Golf v Hanbury Manor

Club Match vs. Haileybury School

On Tuesday 19th June the inaugural match between Hanbury Manor and Haileybury School was played. The match consisted of teams of 6, played as three 4-balls, using the "Ryder Cup" match-play format of ¾ handicap, with one point awarded for a win, or if the match was even a ½ point to each team.
The pairings and results were as follows:
Match No: HMGCC Haileybury Result
1 John Watkinson (Capt) Alex Gaskell Halved
Bob Watt Jake Courtenay

2 Chris Common Sam Reed Halved
Steve Jones Kevin Loughton

3 Keith Swallow Sam Fitzell HMGCC 2 & 1
Ali Thomas Will Clark
Match Result HMGCC win by 2pts to 1.

All of the matches were fiercely contested in a competitive and friendly manner with the top two matches being very even throughout the game, and both matches going to the wire with winning putts just shaving the hole resulting in an honourable half.

The third match was a slightly different story, as Ali and Keith had managed to get to 5-up at one point, but despite a very brave fight-back from the Haileybury team they couldn’t quite make up the deficit and ended-up with a narrow loss.

It was noticeable that all the boys could drive the ball "miles" and I noticed in our match, and this was echoed by the other members, that the HMGCC team were often first to play to the green! Stories abounded as regards the length of their drives and at least two shots into the 18th from the white tees only required sand wedges!

After the game my partner, Steve Jones, who is himself only aged 20 and plays off a plus one handicap, and is currently in his second year on a golf scholarship to a USA University, advised that his golfing coach states they should put in as much, if not more, practice on their short game as that where the crucial shots are made. The Captain and I were pleased that Steve only issued this advice after the game as I am sure that if the boys had chipped and putted as well as they drove then the result may well have been a very different story.

The day concluded with Sandwiches and French Fries in Vardon’s bar, and next year I am sure that we will have an equally entertaining day, and the club will probably need to field an even stronger team to keep the "young guns" at bay.

Chris Common
Junior Organiser