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2013 Challenge Cup Match

The 2013 Challenge Cup Match

Barton under Needwood Golf Society versus Friends Golf Society

Wednesday 8th May 2013

The Warwickshire

The fourth match between the two societies took place at The Warwickshire  at Leek Wootton , this was the Friends Society choice venue selection and followed the 2012 Match at Willesley Park which has been deleted from most BUNGS members memories. The 13.5 to 4.5 annihilation in the long and very deep rough was suitable for Tigers only saw Graham Adam’s team struggling all day with some long accurate hitting from Friends out manoeuvring their BUNGS opponents.

Against this history at the last committee meeting in February I was selected to captain this year’s team with the secretaries motivational words “Don’t let us down or you’re all out of the society”!

The BUNGS team was made up of seven of last year’s league cup, plus two wild card selections, the runner up of last year’ match play Mark plus two of our up and coming stars in Neil & Lynton.

The captain was confident in his troops before we went into battle after Friends insisted we pose for photographs on the terrace. The day was very cloudy and threatening heavy rain as the first pairs teed off at 9-00 am on the Kings Course.

The team for this year's match

Graham Thorpe (Team Captain and qualified from League Cup position)
Steve Barkshire (qualified from League Cup position)
Simon Hayward (qualified from League Cup position)
Alan Heard (qualified from League Cup position)
Lloyd Johnson (wildcard pick)
Mark Johnson (qualified from League Cup position)
Phil Latham (qualified from League Cup position)
John Martin (wildcard pick)
Peter Meaney (qualified from League Cup position)
Lynton Oelofsen (qualified from League Cup position)
Gary Tyler (qualified from League Cup position)
Neil White (qualified from League Cup position)

On receiving the team sheet from the Friends Society for the pairings it was noticeable that there were not as many players with single figure handicaps as previous years, and today's competition was to be played from the Yellow Tee boxes. Our strategy from the four balls was to be close to Friends at lunch time and try to turn the screw in the singles in the afternoon.

Another anomaly has appeared since the game, several of the Friends players seemed to have gained at least a couple of shots for the day compared to their actual handicaps quoted on their own web site.

Morning fourball-betterballs

Lynton Oelofsen (14) and Alan Heard (12) beat Socrates Efstathiou (2) and Louca  Menicou ( 28) 5/4
George Markou (8) and Andy Wassell (14)  beat Graham Thorpe (20) and Phil Latham (17)  4/3
Peter Christoforou (16) and Barry Alambritis (6)  beat Simon Hayward (10) and Gary Tyler (18)  8/7
Nick Daniels (20) and Andy Kavalieros (15)  beat Mark Johnson (11) and John Martin (18) 7/6
Lloyd Johnson (7) and Steve Barkshire (13)  beat Bob Din (10) and Chris Christoforou (19) 5/4
Stathi Efstathiou (19) and Costas Mairoudis (18)  half Neil White (10) and Peter Meaney (13) A/S

In the opening match the BUNGS team never lost the honour and finished with our first point. The second match was closer than the score suggested. BUNGS were 2 down after 9 holes but missed putts for wins on the 10th & 11th & then finished down at 4 &3. The 3rd & 4th matches were comprehensive wins for Friends with putts flying in from all angles. The 5th match was another sound win for Lloyd & Steve coming out on top 5 & 4. They were five up at the turn and never lost a hole all morning. The final match was a tight affair with BUNGS 2up coming into the final straight but had to settle for a half point on the final hole.

Morning Score - Friends - 3.5 / BUNGS - 2.5

 

Afternoon singles

Graham Thorpe (20) beat Socrates Efstathiou (2) 7/6
Phil Latham (17) beat George Markou (8) 3/2
Lynton Oelofsen (14) beat Louca Menicou (28) 6/4
Simon Hayward (10) half Andy Wassell (14) A/S
Alan Heard (12) beat Stathi Efstathiou (19) 2up
Mark Johnson (11) half Barry Alambritis (6) A/S
Costas Mairoudis (18) beat John Martin (18) 2/1
Gary Tyler (18) beat Peter Christoforou (16) 2up
Lloyd Johnson (7) beat Nick Daniels (20) 2up
Neil White (10) beat Bob Din (10) 3/2
Steve Barkshire (13) beat Andy Kay (15) 2/1
Peter Meaney (13) beat Chris Christoforou (19) 8/7

With 12 points to play for in the afternoon, the strategy was to try and secure some early points and then put our young guns in the last four matches to secure the probable win we all wished for.

The Captain was first to tee off on the Earls Course and drove it straight down the middle and won the 1st hole. He was 5 up after nine holes and the match finished on the 13th , with a 7 & 5 win.

Phil Latham in the second match was playing steady golf being all square after 9 holes but he won the next 3 holes and finished with our second point with a 3 & 2 win.   Lynton Oelofsen won the third match 6 & 4 and was never troubled all day apart from trying to remember where he had left his clubs about the greens.

Simon Hayward had to battle hard in a fluctuating match with no player opening up more than one hole advantage, eventually the match finished level at all square. An important half at the time.

At this stage BUNGS had taken the lead 6 points to Friends 3.5 points, but many of the remaining games were too close to call with both sides up in games and several at all square. Both Captains jumped into a chariot and sped around the course to update their players and motivate them to greater heights. The BUNGS captain’s presence started to work and each game started to swing our way.

Match 5 saw Alan in a very close encounter but he managed to win the 17th & 18th to gain another point. Match 6 again a close encounter saw Mark lose the final hole for a half point. Match 7 saw our first loss. John was only one down stood on the 17th green when his opponent smashed his shot out of the rough, hit the flag stick & dropped into the hole. From a position to halve the match John finished losing 2 & 1.

Match 8 saw the biggest turnaround on the day with Gary being 4 down after 11 holes. He then won the last 6 holes  to finish the match 2 Up. Match 9 saw Lloyd have a close game but he clinched our next point by winning the 18th and finished 2up.

Match 10 saw Neil rushing to the first tee which he lost as he was unprepared. He soon found his form and won 3 & 2 for yet another point. Match 11 found Steve cruising along but at the 15th the game was all square but he won the next two holes to win 2 & 1. Match 12 saw Peter cruise to an 8 & 7 win, he was 6 up after 9 holes.

Afternoon Score - Friends - 2 / BUNGS - 10

 

Final Score

Friends - 5.5 / BUNGS - 12.5

This was a truly team performance, with everyone playing well on the day and total revenge was taken for last year’s result.  The new recruits to the team, seven were playing for the first time in this competition all had success and the Captain was proud to receive the Trophy, and threw out the challenge for next year. Now all there is to do is to arrange the open top bus ride through Barton to toast our success.

Thanks to Graham Thorpe for compiling this match report

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