The 2011 Seniors Championship was played at Lyme Regis GC over two days in which we had fog rain strong wind a glorious sunshine. The scratch championship was to be played over two days and 36 holes of stroke play with the first day giving us the Handicap champion and all our age group winners. The first round had a 45 minute stoppage shortly after starting to allow the incoming sea mist to clear which it did to leave the players basking in sunshine but with a fairly strong wind scoring was tough. Local Mike Mudford walked off the fourteenth 1 over and went 7, 9, and 7 ugh!! Best in was from Dave Barton Bournemouth & Meyrick with 75 which included an 8 on the fourteenth, two behind was John Smith Parkstone and Nigel Stubbs Canford Magna closely followed by John Nash, Colin Short and Kevin Peel.
So the top eighteen players from the first round convened back at Lyme to battle it out for the championship and arriving to torrential rain was not good but with some quick prayers and a 45 minute delay the sun finally shone through and we got under way. Scoring proved to be better than the first day with some players doing well, Brian Hansford was one under after nine but lost his way around the back nine to finish with a five over 76, which seemed to be a popular score for this round. John Nash past winner of the trophy found it tough going finishing with a 77 and the last pairing of John smith and Dave Barton were in a match play situation with Dave coming out on top as he carded a great 74 to finish on 149 four shots clear of John Smith (76) and Nigel Stubbs.
So David has he put it “has come of age” we congratulate him on becoming the 2011 Seniors County Champion.
There was a three way tie for the Handicap Champion between Nigel Stubbs, Kevin Peel and Martyn Hastings but at the death Kevin Holmes from Ferndown came home in a net 70 and therefore took the 2011 Handicap Trophy.
The age groups were all keenly contested this year and the prizes went to the following:
Scratch: Graham Taylor Knighton Heath GC
Runner Up Doug Pratt Weymouth GC
Handicap: John Gough Weymouth GC
Runner Up Bill Kennedy Knighton Heath GC
Scratch: Kenneth Procter Ferndown GC
Runner Up David Backhouse Sherborne GC
Handicap: Julian Cox Lyme Regis GC
Runner Up Terry Pond Remedy Oak GC
Scratch: John Nash Broadstone GC
Runner Up Campbell Boal Broadstone GC
Handicap: Ian McFarlane-Thompson Broadstone GC
Runner Up Pat Lynch Sherborne GC
Scratch: Dave Barton Bmth & Meyrick GC
Runner Up John Smith Parkstone GC
Handicap: Nigel Stubbs Canford Magna GC
Runner Up Colin Short Parkstone GC
We must also mention Lyme Regis GC who looked after all competitors and provided them with a course in excellent condition. Very many thanks.
We would also like to thank our Sponsor Ringwood Brewery who kindly gave the club two barrels of their finest ale for hosting this years Seniors Championship.