There are some things that are inevitable. The petrichor smell after rain on dry ground, the semi-final exit of England in football tournaments, and to this I add the difficulty of beating Wells Captains on their course.
After winning last year Somerset Captains turned up at Blackheath Lane in the hope of another victory and therefore recording a record run!
After an enjoyable lunch the groups went out to the first tee on what was going to be a hot and tiring day for all.
Stephen Parker, acting Captain and Match Manager, played alongside Rob Hardy and after a very close match where there was ever only one shot in it. A great putt from the Wells pair of Steve Rowse and Mike Magrath allowed them to edge the match 1 up on the 18th green.
In the 1960s football fans of Nottingham Forest and England used to chant that ‘You will never beat Des Walker’. Since the 1960s Wells Golf club have chanted that ‘You will never beat George Davis’. 3 down with 6 to play, George with his partner Robert Coate came back to beat the SGC pair of Keri Allchurch and Nigel Phillips by 1!
Local knowledge is always a key to a golf course and in the third match the Wells pair of Mike McKay and Colin Payne knew which tress to hit. Mark Swallow and Mark Necker did not and therefore lost 2 and 1.
Ben Gliddon and Bill Bailey played John Chillington and Andy Williams in the 4th match with Andy being the difference in another close match. Somerset lost 2 and 1.
By now you may have noticed that all the matches were not decided until at least the 17th hole. This trend continued with Somerset’s Chris Reed and Brian Reeves losing 2 down to Jon Mackness and Colin Mantle in another close but great game.
Sports(person)ship was to the fore in the next match and Mike Poole and Angela Baker lost on the 18th green to the Wells pair of Jim Saint and Stuart Mann.
All square with 3 to go things were looking in a fairer light for Somerset pair of Mike Usher-Clark and Keith Wiggins. Erica Klim and Geoff Spinks had other ideas and with two nett birdies won the game for Wells 2up.
The last group was also decided on the last hole but in this game it was Somerset who came out the victors! Jeff Saunders and Mike Snaith beating Dean Hamilton and Philip Slater in the only loss for Wells.
The final result of 7 to 1 did not truly represent the wonderfully close games and over a great meal afterwards there was a lot of ‘If only…..’ conversations.
There is always next year.
