The pairing of Richard Owen and Rob Urquhart emerged the winners on 41 points with a back 9 count-back from Dave Williams and Jon Cooper. Rob scored 39 points on his own account and is clearly the early season’s man in form. Tom Scarr hit the ground running after not playing for a while with partner Nick Heale to score 39 points, beating Jim Fogarty and Stuart Nash on the back 9. Results…

All 14 pairs go forward to the first round of the competition. Draw…

The first part of the Ladies’ Spring Meeting, an individual medal round, was held on April Fool’s Day – surely a co-incidence!! Jini Beacham proved to be not so foolish, taking the honours with a net 75. In second place was Jayne Maxwell (net 77) who beat newcomer Angela Flynn on the back nine. Angela did, however, take the prize for the Best Front nine (net 35½) and Cheryl Woodhouse the prize for the best back nine (net 34½). Results…

This competition also forms Round 1 of the Committee Cup when converted to Stableford points. Jini retains the lead in this on 32 pts, with Angela moving into 2nd spot (32 pts) and three others only a point behind – Cheryl, Jayne & Lia Donath. R1 Leader board…

The ladies’ CSS increased by 3 to 73 and this was a Reduction Only round for handicap. Ladies handicap list…

Peter Harrington has written a note about Adrian, a long-standing member who passed away this week. Peter’s note…

More favourable conditions favoured a head-to-head battle between Toby Hunt and Rob Urquhart for the honours. Both played exceedingly well to record 42 points with Toby’s back 9 the decider. Francois Lemaigre showed form of which he is capable, recording 41 points for third place. Jini Beacham was best for the ladies on 34 points. Results…

CSS remained at SSS 40 points. Men’s handicap list…

Vic Wadley prevailed through graupel to victory on 36 points, two ahead of Rob Urquhart. Best lady was Sheena Harrington with 31 points. Results…

The first qualifier for sometime, the balance of play of Category 1-3 men was such as to produce a Qualifier for Reduction Only event for handicapping purposes – extremely rare for the men. With no man beating CSS 38, no handicap adjustments at all resulted.

LADIES

In the final Winter Stableford of 2006 / 07, Jini Beacham took the honours with 34 pts with Lia Donath in 2nd on 32 points. Results…

Lia’s 2-shot improvement over previous rounds maintained her lead in the Princes Eclectic which she won with net 70. Though Julie Smith’s net 72½ was good enough to win her the Dukes Eclectic, she could only settle for 2nd place with this score in the Princes Eclectic. Prince’s Eclectic Results… 

Three temporary greens made this a non-qualifier for handicap purposes

MEN

Round 8 saw Stan Potts in commanding form win with 42 points with Dave Williams, Richard Kenwood and Ian Smith divided by count backs 3 points behind. Course conditions were favourable considering recent rain and pleasant early sunny spring sunshine prevailed. Results…

Round 8 brought the Winter Competition to a close and in the event Gurpal Sekhon didn’t need to better his score, winning on 120 points, four ahead of nearest rival Kerry Sargeant. Results…

In the associated Prince’s Eclectic, three competitors scored 60. Consistent with Duke’s Eclectic, the back 9 count back off 1/4 handicap was the arbiter, with Kerry Sargeant declared the winner from Ian Smith and Dave Williams. A feature of Kerry’s Eclectic was eagle at 15. “Well done sir” sums up Kerry’s achievement in winning both course’s eclectics. Results…

LADIES

In cold, wet and windy conditions, and with much mud underfoot, the ladies struggled in the first medal round of the year. The only two ladies with net scores in the 70’s were Maureen Slade & Julie Smith, playing together and tied on net 76. Three shots under her handicap on the front 9, unfortunately Maureen could not keep up the blistering pace and, with 5 pars on the last 6 holes, Julie took the monthly medal on the back 9. Results…

With 3 temporary greens, this was a non-qualifier for handicap.

MEN

No fewer than 5 competitors shrugged off increasingly inclement conditions to card 67s – the hardiest proving to be Kerry Sargeant with a back 9 one over par to take the medal from Jon Cooper, Ian Smith, Rob Urquhart, Dave Williams and best of three 70s Paul Robinson. The conditions eventually led to a Composite Course being scrambled the next day. Results…

With 3 temporary greens, the competition was a non-qualifier for handicapping purposes.

It’s been some time since RPGC played a Texas Scramble but Richard Owen and Rob Urquhart found the format to their liking and breezed through the round carding a gross 63 net 56 to win – picking up 7 birdies en route. Kerry Sargeant and Toby Hunt were 2nd with a solid 61, one shot ahead of Jim Fogarty & Stuart Nash. Results…

Vice Captain Richard Owen has issued the first edition of his occasional newsletter – News From the Park. It’s available now online. More…

LADIES

The final winter stableford on the Duke’s course was won by Di Jackett with 33 pts. Three ladies then had 29 pts each with Jini Beacham taking second place on the best back nine. Results…

The SSS increased by three and this was a Reduction Only round for handicap so there were no handicap changes.

This was the final round of the Dukes’ Eclectic for 2006 / 07. Though she had a meagre number of points on the day, Julie Smith managed to improve her eclectic score by two shots to take first place on net 72½. Maureen Slade’s and Tracy Wright’s absence left Di Jackett to steal second place on net 74. Duke’s Eclectic Results…

MEN

A blistering back nine of 23 points saw Graeme Syme the round 7 winner of the winter competition with count backs settling position from two others with 40 points – Gurpal Sekhon and Jim Fogarty. In despatches, ’07 improver Stanley Hunt stood on the 10th tee with 24 points in the bag. Results…

CSS remained at SSS 38 points. Men’s handicap list…

Gurpal’s 40 points maintained his lead in the Winter Competition, now three clear of Kerry sergeant with 118 points. R7 Leader board…

Focussed golf from Kerry Sargeant saw improved scores on holes 6, 10 and 13, enough to win the Duke’s Eclectic on 61, just one ahead of Jon Cooper, Gurpal Sekhon and Dave Williams who also improved their scores. Results…