessions at the club.

Following their success at Old Padeswood, Jessica and Chloe then travelled down to Tenby for the very prestigious Tenby 36 holes Scratch event which is a Welsh Merit Award competition. Jessica scored 80, 82 for a plus 12 finish whereas Chloe put together a 76 and 78 for plus 4 and a fifth place finish overall, both girls ensuring that the state of North Wales girls’golf is in firm hands.

The Wrexham club’s Past captains had their playing day last Sunday in a Stableford event which was won by E Gwynn Evans with 38 points from Oscar Wyn Jones on 37 and Fred Whitehead who handed in 36

Wrexham Golf Club captain’s drive-in coincided nicely with the April medal at Wrexham when the 2009 incumbent Tony Brunyee found the middle of the fairway with his drive to the accompaniment of Bill William’s shotgun.

His three-ball was complimented by past captain Nigel Pritchard and vice-captain Keith Miller and followed by Ray Sambrook, Alan Scarratt and Bill Taylor, the three most recent past captains of the club in the next three-ball.

Winner of the first division was Karl Griffiths with 77-7-70 from Chris Marsden on 73-3-70 and then Phil Thomas with 77-6-71.

The second handicap group went to Andrew Purdy with an excellent score of 74-8-66. He was in turn followed by Huw Lloyd Williams with 82-12-70 and then Wynn Davies with identical numbers but in an order to rank him in third place due to his back nine score.

Colin Jones returned the best net score with a 65 (78 gross off 13 handicap). He has now been adjusted to 11 for his efforts.
Second place went to David Sides with 86-17-69 followed by Dean Mullock with 84-13-71.

Jim Keenan had reason to smile with his win in the fourth division by returning 86-20-66 from Richard Derosa on 94-26-68 and then David Stephan Jones with 90-22-68.

Wednesday’s mid-week medal witnessed a first division win for Stuart Fisher with 77-6-71 from Malcolm Sides on 79-6-73 and then Jason Davies with 78-5-73. Brian Neale won the next group with 76-12-64 followed by Phil Tunnah on 76-10-66 and then Gilbert Hunt with 78-10-68.

The heavily populated third division was won by Stan Roberts with 82-17-68 followed by Paul Wyn Jones on 85-17-68 and then Alan Andrew with his return of 87-17-70.

Tony Jacobs took the honours in the fourth group with his offering of 85-19-66 to beat second placed Steve Elson on 94-25-69 and then Mike Smith with 90-21-69.

Wrexham golf club was busy last Tuesday morning to witness the new Ladies’ Captain Mrs Eileen Graham drive into office at 9.30 a.m. prior to the competition that traditionally accompanies her ceremonial strike.

On a fine sunlit morning Mrs Graham struck a fine shot down the middle of the first fairway to the shock sound of Bill Williams’s twelve bore shotgun which coincides with the moment of truth. A fraction early on the trigger and the end product can be the stuff of legend, but Bill has done this deed for many years now having taken over from the late professional, John Powell who was instrumental in starting off this tradition with the even later Donnie Stevens who suggested that the Captains Drive in should “start with a bang”

John performed the ceremony for over thirty years before handing over to Bill who is still going strong. Mrs Graham was followed on to the tee by Ladies’ Vice captain Mrs Ann Davies who produced an equally efficient stroke to the applause of about forty members, predominantly ladies, who had turned out to witness the event.

The competition that followed was in the form of a nine holes Drawn fourball with the best three scores to count. Winning team comprised Janet Brand, Carolann Jones, Janet Brunyee and Maureen Cox with 53 points. They were followed by the second placed team of Anne Morgan, Jo Davies, Mary Hunter and Rachael Davies with 51.

A separate competition was held for veteran ladies over the back nine holes and this was won by Margaret Ellis on 16 Stableford points from Ceris Jenkins with 15 points.

The club Annual General Meeting will be held next Wednesday 25^th March when the Officers change over and the incoming captain looks forward with eager anticipation to Bill raising his shotgun yet again at 1.00 p.m. on Saturday April 4^th when he drives himself into Office accompanied by the outgoing captain and his newly appointed Vice Captain for 2009. This is the occasion of the April medal and the traditional day for this ceremony to take place.

Last Sunday the winter league drew to its conclusion with the top four possible winners taking to the course in excellent golfing conditions. These top four could not be drawn together so the anticipation was knife edge amongst the players to do well on the day.

Two of the potential winners, Andy Wynne and Clive Griiffiths had an indifferent day and rather played themselves out of contention finishing third and fourth eventually with 53 and 52 points respectively.

Neil Edwards partnered John Williams to the days best score gaining 10 individual points, enough to elevate him from last weeks fourth place to this weeks runner up spot, but it was left to Alan Harris who turned in a 73 gross off nine handicap partnering Ian Darlington for second place on the day but a nine point addition to his already strong score giving him a grand total of 54 out of a possible 60 points taking the best six scores out of a possible eight.

The event has been organized for very many years by different members, this year by Alan Harris the eventual winner, and has always been dedicated to the memory of Brian Pattison who was the originator in the mid eighties and the controlling agent for over ten years. His wife Gill Pattison always takes an active interest in the progress of the competition as the weeks go by.

Stephanie Evans, from Vale of Llangollen, is included in the women’s squad who will compete in the event to be staged at Conwy.

Evans will be aiming to help the Welsh ladies squad build on last September’s Home Internationals victory at Wrexham.

Luke Jackson, of Mold, and Michael Evans (Clays) are named in the boys squad, with Wrexham’s Chloe Williams and Emma Davies, from Eaton, both named in the girls squad.

Welsh golf director Nigel Edwards has targeted the European Team event as key to Wales’ development.

With the Men’s Championship being played on home ground at Conwy in July it provides an added incentive to the Welsh players to be successful.

Conwy will be hosting Europe’s best amateur golfers in the European Team Championships at the end of June and beginning of July, with Ireland returning as the defending champions and England looking to improve on last year’s second place.

Wales have to go back to 1993 in the Czech Republic when Bradley Dredge led the team to victory with the likes of US Tour player Richard Johnson also in the squad.

“We have high expectations this season – particularly with the European Men’s team Championships which we are hosting in Conwy,” said Edwards. “We want to win championships, we want winners on an individual basis and as a team.

“The boys and girls teams made great strides forward in 2008 and 2009 will give us a further indication of their development.

“Obviously we want to see individual success with Welsh players in the Walker Cup team and Welsh players winning amateur events on the main British amateur circuits – men and ladies.”

The Welsh squads have already had players’ meetings at Whitchurch and Clays, with Edwards and the Welsh coaches, to plan the season.

“That was just to make them aware of what benefits there are in being a squad member, highlighting how they can make the most of it,” explained Edwards. “We need them to communicate with us so we can help them get better.”

Wales international pair Joe Vickery and James Frazer are Down Under in Australia starting their season, with Frazer having come an impressive 11th in the Asia Pacific Championship.

“On the ladies side, losing players to the European Tour is not ideal but if they go out on tour and are successful then that is great because it raises the profile and says we are doing a decent job,” explained Edwards.

“We have lost two of our most experienced golfers in Sahra Hassan and Breanne Loucks and we wish them well. However, many of the ladies that were part of the team at Wrexham have high expectations and are comfortable competing in the amateur game in 2009 before considering the professional circuits. Amateur golf provides wonderful competitive experience.

“Our players turning professional is a double edged sword because you want them to stay in the amateur game for as long as possible in order that Welsh Amateur golf is as successful as possible.

“There comes a time when players have to make decisions about their future careers – we want them to be very successful as amateurs and professionals.”

More than 100 members and guests tried their luck at horse racing, roulette, blackjack, crown and anchor, dice games, and a special lottery and raised more than £1,000.

The event was the first of many planned by the club for its centenary year in 2009.

Organiser Anne Lloyd Davies, of the club’s centenary committee, said: “It was a brilliant night, great fun and a real tonic for the January blues.”

Cliff recorded a fantastic nett 59 off his handicap of 20, but that still fell three short of Mike Griffiths’ winning score!

Denbigh resident, Mike, headed a field of 136 entries with his unbelievable score, which included three birdies off his handicap of 14, which is now slashed by three.

He had collected seven league points in the previous week’s competition with a score of five-up.

Mike, who is 64, had only just bought a new set of irons and was playing just his second round with them on Saturday.

It has always been his desire to record a nett score of less than his age and with this 56 he has well and truly achieved that ambition.

DENBIGH - Winter League Week 13: 1 Mike Griffiths 70-14-56.

Gold Division: 1 Mark Matthews 74-8-66; 2 Nigel Jones 75-9-66; 3 George Williams 71-5-66. Silver Division: 1 Gerald Parry 75-13-62; 2 Glyn Williams 79-15-64; 3 Jeff Griffiths 77-13-64. Bronze Division: 1 Cliff Roberts 79-20-59; 2 Josh Hannen 84-21-63; 3 Liam Rowlands 81-17-64.

Juniors Winter League 18 Hole Medal Competition - Week 12: 1 Joshua Jones 66; 2 Edward Roberts 67; 3 Jack Cooledge 69.

Ladies Nine Hole Winter League Competition: 1 Jean Goodrick 17; 2 Stephanie Chalk 17; 3 Alison Matthews 17.

Seniors Stableford Competition: 1 Gerald Parry 40; 2 Geoff Doherty 38; 3 Gary Breaks 37.

Ladies 9 Hole Winter League Competition: 1 Val Jinks 21; 2 Christine Jones 20; 3 Jenny Jones 18.

Seniors Stableford Competition: 1 Peter MacKenzie 39; 2 Ifor Jones 37; 3 Ed Smith 33.

Seniors Stableford Competition: 1 Frank Barrett 39; 2 Gary Breaks 38; 3 Trevor Lamont 36.

CLAYS Club January Medal - Division One: 1 Phil Davies 77-9=68; 2 V Thind 81-11=70; 3 Colin Bryan 82-6=76. Division Two: 1 Paul Jeffs 84-13=71; 2 Gareth Roberts 85-12=73; 3 Mike Holt 88-14=74. Division Three: 1 Dilwyn Jones 88-18=70; 2 Craig Jones 100-23=77; 3 Robert Jarvis 97-20=77.

Sunday Winter League Two: 1 Bryan Jones 77-11=66; 2 Neil Gledhill 89-23=66; 3 David Parry 76-9=67.

Seniors Kitty 13 hole competition: 1 Fred Court and Brian Downes 33 points; 2 Peter Fraser and Vinny Simpson 33 (cb); 3 Bill Parry and Mike Carding 31.

HOLYWELL Team of Three: 1 Denys Davies, Mervyn Davies, Richard Owen 68; 2 Dave Andrew, Paul Newton, Dave Thomas 66 (cb); 3 Phil Reid, Jason Jones, Darren Edwards.

Junior Stableford: 1 James Perrett 20; 2 Liam Reed 18.

PENNANT PARK - Captain’s Drive-In, Men: 1 David J Roberts 30 (cb); 2 Phil Thompson 30 (cb); 3 Ted Bland 30 (cb).

Captain’s Drive-In, Ladies: 1 Ann Sharp 30; 2 Lynn Bailey 25 (cb); 3 Pam Joinson 25.

Winter League: 1 Matt Baker 28 (cb); 2 David Graham 28. Winter League Division One: 1 Karl Edwards 28; 2 Andrew Allshorn 27. Division Two: 1 Ian Hopkinson 29; 2 Mike Bullough 28.

Ladies Stableford: 1 Sandra Murphy 18 (cb); 2 Lynn Bailey 18.

Winter League: 1 Dave Gore 35; 2 John Burke 30. Winter League Division One: 1 Stephen Williams 30; 2 David Higginson 28. Division Two: 1 Peter Grundy Snr 30; 2 Vince Benton 29.

Ladies Winter Stableford: 1 Heather Taylor 20; 2 Lynn Bailey 18.

Seniors Winter League: 1 Geoff Foulkes 33; 2 Dave Foley 32.

Winter League: 1 David Ratcliffe 31; 2 John Edwards 31. Winter League Division One: 1 Andy Joinson 30; 2 Lee Oldfield 29. Division Two: 1 Mike Bullough 33; 2 Lee Sinclair 32.

Ladies Winter Stableford: 1 Heather Taylor 26; 2 Pam Joinson 21.

Ladies Winter Shield Final: 1 Heather Taylor; 2 Lynn Bailey (Lady capt); 3 Pam Joinson.

HENLLE PARK - Captain’s Drive-In:1 Alan James 70; 2 Alister Wright; 3 Peter Bagnall.

Ladies Indivdual Stableford: 1 Moya Holmes 19; 2 Kathy Evans 16; 3 Beryl Aubrey 16; 4 Pam Oliver 15.

Lady Captain’s Drive-in Nine-hole Shotgun start Competition - Men: 1 Tony Davies 20 c/b; 2 Derek Kellett 20. Ladies: 1 Viv Davies 18 c/b; 2 Gylla Magee 18; 3 Pam Oliver 17.

UPTON - 12 Hole Greensome Medal: 1 Pat Jennings and Jackie Bowyer 68-19-49; 2 Joyce Overend and Jean Payne 63-13-50.

Winter League winners - League A: Joe Devine and Mike Frost; Tony Mallon and Steve Lucas; Steve Ellis and Keith Williams; George Tremarco and Dave Cutt; Steve Jones and Ashley Jones; Gordon Galletly and Jonathan Galletly.

League B: Jim Priddin and Barry Harding; Des Jefferson and Rob Beddows; Paul Ithell and Brian Chidlow; Ken MacDonald and Bill Owens; Matthew Yeoman and Graham Collins; Gordon Will and Pat Dunn.

League C: Steve Buswell and Richard Green; Mark Chidlow and Lee Chidlow; Phil Gow and Gareth James; Mark Edwards and Paul Whitlow; John Powis and James Powis; Jim McBride and Clint Goodaed.

League D: Rob Hewitt and Ian Harvey; Barry Earlam and David Galletly; Derek Underwood and Alex Gifford; Peter Ferguson and Phil Moore; David Bradley and Richard Sidebottom; Jerry Woodley and Dave Waterhouse.

League E: Adam Deveney and James Lightfoot; Jim McCormack and Mike McCormack; Mike Smith and Mark Rawlins; Peter Clark and Peter McKeown; Graeme Clark and Gary Seddon; Mark Buttery and Anthony Hickman.

EATON - Ladies 14 Hole Stroke Play: 1 Janet Robinson 76-16=56; 2 Lesley Kirby 68-7=61; 3 Denise Lamont (Lady Captain) 70-7=63 cpo.

CLAYS - Seniors 13 Holes Yellow Ball: 1 Ray Martin, Lynn Mitchell, Peter Lynch, and Colin Brown 121; 2 Geoff Morris, Terry Jackson, Peter Fey and Ernie Williams 116.

Saturday Winter League Two: 1 Adam McDermott 59-4=55; 2 Carl White 64-9=55; 3 David Parry 63-8=55.

Shop Sunday Stableford: 1 David Parry 34; 2 Paul Woolf 33; 3 Graham Byrne 33.

Wrexham Council says following on from the free lesson, juniors (aged five to 18) can get golf tutoring at £15 for five lessons. There is no dress code and all equipment will be provided. Call Clays for more information on 01978 661046.

The local authority says the Golf Roots scheme, under which the lesson is offered, has helped many people from the Wrexham area to get involved in the sport and has changed the public’s perception of the activity.

“We are delighted to have held this Golf Roots programme in Wrexham. All the children that have taken part, plus their older siblings, parents, teachers and Wrexham Council joined in together,” said chief libraries, leisure and culture officer Alan Watkin.

“Now we are offering everyone the chance to take up a free golf lesson.”

Wrexham Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Bob Dutton, said: “We are pleased to be offering everyone from Wrexham the opportunity to take up a free golf lesson.”

For a free golf lesson visit www.wrexham.gov.uk/sport to download the voucher and get details of how to book a place. For more information contact the sports development section on 01978 297359.

The fluctuating conditions of last week made the arrangements to play golf a day to day decision, but for players who had signed for competitions it became a case of turn up and get on with it. Last Saturday was such a day with foul weather warnings being broadcast by the BBC along with flood warnings for the South West on Friday night, the Wrexham golf course, usually an excellent draining course, succumbed to the torrential downpour and was closed at first light.

The day had been reserved for the annual Christmas Scramble in which about sixty men contest the event and then have a meal in the clubhouse after play. The numbers are supplemented by other members who did not play but came for the meal. Even though this is definitely a “jolly boys’ outing” there is a serious side to it all in that by arranging forfeits for all manner of inane reasons at a pound a forfeit, Nightingale House benefited to the tune of over £435.00, and all from quite a small number of participants.

The competition eventually started at noon when an inspection of the course proved positive. Eighteen holes was out of the question so the organizers sensibly divided the field into two halves with one group playing nine holes on the back plus ten, eleven, seventeen and eighteen and the front nine players adding ten, eleven and eighteen to their card.  One group therefore played twelve holes and the other played thirteen so it was run as two separate competitions.

Accounting for the differing formats, the winners were the Am Am scoring team comprising R Paul Williams, Richard Godbold, David Stephen Jones and Nick Verburg

with Chris Marsden, Simon Earl Huxley, Karl Griffiths and Warren Wynne in second place.

The third placed team was Mike Norton, Mike Jones, E L Williams and Kevin Bostock followed by Derek Collis, Mike Verburg, Phil Kavanagh and Alan Harris in fourth place.

The fifth group comprised Sean O’Sullivan, Phil McKevitt, Gary Murt and Alan Andrew.

The results of Wrexham Ladies nine holes Christmas Canadian Greensome again have featured Janet Lloyd and Janet Brand with 18 points followed by Jean Jones and Janet Pritchard with 17, all from a total of sixteen entries.

The Annual General Meeting of the Denbighshire Golfing Union held last Wednesday at Denbigh Golf Club witnessed the retirement of the 2008 officers in favour of the 2009 incumbents. County Captain John Hughes of Ruthin Pwllglas Golf Club handed over the control to Chris Roberts of Wrexham Golf Club and at the same time welcomed Tony Harcombe of Clays Golf Centre as the Vice Captain for 2009 with the potential to be County Captain in the 2010 Ryder Cup year.

Ian Taylor of Rhos on Sea, who has held the Presidency of the Union for the past two years, was succeeded by Eric Howells of Denbigh golf club who retired last year as County Secretary, a post he held with distinction for twenty years.

David Ethelston of the Vale of Llangollen was reappointed to his office as Secretary as well as Martin Edwards of Denbigh to that of Treasurer with Iain Hayes of Rhos on Sea continuing to serve as Chairman of Selectors for the County scratch team.

An undoubted highlight of the evening was the presentation of the long service award to County Golf to Malcolm Edwards of the Wrexham club. Malcolm first played representative golf for the County scratch team in 1969 when he played with teenage legend Jimmy Buckley who went on to win the Welsh Match play and stroke play so many times as well as playing in the Walker Cup at Muirfield.

Malcolm has played since that time at scratch level, also representing Wales at senior golf and still plays for the DGU senior’s team and also for North Wales. He recalled in his acceptance speech the time that he arrived very early for a match at Rhos on Sea Golf Club only to find the snooker table occupied by two players who, with a third who was sitting down in the window area, had been playing all night.

Closer observation revealed Ray Reardon, who this week received a lifetime achievement award for services to snooker at the Welsh Sportsman of the Year presentation, Australian ace Eddie Charlton, and snooker legend Fred Davies, brother of the incomparable Joe Davies who dominated the sport throughout the post was years. As Malcolm added, he was not invited to make up the four!

He and I partnered each other in County foursomes for over eleven years, winning more than we lost thanks entirely to his superb golf and temperament, but come what may, even after all that time I could never “club him” when asked my opinion. I could give him yardages, but he was so powerful with the shorter irons, that to suggest what he hit into the green was, and still  is because we play together every Saturday morning, a complete mystery. A worthy recipient of a very prestigious award.

Wrexham played a Stableford event last Saturday in conditions best described as less than perfect. Winner of the first division was Kevin Matthias with 40 points off two handicap, an excellent achievement considering the competition was played off the white boxes which had been placed rather too far back for winter golf. Gareth Evans was in second place with 39 points off three handicap and Graham Williams occupied third with 37.

Jim Davies took the second division with his score of 38 points, beating the two next cards of 36 handed in by Gavin Davies and Mike Parsons.

The length of the course took its toll on the longer handicap players with the scores reflecting this in the third division. Bryn Edwards won with 35 points followed by David Phillips on the same numbers and then Haydn Davies in third place with 34.

Geoff Lang handed in 37 points to win the fourth group from Neil Edwards who returned with another 37. Bob Simms was in third place with35.

Breanne Loucks popped into the office to do some photocopying a little while ago prior to a Manchester Airport dash to La Manga where she is spending three days surveying the North and south courses before her Tour School Qualifier on 3^rd January.

She will be laser distancing the holes from all points on the fairways in preparation for four rounds of golf with about one hundred and fifty other aspiring amateurs to make the cut of thirty. The second four rounds are supplemented by the Professional ladies who lost their playing rights this year and are looking to re qualify for the 2009 season.

We all admire her thorough approach and wish her well.

Wrexham Ladies have just walked in with the results of their somewhat depleted nine holes competition which featured a win for Janet Brand and Sue Bannister with 18 points followed by Janet Pritchard and Freda Darlington on the same score but ranked on the back six holes.