The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding Golf Club’s top team are out of the Bramley singles matchplay competition after a 2-1 home defeat to Woodhall Spa.
On a wet evening at the Surfleet course, hosts Spalding exited the county inter-club tournament in the second round.
Talented teenager Ollie Mitchell put in a strong performance but lost one down in a very close game, while Andy Grimwood was two down at the turn – and with his opponent single putting nearly every green, he eventually lost 4&3.
Anchor man Simon Richardson showing his class and was 6up at the turn before closing out a cracking 8&7 success, but it was Woodhall who progressed to the quarter finals.
Meanwhile, the men’s first team were also beaten 5-1 at Belton Park, with Dan Hines and Mitchell being the only winners (4&3).
* Spalding’s 2nd picked up a narrow 3.5-2.5 home win over Lincolnshire rivals Sleaford.
Coming out of retirement, the experienced pair of Peter Clark and Mark Mitchell led the way with a 5&4 success.
Phil Tweddle and Paul Johnson (4&2) and Lawrie Haley and Callum Walker (3&1) were the other winners.
But the result rested on the last game involving Chris Moxon and Mark Dodds.
After an anxious wait for the team, they finally came in with a half to win the match.
* Spalding’s 3rd team travelled to North Shore (Skegness) in torrential rain for a 1pm tee off, fully expecting the match to be cancelled.
But at the appointed hour the rain stopped, the sun came out and the match was played – and what a match it proved to be as the pair battled out a draw.
Results: Captain Mike Murphy and Kevin Siddle won 1up, Sam Sampson and Dave Fitter halved, Mick Hanson and Peter Schofield lost 4&3, Monty Brittain and Ken Murray halved, Roy Parker and Ray Barnett won 1up and Brian Naylor and John Taylor lost 5&4.
* The Spalding 3rd team fared much better against Boston, however, as a top team performance steered them to a 4.5-1.5 victory.
Fortunately they did not follow their captain’s example, as Murphy – assisted by Stuart Parker – lost 2 down.
The Spalding points came from Brittain and Sampson (halved), Andy Elms and Trever Horrocks (won 8&7), Geoff Skinner and Peter Bridge (won 3&2), Andy Rafferty and Roy Parker (won 4&3) and Del Murphy and Dave Colwell (won 3&2).
* Spalding Golf Club’s only mixed bogey competition we play – The Ben Smalley– was won by Terry and Jill Huggins with an excellent score of +4.
Runners-up on +3 were Roy Blake and Theresa Starbuck, with Keith Williams and Hannah Thorold (+1) third on count back from Lawrie Haley and ladies’ captain Jenny Wilson.
Sandy and Sue Watson, Chris and Elaine Hancock, John and Sue Mathews and Geoff and Beryl Skinner.
