Somerset Golf Captains made their way to Cotswold Edge Golf Club to face old friends and adversaries and encountered some challenges on the way with both the M5 and A46 suffering from temporary closures. The home team were equally affected and also had to call in some late replacements for missing players. Nevertheless, 24 players eventually teed off on what was to be a blustery but eventually sunny day to enjoy some of the best views from a golf course that the Southwest can offer, out across Gloucestershire to the River Severn, the Brecon Beacons and Bristol and the Mendip Hills to the south.
It was immediately obvious that the course would be a real test with firm, sloping and fast fairways bordered by deep rough in places. The back nine at Cotswold Edge is brutal in such a strong wind with six blind holes where the green is hidden from the tee, some very narrow fairways with steep elevation changes. Our thanks to all the Gloucestershire team who helped us out with sound advice about the best line!
Captain David Bate and partner Adie Pearce led the Somerset team out taking on Gloucestershire Captain Geoff Lowe and Cotswold Edge Captain Alan “Twister” Taylor. Despite losing the first, David and Adie soon levelled the match and never looked back once they were in front, closing out the match on the 15th green by 5&3. A great start with a point in the bag.
Mike Poole and Bob Acland took on Nick Broady and Gloucestershire Vice Captain Eric Millard in match two. Nick played a fine round of golf, ably supported by Eric’s birdies, but Bob and Mike put their experience and skills to good use – added to a bit of luck. Somerset ran out 2&1 winners to secure a second point and the best start to a match for the whole season so far.
Could we make it three out of three? Well, who better to try than Somerset Vice-Captain Mike Rossiter and partner Ian Gover who had travelled as far as anyone else on the day? Gloucestershire President Alan Veitch and partner Mike Slatter set off at a fast pace going up early in the match but a Mike Rossiter birdie and a clutch putt from Ian on the 8th put Somerset ahead. They stayed in front through the difficult back nine and shook hands on the 17th, winning 3&1. Three points after three matches and some good players on the course suggested that an unlikely away win on a difficult course might be on the cards.
Rob Darvell and Geoff Rooke headed out in match four to take on John Cumming and Theo White. Having had to juggle his team at the last before teeing off, John showed no ill-effects and he and Theo opened up a lead at the turn which Rob and Geoff duly recovered. However, the pendulum swung back in Gloucestershire’s favour, and they went 3up with 4 to play. Not to be defeated without a fight, Rob and Geoff got it back to 1 down as they teed off the 18th. Unfortunately, the required birdie down the last evaded Somerset and Gloucestershire put their first point on the board – 3-1.
Match 7’s Somerset pairing of Glyn Sewell and Pete Dawson and opponents Neil Casling and Phil Porter were brought forward to go out fifth as Gloucestershire’s pack had to be re-shuffled as reinforcements were being called up. Glyn and Pete reported that their pre-match “highly tuned athletes” routine had been badly affected and as a result they went behind early. Despite fighting back the Gloucestershire pair used their strokes wisely and the match ended on the 16th with a 3&2 win for the home pair. Everyone really enjoyed the course and Glyn said he could report how good the bunkers were as he had been in most of them!
First-time Match Manager Clive Stilwell and Geoff Spinks set off against opponents Kevin Minnear and home club member John Barrett hoping that their high/low combination would bring another point home for Somerset. Kevin and John had other plans and steadily built a lead on the front nine although Somerset pulled one back when both opponents lost their ball on the 6th! A string of nett birdies around the turn was decisive and a thumping 6&4 victory for Gloucestershire brought the match score level at 3-3. A couple of birdies on the last four holes when there was nothing at stake did little to brighten Somerset’s gloom!
Somerset Treasurer Paul Chesney and late stand-in Nigel Phillips took on even later stand-in Bill Hill and Paul Mason in match seven, unaware that the scores would be so tight at the end. Early wins for Somerset saw them go ahead twice in the first four holes but soon “Birdie Bill”, as he became known, clicked in to gear and along with his partner they were level par on the front 9 and 3 holes up. The tough back nine offered Somerset no respite and hands were shaken on the 13th with the home pair winning 6&5.
So Match 8 would eventually decide if Somerset would retain the trophy or if Gloucestershire would snatch it back. It fell to Mark Moorfoot and Matt Baker for Somerset and Alan Taylor and Terry Griffin for Gloucestershire to fight out the vital point. At one point Alan flipped his buggy but jumped straight back up and carried on. The match stayed close all the way round and ended with a half on the 18th meaning that David Bate had to present Gloucestershire Captain Geoff Lowe with the trophy.
A final note of congratulations to Captain David Bate for becoming a granddad for the second time during the course of the day and our thanks to him for the round of port he so generously provided so that we could all toast his, as yet unnamed, grandchild.
Another close match for Somerset and tales of “what could have been” were told over a sensational home-made steak pie and the usual warm Gloucestershire hospitality.
