The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
It was a case of second time lucky for competitors in Spalding Golf Club’s ladies spring am-am.
The original date last month was washed out due to torrential rain that flooded the course despite many players starting their rounds.
However, their second attempt last Wednesday was greeted by record temperatures as 22 teams of ladies from 20 different golf clubs set out once again to play in a Stableford Waltz competition.
Cold water and flannels were provided on the course plus drinks and cakes at the halfway house to ensure competitors were supported in the heat.
The twos competition was won by Avril Norton (Kirton Holme) and Angela Roper (Spalding).
Overall winners on countback were the Burghley Park quartet of Kay Hircock, Lynda Lancaster, Barbara Newell and Jane Saggers.
Results: 1 Kay Hircock, Lynda Lancaster, Barbara Newell & Jane Saggers (Burghley Park) 80pts (c/b); 2 Anne Ellis, Lesley Williams (Spalding) Pam Wiggins (Belton Park) & Sheila Dunmore (Stoke Rochford) 80; 3 Sue Dewar, Pam Smith (Spalding), Tina Alcock & Sue Stamper (Thorney) 79; 4 Lorraine Robinson, Mandy Lees, Alison Ravenhill & Helen Roscoe (Toft) 78 (c/b); 5 Nicky Weller, Dina Reedman (Spalding), Kim Markillie (Gedney Hill), Sandra Wildman (Toft) 78.
Spalding Seniors gained revenge for an away defeat when they hosted King’s Lynn in the return fixture.
Having lost 4.5-3.5 on their travels, Spalding evened up the overall score with a 5-3 triumph.
Michael Gould and Alan Pritchard set the ball rolling with a fine 5&3 win, but Lynn levelled when Peter Bridge and William Creasy were defeated on the final two holes.
The steady pairing of Neil Wilkinson and Albert Jacobs restored Spalding’s lead with a comfortable 3&2 success with Roger Davey and Tony Holbrook following suit after a 4&3 success.
Lester Pybus and David Brotherton were also edged out on the final two holes as Lynn reduced the arrears.
However, the excellent pairing of Richard Edwards and Bernard Herbert romped to a 4&3 win, only for Jim Dobson and Steve Leggett to lose out 2&1.
The final pairing of Ron Rolfe and Shaun Gibson saved the best until last as they secured the overall victory with a fine 5&3 success.
Spalding’s 3rd team came away with a convincing 5-1 win from their trip to Skegness.
Results: Andy Cunnington & Dave Colwell won 2&1, Pete Williams & Pete Spencer won 2&1, Dougie Garfoot & Richard Avery won 1up, Chris Hull & Roy Blake won 6&4, Si Gray & Rick Denton won 1up.
Spalding Ladies recorded a clean sweep of victories when they hosted Blankney in a friendly match.
Results: Barbara Newcombe & Beryl Skinner won 1up, Ruth Atkins & Elaine Harrison won 1up, Jacquie Bailey-Scott & Julie Gooderson won 6&5, Olive Gooderson & Wendy Revill won 4&3.
Results: Spalding 1sts 4 Toft 2: Callum Lewis & Hugo Kedzlie halved, James Crampton & Lewis Pucill won 7&6, Dan Hines & Charles Lacy halved, Keith Hearne & Mark Cooley won 2&1, Ollie Mitchell & Robert McCrae won 6&5.
A total of 33 seniors from Spalding Golf Club enjoyed an Exchange Day at Ramsey GC.
Playing in teams of three, with a team prize as well as individual and mystery pairs, the individual winner on the day was Jim Dobson with a magnificent points total of 42.
Runner-up was Rod Filby on 39 while the team prize was won by Malcolm Hole, Monty Brittain and Mike Murphy with an accumulative best two out three score of 86 pts. Runners-up were Shaun Gibson, Lester Pybus and Keith Brown with 83.
Mystery Pairs winners were Dave Halfteck and Mike Murphy. There were two nearest the pins which were won on the seventh by Pete Williams and on the 13th by Roger Davey.
Also a 2s Sweep was held and Roger Davey was successful on the fifth and eighth and Mike Murphy on the second.
A strong second team returned victorious from an away fixture at Blankney in the blistering heat.
The first pairing of Phil Tweddle and Phil Wakefield went down 3&2 in a close match, but Mark Jones and Matt Richardson evened up the match by winning 4&3.
The fifth pairing of Wayne Wallace and new boy Simon Horton polished off their match early with a 5&3 victory as did the last pairing of Dave Perrott and Tom Hull, winning 5&4.
This left the third and fourth match just requiring a half to seal that away win. Both groups went down to the last hole losing by one.
Gerry Philo and Rich Laud were unable to take the last hole with the latter narrowly missing his birdie to win the hole.
Up stepped Lawrie Haley and Chris Moxon, with the latter already out the hole due to his first wayward drive of the day.
Haley was safely on the green in regulation, but the home team needed to only two putt after the Spalding player was safely in for par.
A nasty little five footer was left after the first putt and Moxon could barely watch as the putt sailed past the hole and gave the away team the valuable half required to seal the victory.
The 3.5-2.5 win puts Spalding in a strong position now in the league and making a real challenge to win the title after the halfway stage.
The seniors suffered a heavy 6.5-1.5 defeat on a tricky Stoke Rochford course.
Captain Michael Gould won the first match with his partner Jim Dobson after a resounding 7&6 success.
However, after this great start, the rest of the team – with the exception of Gerald Cox and Barrie Hudson with a half – could not get another win between them.
There were some close games but credit to Stoke Rochford for taking all the remaining seven matches.
Spalding seniors bounced back from their defeat at Stoke Rochford with a 7-0 whitewash of Royal Cromer.
Captain Roger Davey once again led from the front with a fine 4&3 win while the group behind of Peter Bridge and David Tasker followed suit in a 5&3 success.
Neil Wilkinson and Lester Pybus joined forces for a 3&2 win while Jim Dobson and Paddy Goslyn produced an excellent performance to defeat two handy challengers 3&2.
David Halfteck and Peter Williams won 3&2 while steady Eddie Jacobs and Richard Edwards took it right to the wire with a one hole victory.
Spalding’s third team suffered a 4-2 away defeat at Boston West who played well on their home track.
Ted Portass and Pete Williams claimed a hard-fought win with Andy Rafferty and Dougie Alexander and Roy Blake and Andy Thomas halving their matches.
