Competitive golf at Mendip is gathering apace despite it still being February.
The Men held a Qualifying Stableford which attracted 35 entrants and with the course playing well, scoring was good. Winning with 38 points and continuing the excellent form that saw him win 2016’s Order of Merit, was Wayne Black, with the always consistent Tom Lowe, playing off two, in second place, with 37 points. Stephen Antell secured third with 36 points after countback from Wayne Strawley.
The Ladies held a nine-hole Stableford on a bright and sunny, albeit cold, day. Winning Silver Division with 19 points was Libby Bellew, beating Elaine Kitchenham, 18 points and Anita Butcher, 17 points. Bronze Division was won by Sue Alcock with 17 points, with Mary Ainsworth second, with 16 points and Chris Williams third, with 15. Copper Division was won by Elaine Richardson with an excellent 21 points, with Anne Collins, second with 17 and Kay O’Connor third, with 15.
The following week, the Ladies held a drawn teams of Mixed Handicaps event. This was won by Lulu Carolan, Joan Clark and Caroline Laws, with 43 points. In second place were Chris Down, Cora Pavey and Wendy Norman with 40 and in third, Di Stanton, Elaine Richardson and Ladies Captain, Patricia Rawlins, with 39.
The Seniors Monthly Stableford attracted a large entry of 75 competitors. Scoring was good with most players scoring 30 points or more. Shot of the day was from Michael Gardiner, who holed his three wood second shot on the 400+ yards third hole for an Eagle 2!
Winning Division One with 37 points was Paul Apfelstedt, beating Adrian Brooking Clark on countback with Rod Dyson third with 36. Division Two was won by Nigel Brokenshire, with 42 points and whilst this was a non-qualifying event, you can be sure the Handicap Committee will have noted. In second place was Merlyn Saunders, with 38 points and in third place, Jim Mallon, with 37. Introduced for the first time this season is a Veteran’s Division for the over-75’s and this attracted thirteen competitors, with Peter Letts winning with 33 points after countback from Mike Clark and a shot back on 32 was Brian Francis, however hard to believe that he qualifies for this event!
The weekly ‘roll-up’ event that has proved so popular with new members as a way of meeting other players, often a problem when joining a new club, goes from strength to strength with over fifty playing in the latest event, won by Peter Rumming with 42 points.
Tony Williams