Wells’ Past Captains played Somerset Past Captains in the annual match. It has a special atmosphere, a mixture of kinship and rivalry. It is a match looked forward to, and places for this fixture are particularly sought after. Wells won again this year.
The Seniors won the semi-final of the Somerset Seniors’ Bowl against Orchardleigh at Farrington Park. Malcolm Terry and Nick Carter had a fine 5&4 win in the opening match. Martin Waller and John Coughlan struggled and lost 5&4 in the second. Martin Barnes and Steve Clark had a very close match, losing on the last hole.
Tim Harris and Chris Betenson cruised to a 5&4 victory, which left it all down to the final match.
Glen Crocker and Mike Metcalfe led throughout, although never by more than two and frequently by one. They eventually closed it out on 17 with an excellent par and 3&1 win. This meant Wells won the match 3-2 and go through to the final against Farrington Park.
The final match of the B&D league season was played at Bath. The rain subsided and the greens were cleared by squeegee. Martin Waller and John Coughlan made an excellent start, winning 2&1. Steve Barrow and son, George, fought hard to achieve a good half. Alan Todd and Bill McCollum lost 2&1, making it all square. Glen Crocker and Ian Burr fought hard against two Category One juniors and were twice two down. They won 17 and 18 for a brilliant half, leaving it all up to the last pair.
Tim Harris and Tom Roberts led for most of the match, but somehow succumbed in the final throes to lose 2&1, meaning Bath won 3-2 and were promoted.
The Men’s Tucknott Trophy was held in ideal conditions. First place went to Nick Carter and Bob Lench, with 46 points. In second place were Glen Crocker and Rob Chalker. Third place was taken on countback by Rob Payne and Zach Cambourne. There were twelve two-spots on the day.
The Seniors lost away at Mendip by two and a half to four and a half, the winning Wells pairs being Mike Gee and Ian McArthur (with an emphatic 6 & 5), and Steve Rowse and Bill O’Callaghan (2 & 1), while Steve Bocquet and Ian Mills halved.
We had a welcome home win against West Wilts by three and a half to two and a half, thanks to another resounding 6&4 win from Mike Gee, this time with Andrew Boatswain, and good wins from Colin Mantle and Allan Thompson (4&2) and Glyn Hallett and Ron Hancock (3&2), with Steve Rowse and John Moxon halving their game.
Two days later, we lost at home to Worlebury by the same margin, the only winning Wells pairs being Steve Bocquet and Andrew Boatswain (3&2) and Graham Bingham and Dave Couzens (one up), with Mike Gee and Piers Dalby getting a half.
Janice White