Weston-Super-Mare Golf Club was the venue for the annual fixture between Somerset Golf Captains and Dorset Golf Captains on Tuesday, the 5th of August. A beautiful day for golf with just a light zephyr of a wind – ideal for links golf.
Match 1
Somerset Captain John Beer played alongside Weston club captain Steve Dowden. Dorset Captain Bill Kent was playing with Dave Thomas. This match was great fun with some real gentlemen; three very average golfers enjoyed watching club captain Steve play some proper golf. Steve was one over gross and Somerset four up at the turn. Somerset managed to hold on to win by 6&5.
Match 2
The two Dorset bucks of Nigel Mobbs and Steve Close played better golf than the Somerset Golf Captains old codgers David Andow and Paul Middleton. Everybody enjoyed the good company and there were no regrets when Dorset won by 3&2
Match 3
Paul Hucker and John Chillington enjoyed a most enjoyable match in the good company of David Picton and Dorset President Neil Pollard. A quick start helped Somerset before a string of nine holes were halved. Somerset secured victory by 4&3
Match 4
Paul Chesney and David Bate played steady par golf until the eighth which Paul birded to put Somerset four up. The Dorset pair of Jim Allan and Ian Bakewell fought back with two wins to get it back to 2 down. David then birdied the 13th and Paul parred the 14th to go four up again. A half on 15 gave the match to Somerset by 4&3. David rose to the pressure when needed. Coincidentally, Jim Allan’s first match for Dorset was at Taunton Vale Golf Club in 2007 – the very year in which Paul was Captain at Taunton Vale. Jim is quoted as saying “we lost that day too!“.
Match 5
Geoff Rooke and George Davis enjoyed a very enjoyable match against two super chaps from Dorset Brian Hansford and John Campbell. Brian and John clearly enjoyed the course very much to win by 3&2. Somerset did their best but their best wasn’t good enough on the day.
Match 6
Derek Hanson and Chris Warcup enjoyed some great company with Charles McIntyre and David Recardo. This was hard work for Somerset to secure a win by 2&1, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Match 7
Trevor John and David Powell had a very enjoyable afternoon in the excellent company of Charles Foster and Fred Monson. Again, it was hard work to win but Somerset managed to pull it off by winning 5&4.
Match 8
This was the first game back for Iain Robertson, playing with match manager Stephen Butterfield. Steve kept the team going but Somerset were four down at one stage against Bryan Howe and Alan Hebditch. The Somerset boys battled back to all square. But then they were beaten by a 30 foot putt on 16 for a two. Both teams had chances to halve the match on 18 but none of the putts fell. A good game – well played to Dorset who won 1 up.
So the overall match result was Somerset 5 Dorset 3 and Somerset re-gained the valuable trophy which Dorset had won last year. After 41 matches, the overall results are now Somerset 19, Dorset 14, Halved 8
As usual the banter and chatter in the clubhouse and on the patio confirmed the excellent friendship which exists between these two counties and, after former President George Davis delivered grace, everyone enjoyed a delicious meal afterwards. Nearest the pin for Dorset on the 7thwent to John Campbell; and nearest the pin for Somerset on the 16thwent to George Davis.
Somerset Captain John Beer praised the Weston-Super-Mare and greenkeepers for the way in which they had presented the course and congratulated Steve Dowden on some excellent golf on his debut for Somerset Golf Captains. Both captains gave witty and entertaining speeches before the group of 32 captains convened for a collective photograph on the putting green before departure.
We would like to thank match manager Stephen Butterfield for all his hard work.
(If you click on a thumbnail below, you will see the original photo)