Juniors get half term off to flying start

To start the school half term week Freshwater Bay Golf Club held a Junior Stableford in which the top three players all reduced their handicaps, first place went to Ryan Harmer playing off 17 returning 40 points and beating Connor White (30) on count back, with Steven Cooke (12) picking up third place carding 38 points.

Wednesday 18th February saw a Better Ball Stableford convincingly won by Peter Scott and John Herbert with an excellent 45 points, Colin Thompson and Frank Ing finished second with 43 points and Andy Rann and James Brett took third place with 41 holding off two pairs on count back, neither Chris West and Tony Keen nor Brian Whelan and Roger Pitcher could match the new boys 23 back nine.

A lighthearted South African Two Ball Stableford was played on the Saturday open to all combinations of members with Past Captain Bill Hinchen partnering promising Junior Lady Sammi Keen to an outstanding 92 points a massive 14 points clear of their nearest rivals. Geoff Smith and Chris West returned a creditable 78 points only to be beaten on the back nine for second place by Kevin Garrett and Kevin McArthur. For those of you who have never had the dubious honour of playing a South African before you simply multiply the points you score on a hole by that of your partners, hence two nett pars would be 2 x 2 = 4 points. However this game is not to be taken too seriously as can be vouched for by Club Captain Barry Hunter who’s playing partner didn’t score a point for the first six holes and so negated any points Barry scored as well! Best ladies pair was Jan Smith and Barry’s wife Elaine finishing in 9th place out the fifty entries.

Sunday reverted to a normal Stableford with five players breaking the 40 point barrier, four of which were in Division One with Simon Fisher (14) taking pole position on 41 points ahead of Ian Bal (15) in second, Derek Wright (3) and Colin Thompson (15) in third and fourth respectively with all three players carding 40 points. Division Two was won with 41 points again this time from 19 handicap David Hartley, Cris Keith also off 19 beat James Brett (18) on the back nine to take second place with both players returning 39 points. Chris Boulter (18) finished in fourth on 37 points holding off Richard Couse, Geoff Smith and Ray Cooke on count back.

The scores from the Sunday competition take the Warren Cup into its final month with Gary Cooke retaining the lead on 227, closely followed by Richard Couse and Gary’s son Steven with both players a mere two points behind on 225.

All the glory and none of the money!

This weeks round up from Freshwater Bay starts with the Mid Week Stableford played on the Wednesday 11th with Chris West taking first place in Division 1 with 41 points off of his 13 handicap, second place went to Derek Wright (30) with 40 points and Steven Cooke beating Kevin Garrett on count back for third, both players returning 38 points.

Division 2 was won by up and coming James Brett (19) returning the best score of the day with 42 points, Rob Jackson (17) finished second with 39 points and Pete Bryan (20) third on 37 points.

On Friday 13th Bob Godden (21) won the Veterans Stableford with 36 points with Jim Payne (23) in second on 35 points. John Wisker (23) managed to take 3rd place beating no less than four players on count back, Wally Shennan, Graham Ellis, Peter Scott and John Mew all scoring 34 points. These results go through to the Ogle Tankards which after three rounds sees Dennis Smith in the lead on 103, with John Davis second on 99, John Mew 97 in third and John Wisker in fourth place having returned 95 points.

The Stableford played Saturday 14th again saw Derek Wright in the Division 1 frame this time with 41 points reducing his handicap to 2.5, three players finished with 40 points Kasey Tuckey (11) picking up second place with the better back nine, Miles Oldershaw third off of 9 handicap and Gary Cooke (15) in fourth place. Gary is the new leader of the Warren Cup on 227 following his 40 points, with Richard Couse climbing to 222 in second place and Chris Tansley close by in third place on 219.

The Monthly Medal on Sunday 15th saw a John Wisker (23) a full five shots ahead of the rest of the field, unfortunately John wasn’t feeling too confident when he arrived and didn’t enter the sweep so took all of the glory and none of the money - losing three shots off his handicap to boot! Second place went to Malc Williams (16) with a 67, third to Chris Tansley (18) with a 68 holding off Hugh Morrison (14) on the back nine also with a 68, Miles Oldershaw collected the prize for returning the lowest gross.

Play continues inspite of tough conditions

Tough conditions brought scores down in the mid-week stableford played on Wednesday 4th February, with the CSS rising a shot to 68 for the yellow tee competition. The eventual winner was Freshwater’s Vice Captain Chris Tansley carding 37 points off of 10 handicap and beating Miles Oldershaw (9) on count back. Rob Jackson finished in third place with 34 points playing off of 17.

The Warren Cup hots up with two players Chris Tansley and Gary Cooke closing to within four shots of leader Richard Couse on 219 who is unable to play at present due to a wrist injury.

Saturday’s Medal played on main greens after a delay for the frost to clear was won by Derek Wright carding an excellent 70, net 67 off of a three handicap with Keith Wright (7) in second place with a 69. Chris West beat fellow 13 handicapper Steven Cooke by a shot to take third place with a net 70.

A fun three ball scramble was played on Sunday, despite the poor forecast, with Derek and Keith Wright again taking the money, this time joined by Adam Keen to return a gross 60 reduced to a 56.85 nett from their 3.15 handicap. Each player has to play three tee shots and you are only allowed 15% of your combined handicap. Second place went to Kev Garret, Chris West and Dennis Smith scoring a nett 59.75, a mere 0.2 of a shot ahead of third placed Gary and Steven Cooke accompanied by James Brett on 59.95.

Last of Jan - First of Feb

The last competition of January at Freshwater Bay Golf Club saw a fun Yellow Ball Stableford on Saturday 31st with the excellent score of 75 points taking the honours. The winning three man team comprised of John Meredith, Doug Weedon and Paul Gardner with second place going to Simon Fisher paired with father and son combination of Cliff and James Sanders on 73. Third place was taken by another dad/son partnership that of Gary and Steven Cooke accompanied by Barry Crook who together returned 71 points.

Sunday the 1st of February brought forth a cold windy morning that reduced scores far below normal expectations, low enough in fact to make the event a reduction only competition. First place never the less was ably won by Malc Williams playing off 16 handicap and scoring 33 points, two shots ahead of Steven Cooke (13) and John Riddlesdell (19) on 31 with Steven taking second place on count back.

The results of the stableford count towards the 2009 Warren Cup awarded for the best six stableford scores over the winter months. So far seven players have completed six or more rounds with Richard Couse taking a four point lead on 219, a very creditable average of 36.5 points, ahead of Gary Cooke on 215 and Vice Captain Chris Tansley on 211. One player to watch out for is Steven Cooke who has only completed five rounds so far but has carded an average of 35.8 points.