As I write this, Mendip Golf Club has, at long last, succumbed to the weather and closed, after 25mm of overnight rain, making it 161mm for the month. This came on top of almost five months of wet weather.

Whilst it is bad news, it reminds Mendip’s members how lucky we are when the weather is so extreme. When clubs all around Somerset and adjoining counties have been closed for days on end and when open members are faced with trolley bans, Mendip members have been playing throughout the winter on good fairways, grass tees and mostly main greens.

37 ladies competed in a 9 hole stableford event in wet and windy weather, which kept the scores in check for most. Best score of the day came in Silver Division, with Elaine P. Richardson carding an excellent twenty points. After a season lost through injury, Elaine is obviously quickly getting back into the swing of things.

After a three-way tie on sixteen points, Anne Hopkins was second on countback from Margaret Allen and Vi Hayes. The Bronze Division was won by Ladies Captain Elect, Anne Collins, with sixteen points and after another three-way tie, this time on fifteen points, Chris Williams was second, Cora Pavey was third and Margaret Hawker was fourth.

Copper Division went to Suzy Rudkin, with nineteen points, Gina Howard was second, with seventeen points and Allison Rummings was third, with fourteen points after countback.

The Pro Shop Nearest the Pin event went to Andy Griffiths, with Phil Bendall second and John Ellis third. The following week, the winner was Aaron Mitchell, with Matt Bendall second and Ellen Reakes third.

The Pro Shop Stableford event was won by Phil Bendall with 38 points, Dan Allen was second with 37, Tom Chapman was third with 35, with Richard Salter fourth after countback with 33 points.

The Competitors in the last Mixed event of the winter season were faced with gale force winds and increasingly horizontal rain. Nine holes were felt to be enough in the circumstances. The Clubhouse Team did an excellent job in providing a lovely carvery to greet the players on their return.

The winners, with a very fine score, bearing in mind the conditions, were David and Dee Garnsworthy, with twenty points. Mike and Julia Phillips were second, with eighteen, with Alan and Sandy Roper in third place with seventeen after count back.

Tony Williams