CLOUDY and windy conditions greeted the golfers at Thurlestone for their Club v Juniors match, a test for all taking part in this annual event.

Although unable to play on the day, Thurlestone’s club captain, Jim Stewart, acted as starter and introduced the players onto the tee. Loud applause greeted each of the players, especially from the parents of the junior team members as many of the youngsters hit superb shots down the first fairway.

The enthusiasm and determination of the Junior's team was almost tangible, and the club team knew they were in for a day of tough, competitive matches.

First out was Steve Inch (Palairet Captain) and John Mahood (2022 Club Captain) against George Inch (Junior’s Captain) and big-hitting Harry Robinson.

Colin George (Chair of Greens) and Senior Captain Gary Keen took on this year’s junior champion Will Hoskin and the much-improving Oliver Chester.

Thurlestone’s Ladies’ Captain Pam Adams and in-form Shane Robson played against the strong pairing of Will Robson and Nancy Massingham in the first mixed match.

Andy Wilmott and Sean Massingham took on their respective junior golfer family members of Leo Willmott and Martha Massingham. Definitely a game to watch.

Last out, Thurlestone’s ladies’ vice-captain, Fiona Turner and Dartmoor League Captain Lewis Kendall versus Abbi Robinson and Finn Robson. As the last team out this could be the deciding match. A big game to say the least!

George & Harry started off with a 7-5 win, the former continuing the round and shooting -1 gross. The second match went down to the last putt with Will & Oliver prevailing by the finest of margins.

Will & Nancy ground out a solid 3-2 to guarantee the win for the juniors. Martha & Leo showed their parents that it was a changing of the guard moment with a resounding 5-4 win and then Abbi & Finn completed the 5-0 clean sweep with a determined 2-1 victory.

Meanwhile, juniors from across Devon converged at the Warren Golf Club for the climactic showdown of the Henry Truscott Inter-Club Trophy with teams from Saunton, Tiverton, Stover and defending champions Staddon Heights fighting for regional supremacy. Stover showed composure under pressure sealed the victory with an unbeatable 167 points ahead of Saunton, then Tiverton and then Staddon.

THE winners of the Summer Knock-Out at Bigbury, The Coleman Centenary Flame, were a rather delighted Crispin & Juliet Manners.

They won their first match against Chris & Kim Flook with the final putt on the 18th hole before meeting defending champions Charles & Cathy Harrington in the semi-final. At all-square on the final tee, the match had to be halted due to fog and on the second attempt, Crispin & Juliet got over the line on the first extra home.

Finally, the big day dawned and Eve & Keith Naylor were fantastic competitors. They kept pegging the duo back but to no avail as the Manners finally managed to secure the Coleman Flame Trophy on the 17th hole.

Crispin and Juliet will be trying their very best to keep hold of the Trophy next year but will have plenty of stiff competition!

Ladies and men’s Stableford competitions were held on Saturday, October 26 and there were 90 players enjoying the course. Again many handicaps will have been cut.

Seniors’ Captain Andrew Ware (17) was the winner for the men with a very good 40 points. Andrew also bagged himself a birdie two on the 17th hole so a most enjoyable day for him. Countback was needed to decide the second and third prizes with two players scoring 38 points. It was Stephen Quick (18) in second place with Tony Bickle (20) in third.

The winning Bigbury lady was Eve Naylor (40) who recorded 35 points. In second place was Sheila Matthieson (38) with 34 points and Angie Newman (28) third with 33 points. Away player Helen Dinsdale (21) played very well for her score of 38 points.

There were seven birdie twos recorded on the day with Simon Hill bagging himself two of these on the third and fifteenth holes. Rhodri John, Peter Newman, Phil Towner, Nick Hanbury, and as reported above, Andrew Ware, made up the seven.

THERE were Halloween competitions for Dartmouth ladies this week, with Marilyn Lucas setting the standard with a very elaborate spider fascinator - just the thing for golf!

With the best two scores to count on each hole, Chris Aresti, Shelley Durrans and Chris Mayer were the victors, scoring 79 points, 10 more than Jan Cousins, Marilyn Lucas and Alison White in second.

The Dartmouth course ladies played an individual Stableford but missed out some of the holes on the second nine to give a shortened course. Marion Bell was well behind but seven points on the final two holes saw her storm into third place with 23 points, just behind Katie Panton on 24. Barbara Dally was also a strong finisher and took first place with 26 points.

Red tees were used for the Men’s Midweek Stableford and despite often being dismissed as too easy, the scores suggest otherwise.

Mark Whitworth topped Division One with 35 points, ahead of Philip Green (33pts) and Kevin Eighteen (33pts). Division Two was led by Martin Collins (31pts) and then Nigel Osborne (24pts).

The first round of the Men’s Winter League took place on Saturday. Played as pairs better ball over seven rounds, the best four scores count and the top four pairs play off to determine the final standings.

There were strong starts for all teams, with 40 points plus needed for a top-three finish. Steve Maris and John Gratton led the way with 43 whilst Paul Brown and Jeremy Wiltshire needed their par finish to beat Brian Mushens and David Thompson to second place via countback.

A Mixed Stableford was running alongside the Winter League. Rob Isaacs-Berry was another who made a slow start, blobbing the first, but then going on to accumulate 35 points to win. Barrie O’Shea was just behind with 34 points.

The seniors' Monday competition this week was a qualifying Stableford with 29 players taking part. The standard 95% handicap allowance was in play for equity purposes and red tees were the start points over the shorter course.

For the time of year, conditions were near ideal except for a stiffish breeze on the back nine which put paid to many hopeful front nines.

Exceptional scoring rounds from top six finishers Messrs Bonser, Jewell & Aresti, who all put together some fine tallies in what were largely error-free inward and outward nines.

Best however, was from senior of the year Gary Bonser who shot just five over par gross including an amazing level inward nine equating to 35 Stableford points. This was good enough on back-nine countback to beat a myriad of others all shooting the same score.

George Reeve, Andrew Dix, Stephen Haupt and Geoffrey Jewel were the quartet to match the score with Mario Aresti close behind on 33.

Very well done Gary who makes an immediate impact on the defence of his coveted title. Over the next month, there are some relaxed fun events to ease our way into the Christmas period.

Birdie twos were scored by Geoffrey Jewell on the fifth and seventh holes plus Gary Bonser & Trevor Pretty at 18.

Many thanks as always to Nigel Osborne for downloading the results- next week sees a circus-style Stableford non-qualifier from the red tees.