After 15 months of COVID-19; the first world pandemic in over 100 years; three lockdowns and three cancelled internal meetings, we were delighted to finally stage the delayed 2021 Spring Meeting at Weston-super-Mare golf club on Wednesday, the 19th of May.
Fifty Seven captains and past captains from golf clubs all over Somerset came together to enjoy each other’s company and the game we all love on a superb golf course in testing conditions. We also particularly pleased to welcome a number of Captains who were making their first appearance at our events including Angela Baker (Long Sutton), Kevin Blakeley (Stockwood Vale), Chris Reed (Wheathill), David Morgan (Brean), Andy Balcombe (Weston-Super-Mare), Tim Wheeler (Clevedon) and of course the home club Captain Paul Burns (Weston-super-Mare).
Weston-super-Mare golf club provided splendid hospitality and top-quality service from beginning to end. Coffee and bacon rolls were served efficiently and cheerfully as our members gathered and chatted to each other for the first time in over a year.
The format was a four-ball better ball Stableford competition – our first one played under WHS handicap regulations (including an 85% mandatory handicap allowance). The calculations for our two lady members proved even more challenging with the addition of a 3.8 course rating adjustment – but that’s another story!
Out on the golf course the wind was blowing and the greens were lightning quick but no one was complaining because we were all so happy to be back out on the golf course again.
Following the golf, the club served a delicious meal of steak and ale pie with chips and peas followed by rhubarb crumble. Many of our members were able to enjoy their first indoor pint or glass of wine for many months.
Not surprising given the conditions, most of the scores were relatively low but some four outstanding results came in to secure the prizes
Congratulations to the competition winners who were Graham Hewlett and Paul McAdams (both from Worlebury) with 45 points: each will receive an engraved crystal tankard, and three tubes of golf balls. In second place with 41 points were Scott McKechnie (Weston-Super-Mare) and Paul Middleton (Clevedon) who will each receive two tubes of balls. And in third place were Andy Balcombe and Patrick Denison (both from Weston-super-Mare) who will each receive one tube of balls.
The the full set of results is given below
| Graham Hewlett (Worlebury) | Paul McAdams (Worlebury) | 45 |
| Scott McKechnie (Weston-Super-Mare) | Paul Middleton (Clevedon) | 41 |
| Andy Balcombe (Weston-Super-Mare) | Patrick Denison (Weston-Super-Mare) | 40 |
| Malcolm Head (Long Sutton) | Angela Baker. (Long Sutton) | 39 |
| Murray Parsons (Brean) | David Morgan (Brean) | 39 |
| DavidWilliams (The Mendip) | Tony Taylor (The Mendip) | 39 |
| Andy Carter. (Stockwood Vale) | Kevin Blakeley (Stockwood Vale) | 38 |
| Jeff Saunders. (Enmore Park) | Paul Chesney. (Weston-Super-Mare) | 37 |
| Max Putnam. (T&P) | Tim Wheeler (Clevedon) | 37 |
| Mike Nash (Stockwood Vale) | Peter Dawson (Stockwood Vale) | 37 |
| Paul Gardiner. (Worlebury) | Peter Phillips (Worlebury) | 36 |
| Rob Hardy. (Wheathill) | Chris Reed (Wheathill) | 34 |
| Mike Rossiter. (Enmore Park) | Glyn Sewell (Cannington) | 34 |
| Erica Klim (Wells) | John Chillington. (Wells) | 34 |
| Keri Allchurch (Worlebury) | Steve Taylor (Worlebury) | 34 |
| David Bate (Mendip Spring) | Roy Parmiter (Long Sutton) | 33 |
| Rob Fear. (Enmore Park) | Harold Lidbitter. (Frome) | 33 |
| Bob Acland. (Mendip Spring) | John Beer (Oake Manor) | 33 |
| Geoff Rooke. (Cannington) | Nick Prince (Cannington) | 33 |
| Paul Hucker (Burnham & Berrow) | Paul Burns. (Weston-Super-Mare) | 33 |
| Stephen Parker. (Clevedon) | Martin Ford. (Worlebury) | 33 |
| Bill Campbell (Long Sutton) | David Andow
(Weston-Super-Mare) |
32 |
| Stephen Butterfield (Cannington) | Rob Ford (Long Sutton) | 32 |
| Paul Wills (Long Sutton) | Trevor Watts (Saltford) | 31 |
| Bob Smith (Long Sutton) | John Shakesby (The Mendip) | 31 |
| Jim Boyce (The Mendip) | Colin Davies. (The Mendip) | 31 |
| Mike Snaith (The Mendip) | Phil Slater (Wells) | 31 |
| Chris Warcup (Oake Manor) | Ben Gliddon (Minehead) | 25 |
Congratulations to everyone who took part and we do hope that you enjoyed the day.
We look forward to seeing everyone again later in the summer particularly, at the inaugural captains inauguration at Oake Manor on the 22nd of June and the Autumn Meeting at Mendip Spring on 23rd September when we will decide the winner of the Griffiths Cup (best combined score from Spring and Autumn Meeting – but you can’t play with the same partner!)