Haywards Heath Golf Club
Tuesday 23rd April 2024
Senior Section Sign Up - Mon April 22
Former Club Captain and Chairman Phil Williamson was ‘surprised but delighted” to win his first Senior Section Sign Up on Monday, while Anthony Gimson was “astonished” by his second place.
No one else, though, was caught off guard by Phil’s 34 Stableford points, Anthony’s 32 and Peter Stevenson’s third-placed 31.
Both Phil and Anthony have been fine single-figure handicappers in their time, with Anthony also winning two Club Championships at Willingdon Golf Club.
But neither was optimistic on Monday. Phil was carrying his clubs over 18 holes for only the second time in as many years following a serious back injury, while Anthony had almost convinced himself to swap his golf clubs for the bowling green.
“It was very pleasing to win my first Seniors event,” said Phil. “The course and the greens were excellent, I really enjoyed the companionship and I celebrated afterwards with a glass of wine!
”I managed to finish with pars on 16 and 17 and a lip-out at the last. But my highlight was probably my tee shot to three feet on 7… even if I did miss the putt!
”I also had a bit of luck on 9, when I thought I’d lost my plugged ball but it was found by an onlooker and I ended up with a net par there.”
Anthony’s best came on the same hole when he holed a 45-foot breaking putt from off the green for par.
His worst? “I blobbed the 1st and, after an extremely bad drive, I blobbed the 18th!”
Anthony, a fine age-group swimmer who has broken British records as well as a mixed-relay world record, added: ”I’ve been feeling very old and creaky recently and I thought if Monday was a disaster I’d kick golf into touch. But now I’ll be paying my subs for the coming year.”
Special mention goes to new HHGC recruit Dave Bradford. Playing alongside Phil and Gordon Young, he led the field with 18 points at halfway on his Sign Up debut before finishing an excellent 5th.
Friday 12th April 2024
Seniors Section Monthly Mug competition - Thur 11 April
Tony Jones claimed his first win of 2024 by winning the Seniors Section Monthly Mug competition on Thursday.
Tony, with two second places and a third in Seniors events this year, saw off Martyn Taylor and Graham Abbott by a single Stableford point.
His highlight came at the 14th, when his 5-iron approach ended up a foot from the flag for a 4-point birdie.
Martyn, though, did not go home empty handed, winning a bottle of Prosecco for 16 points on the back 9.
The Monthly Mug, a new competition introduced this year and echoing the old Roll Ups, allows Seniors to take part in a round of sociable, non-qualifying golf.
For John, Read Tony
The Mug - a tankard kept behind the bar for the sole use of its winner - remains firmly in Seniors Section Committee hands, with Competitions Organiser Tony replacing Captain John Blackwell, last month’s inaugural Mug winner.
Tony has taken part in 10 Seniors Section competitions this season and has yet to finish outside the top 10.
Steve Young, meanwhile, looked set to claim a prize for ‘most committed participant’. He arrived a full hour before anyone else, presumably for a thorough warm-up.
But no. Steve had got the start time wrong. Instead of stretching, putting and chipping, he ordered a coffee, then drove home again for a missing piece of kit before finishing a creditable fourth.
Monday 8th April 2024
Seniors Section Sign Up - Mon 8 April
Tony Lawrence equalled his best-ever score at Haywards Heath to win Monday’s Senior Section Sign Up.
He scored 39 Stableford points in excellent Spring conditions to see off birthday boy Ed Brooks (37 points) and Bill Steele (34).
Tony had “one of those crazy, rare days when everything went my way”, including a couple of miraculous escapes from the trees and three 80-yard pitches to within six feet.
His only previous scores of 79 came in September last year… and in October 2016.
Ed, though, looked on course for victory with 22 points on the front 9, only to miss out with a blob on the 11th.
‘Never to be seen again’
”I’d chipped out from the trees and then hit a corking 4-wood, only for my ball to hit the fir tree before the slope and never to be seen again!” he said. “It happens.
“I thought the course was amazing, considering the rain we’ve had.”
Bill continued his fine Sign-Up form - he came second last time out - and, after some consistently excellent lag putting, finished in style with 3 points on 17 after driving the green, and 3 more on 18.
He was even more stylish soon after, presenting Ed with a birthday card as he reached the final green.
Award for comeback of the day, meanwhile, went to Vic Hartley, with 18 points from his final 10 holes… after scoring just one from the first eight. His 16 points on the back 9, indeed, was only bettered by one other player in the 24-man field. “My playing partners thought I should give up after 9, but then something clicked…” he said. “It’s a game played in the mind, after all.”
Attn Eds: Mike Shaw, winner of five of the first six Sign Ups of the year, thankfully took a breather on the sidelines on Monday. Or as Bill put it on behalf of the whole Seniors Section: “Eat your heart out, Mike!”
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