Seniors Championship - Wednesday Sep 4

Andy Hull walked off the 18th green on Wednesday fearing he had thrown away the chance of winning three consecutive HHGC Seniors Championships.

But his closest rivals failed to take advantage, allowing Andy to breathe a sigh of relief as he shot a 9-over-par 80 and sealed a one-shot victory over Keith Banham. Third place went to Mike Shaw, whose excellent 82, off a handicap of 15.9, also won him the Ken Barker Trophy for the best nett score. Fifty-eight players took part in the event.

Andy, leading out the first group with the lowest handicap of 4.6, began the day as the clear favourite to add to his 2022 and 2023 wins and, one over after a birdie at the 8th, looked perfectly placed to do just that.

“I was going pretty well and then suddenly I wasn’t!” said Andy, who also birdied the 12th. “I found the greens in particular a bit tricky. Golfers, of course, always feel they leave a few shots out on the course. Well, today I left a lot out there! But of course I’m very pleased with the win.

“When I finished I thought I might lose out to a 78 or 79, but fortunately my score was just good enough to sneak it.”

Keith’s great start…

Seniors vice-captain Keith, playing one group back off a 10.5 handicap, opened his round with a birdie and spectacularly matched Andy with a two-over-par 37 on the way out.

Despite also struggling on the back nine, he reached the 18th one shot in front and needing a closing par for the title.

“But I hit my tee shot up against a tree, had to chip out and then followed that with a dreaded 3-putt for a double bogey,” he said. “So close yet so far… it’s the old adage, ‘you have to play all 18 holes’. But yes, I was cheesed off!”

…and Mike’s eventful finish!

What Keith would have given for Mike’s finish!

Mike played a provisional on 18 after sending his tee shot right. Having found his original ball, his approach seemed to be heading towards the car park, necessitating another provisional. 

Again, though, he found his ball - it had caught the left edge of the front bunker - and Mike then got up and down impressively for the most eventful of pars.

His net score of 68, built around a fine tee shot and 12ft putt for birdie on the 10th, another birdie on 14 and a 4-over-par back 9, was enough to beat Clive Driver on countback, with Les Andrews third on 70.

 

 

Seniors Section Sign Up - Monday Sept 2

John Stratton, using a mishmash of well-worn clubs almost dating back to the turn of the century, did it again on Monday as he made it two Seniors Section Sign-Up successes in a row.

John, a 41-Stableford-point winner last time out, added another 39 to see off John Dawson (37) and Steve Young (36).

He led from the start, going out in 22 points, with the final result seeing him join Mike Shaw and Steve as the only multiple winners of individual Sign Ups this year. Monday saw another excellent turnout of 24 players, 14 of whom scored 30 points or over.

Odd assortment

John is not a man to be easily tempted by shiny new kit or persuaded by golf club manufacturers’ fancy marketing.

He plays with TaylorMade irons that are around 20 years old - he bought them new after his previous set were stolen from his car - and an odd assortment of second-hand clubs, including a Callaway driver and 3 wood and his trusty Cobra 5 wood (also about two decades old).

”Other than that, I don’t know why I’m going well. I’ve had some shocking rounds this season,” John said. “I just seem to be hitting the ball like you’re supposed to at the moment.”

Monday’s highlight came early, when his 5-wood approach ended up three inches from the 3rd pin for a tap-in birdie, a shot witnessed by several spectators.

“That was quite extraordinary,” John added. “John Blackwell, on the next tee, asked who had hit it and I couldn’t help raise my hand!”

Par 3 masterclass

He used the same club to hit the green on both the 9th and 10th, playing the four par-3s in one over.

”I had my 5 wood re-gripped recently, and they asked me if I wanted a new head put on it as well! Yes, I suppose it’s got a few scratches… but I’d say it’s my favourite club.

”The real secret, though, is probably that I’m playing twice a week now. I got cut a full shot after winning last time, and I’ve lost another 0.9 this time, so I’m now back to 16.6, after starting out 2024 on 16.2.”

Special mention also goes to Ken Gallichan, his 34 points earning him a first top-5 finish of the season and coming straight after the 35 points he netted last time out (which was his best total since his last victory in June 2021).

 

Seniors Section Sign Up - Monday 5 Aug

Gordon Young recorded the highest score in a Seniors Section Sign Up this year to claim his first win of the campaign.

Gordon’s 42 Stableford points were far too hot for anyone to handle in an event which saw 18 of 24 starters score 30 points or more.

Second place went to Bill Steele (39) and third to Anthony Gimson (38), who saw off Steve Bottomley and Bob Sansom on countback.

“I can’t remember ever getting a better gross score,” Gordon said. “Not that I remember much nowadays*. I did putt unusually well today, though. Now and again something happens…”

Bob Samson, playing in the same group as Gordon, posed the greatest threat early on, leading with 23 points on the front 9. But he seemed to lose his composure when a young girl, her face buried in her phone, stepped out right in front of him as he was about to tee off on the 12th.

That scare contributed to a poor run which saw him score 6 points in 5 holes and then blob the 18th. Gordon, in contrast, scored on every hole.

 

The champagne’s on Bill!

Bill, meanwhile, followed the same routine he always adopts before Sign Ups. “I never warm up, I just walk straight to the first tee,” he said. “It’s s*** or champagne.”

His single point-less blemish came on the 13th, when he hit a tree on the left, got a horrible lie and failed to recover. “There were a couple of good putts during my round, though… although, like Gordon, I don’t tend to hang onto that sort of information.”

Bill’s tried-and-tested method has seen him finish in the top three in four individual Sign Ups this year - a record shared with Steve Young and Tony Jones and only bettered by Mike Shaw - although he is still seeking to reach the top step of the podium.

 

*For the record, Gordon scored two shots better in October last year to secure his previous Sign Up success, courtesy of an even more impressive 43 Stableford points.