Firstly, two apologies from last week’s report. The Hodder Cup Winners were David Braithwaite and Geoff Collard, not as previously reported and omitted from the results of the mixed match versus Saltford were Alan and Pauline Williams, who were one of the winning pairings.
Mendip gets busier by the day, with the season now in full-swing. Stuart and the Pro Shop Team are seeing increasing interest in their Nearest the Pin Pro Shop Challenge. Winners of each of the competitions over the past three weeks have been: Ladies – Vi Hayes, Ellen Reakes and Ellen again; Men – Handicaps 0-12, Jack Hayes, Tom Lowe and Wayne Black. Men 13+ – Rowly Williams, Mike Sharp and S. Mckee.
The First running of the Open event, the Mendip Family Cup, better known to some as the Adult/Junior event, took place, and all who played voted it a great success. Winning with 45 points were the father and daughter pairing of Paul and Ellen Reakes, and they were followed by Martin and Evie Thatcher from Farrington with 41 points, and Chris and Owen Roach from Orchardleigh with 39 points. Two of the entrant pairings were grandfather and Junior!
The Men’s April Mid-Week Tankard took place on a day when the rain returned with a vengeance, and it was encouraging to see that after the tremendous efforts put in by Richard, Stuart and the green keeping team assisted by a number of members, to complete the work required to prepare the greens for the season after the problems that have been encountered during the very wet winter, that the surface water quickly disappeared after the heavy rain and the greens remained firm, a very encouraging sign for the months ahead.
Outstanding in Division One was Tom Lowe’s winning score of 38 points off a handicap of two with, in second place on 36 points, Matt Lambert winning on count-back from Wayne Black.
Division Two was won by Chris White on 35 points and Division Tree by Jim Mallon on 34 points.
The Ladies’ Stableford was a qualifying event for the Barlow Cup, a county competition. The comprehensive winner, well clear of the field, was Anita Butcher with an impressive 41 points. Winning Silver Division was Jean Padfield with 35 points; in second place, Lynn Cox with 34, with Chris Down third with 33. Bronze Division went to Diana Stevenson with thirty, and she was followed by Nola Russell with 29 and Sue Alcock with 28. Copper Division went to Carol Mosley with 34 followed by Dee Garnsworthy, thirty, and Sue Needham, 29.
It was to be an outstanding week for the Butcher family. Following Anita’s success, husband Phil, after 25 years of trying to win a Cup event, was finally rewarded with clear victory in the Jock Callaghan Cup with a net-67, five shots better than CSS (full results next week).
The Ladies’ Alliance B Team visited Filton and narrowly went down 6-8. There were wins for Team Captain, Edwina Willis, Libby Bellew and debutant, Karen Cookson.
The Seniors played Long Sutton in the first round of the County Seniors Rosebowl event and ran out worthy 3-2 winners. Successful for Mendip were Ian Perkins/Selwyn Rees, John Whyman/John Stembridge and Terry Carter/Mike Snaith. Terry and Mike deserve a special mention, as they were three-down with four to play, and won all of those holes.
Tony Williams