Melton Mowbray Golf Club: Race to Woodhall Spa hots up

Melton GC past captain Ian Solloway (right) topped a field of 36 to win the Leicestershire and Rutland Golf Captains 2018 Championship. He is pictured being presented with the winners' prize by the Society president Charles Gearey EMN-180708-124324002

Last Wednesday’s midweek medal was the first chance for golfers to strengthen their positions in the overall order of merit, and attracted 35 golfers of varying handicaps.  On another hot day and a well prepared course, with greens again running true, David Taylor came out top with 67, just one stroke ahead of Adrian Stokes who took second spot on a countback from John Harvey.

The best gross round of the day was Mick Wilson’s 75, while Mezz Watchorn and George Boddy claimed the twos sweep.

The first round of the President’s Putter and roudn four of the Compton Cup also doubled up as RWS qualifiers on Saturday, with a large field of 105 golfers turning out in very hot and humid weather.

The LRGU Under 16s team at the Tom Finn Trophy EMN-181008-090726002

The Presidents Putter attracted 82 golfers with handicaps 0 to 20 and proved a close-fought finish with the top three separated only by countback.

John Harvey went close again, but was pipped to top spot by Paul Halford, while Rob Allen was third.

Best gross of the day was new club champion Sam Pollard’s 68.

Two’s sweep: Sam Pollard, Ken Longbottom, Adrian Stokes, Daryl Clater, Mick Wilson, Richard Haines, Ian Townsend, James Shaw, Tim Mortimer, Ben Turner.

* The Compton Cup brought out 23 golfers of handicaps 21 and over.

Roy Tomley beat handicap and competition secretary Doug Woolley into second place on countback, both shooting 67, and also took the twos sweep, while Mick Wheatley was third, one stroke back.

* The Melton GC ladies played their final Handicap League match of the season at Forest Hill.

All three Melton pairs had to concede shots to their opponents due to having lower handicaps.

The hot and humid conditions made it hard to maintain concentration all the way to the final holes, but the first pairing of lady vice-captain Nancy Denny and Jean Moulds secured a hard-fought half.

Sue Hitchman and Karen Middleton faded at the final hole, but Drina Terzza and Kathie Finn made amends by securing a win after a tough battle to claim an honourable overall draw.

The Melton team now face a short wait to see if they are promoted into the next group.

* The Leicestershire and Rutland Golf Union (LRGU) Under 16s hosted teams from Suffolk and Cambridgeshire at Melton for the annual Tom Finn Trophy.

The competition was played as a three-way matchplay, off scratch, rotating around different courses within the counties.

The standard of play was exceptional as Suffolk’s very strong team just beat LRGU to the trophy, which was presented by Tom, a past LRGU president and current Melton GC member.