Dorset County

he first South East League match of the season got under way at Came Down GC with a bitterly cold NE wind blowing. The front runners Josh and Matt gelled very well for there first outing together and whilst sometimes the golf was not pretty it was effective with 6 birdies making a great winning start 6&5. The second saw four stalwarts to County golf going out and it was a good tussle with eventually Martin and Ryan just getting the better of Tom and Andrew. David Norton and Kevin Garwood made an awful start and were 3 down after four. They did however turn it around and soon after the turn went up and ran out winners 2&1. The back pairing of Jon and Giles never got going and went down 4&3 leaving the honours even after the morning foursomes. With the wind picking up and the temperature dropping the afternoon single got under way with Kevin leading the way against Darren Wright, this was a tussle with some fine golf being played by both with Darren just getting the edge 2&1. David Norton always seemed in control of his match again with both play very good golf and after the sixteenth David was dormy two but all credit to Martin who dug deep and with some good up and downs on the last two holes which sadly David could not match the game was halved. Matt Hector had a see saw came and he came to the seventeenth one down but a great shot in hitting the green meant he brought it all square and a halve on the last saw another halved game and a good days golf from Matt. With Josh and Jon going down we could not get the win and Giles then turned on the form with a splendid display and a great 5&4 win over Ryan Henley. Tom Leech fought hard to stay with Jon but came up short going down 3&2 so Hampshire had gained past the winning post and Andrew brought home the final Point for Dorset with a good 3&1 win even if it was some several holes later than the rest! Overall a disappointing result for the Captain, there were some very good individual performances which I am sure will give him hope for the future fixtures to come and overall a good performance from the team against a very good Hampshire side who we wish well in their remaining fixtures.