Golf round-up: The latest news from Harrogate & district's courses

Oakdale GC

Thirty-six ladies entered the Snakes & Ladders competition, a nine-hole event that was won by Penny Baxter with 21 points.

In second place was Ronnie Hague with 20 points on count-back from Julie Smith, Shirley Needham, Jayne Nicholson and Susan Whittingham.

In the Appleyard Trophy, the winter singles knockout semi-final stage saw Andrew Laird (12) reached the final having beaten Stephen Liversage (15) 2&1. Mark Indriks (8) had a 2&1 win over Michael Cowton (10) in the other last-four tie.

The Rabbit Paddy Ford winter singles knockout winner was Mike Franklin (28), who won against David Leach (22).

The Frank Cooper Trophy (winter greensome knockout) final will see Geoff Brown (9) & Darin Harris (16) take on Liam Daly (12) & Simon Daly (10).

The remaining Empire Shield (winter fourball knockout) semi-final pits Graeme Fountain (7) & Paul Hepworth (10) against Mick Emmerson (7) & Greg Nelson (17). Liam Daly (12) & Darin Harris (16) have already reached the final.

Round eight of the Winter League Pairs was completed at the end of February. The winners on count-back from Mark Hudson (20) & Scott Little (9) were John Mungovin (16) & Chris McDonald (19) with 43 points.

At this month’s ladies section AGM, Margaret Liddle was installed as lady captain for 2023, taking over from Lynn Wood.

Liddle joined Oakdale in 2009 and has served on the ladies’ committee for seven years with a particular interest in entertainments and greens, which will serve her well in her new role.

Following problems with her eyesight, Liddle was delighted that the incoming men’s captain, Paul Dutton, has agreed that the club charity for 2023 will be Guide Dogs for the Blind.

On March 15 at Oakdale’s AGM, Dutton received his green jacket from outgoing captain John Dixon as part of the annual handover ceremony.

Dutton was born in Leeds and has lived in Harrogate for the past 20 years. Currently, he is the chairman of the Harrogate Competitive Festival of Music, Speech and Drama and choirmaster of St Mark’s Church, where he has been in post for over 25 years.

He started playing golf in Leeds at Gotts Park Municipal then Rawdon GC and Headingley before the family moved to Harrogate. He joined Oakdale GC in 2017 where he participated in rabbits, seniors and 2nd Team golf.

Knaresborough GC

Fitting perhaps that, heading towards Easter, there was a right old bunfight for the victors’ honours in the last four-ball variant of the winter season

Four teams in the Texas Scramble emerged clutching cards with a nett 52. But it was victory by a tight countback for Messrs Dave Cresswell, Neil Meredith, John Margerison and Pete Mysko, off a joint 15 handicap.

As Dave Cresswell, lowest individual handicapper at 14, put it, “for us, the game was all about saving par as we rarely hit a green in regulation!”

And that’s what they did emphatically, each man nicking the par when it looked at risk. Some stone dead chips to the pin or tricky six foot putts secured a card that did include at least three birdies. First was at the par-five eighth where Meredith downed it for four after a fine approach shot.

Second, and most improbable, was Meredith’s raking downhill putt from the back of the two-tiered 10th green, followed by a third birdie when Cresswell holed out in three after an excellent approach shot at the 14th.

The ethic of four-ball team comradeship, as a change from solo Stableford Saturday fixtures, has caught the imagination of members as an alternative format and looks set to remain next winter.

In the fight for second place, and on a slightly lower team handicap of 13, Neil McGoohan, Steve Isaac, Steve Rennie and Flemming Dalgaard launched their campaign with a birdie at the first when Rennie sank a 15-footer.

Two holes later, a further boost to their chances when Dalgaard struck almost a perfect tee shot into the par three, threatening for a moment a hole-in-one.

The hole at 16 probably nudged them into second spot when they just failed to deliver a par putt.

But full credit to the best gross return of the day - an outstanding 49 off a combined handicap of 4 for Paul Seal, Gee Fisher, Barry McDermottroe and Sam Moore.

Competitions officials are reminding members that entry to a busy summer lnockouts programme closes at the end of the month, including the mixed foursomes, the Scales, the Men’s Matchplay and Men’s Club Championship.

Harrogate GC

Since the snow storm of March 9-10 it has been a frustrating period for Harrogate GC’s golfers as melting snow and subsequent regular rainfall waterlogged course, rendering it unplayable.

It was, therefore, a relief when it was announced that 16 holes would be opened last Friday (March 17), meaning that the men’s pairs competition scheduled for the following day was able to go ahead.

This competition was a four-ball better ball, medal format and 52 pairs entered.

With a nominal par of 61 for the 16 holes and a playing handicap of 85 percent, the quality of the golf produced on the day was remarkable with over two thirds of the field returning sub-par scores.

There was a card play-off to settle third place as the pair of Jonny Noble & Edward Browne were tied with Graham Denison & David Balsden, both scoring a nett 54.

Noble & Browne had the better run-in and secured third place, with Keith Harrison & Stephen McPhee one shot better in second.

The excellent scoring was capped by Michael Gray & John Kirkby, who came in to win with a nett 52. It has certainly been a very successful period for Kirkby who has regularly featured on the leader-board throughout January and February.

Masham GC

Ladies 18 hole Qualifying Stableford: 1st Jackie Jones; 2nd Louise Wright; 3rd Penny Nicklas.

Men’s Winter Nine-hole League, round 21: 1st Peter Dawson 21pts(08)(b3); 2nd Mick Powell 21pts(08)(last hole); 3rd Dave McCulloch 21pts(11).

Round 22: 1st Nigel Rouse 22pts(11); 2nd Jockey Beckett 21ts(09)(b6); 3rd Nick Bedford 21pts; 4th Michael Harrison 20pts(13).

Round 23: 1st Mick Powell 23pts(08); 2nd Alan Sturdy 20pts(05)(b3); 3rd Mike Johnson 20pts(14)(b6); 4th Paul Collinson 20pts(11).

It was an overcast, chilly morning that met Masham captain, Craig Nicholls, and his 40 plus followers as he took his stance on the 1st tee at his captain’s drive-in. It is probably one of the most nervy moments any new captain has to face during their captaincy year.

The competition was a teams-of-four stableford, scoring first 9 holes off whites and second 9 off yellow, 2 to score on par 4s and 5s with 3 to score on par 3s.

This year’s competition saw the ‘christening’ of the men’s new 2nd “blue” tee, which stands 20 feet above the existing 2nd white tee, with a view of the 2nd green.

Team prize: 1st Will I’Anson, Andy Kitching, Roger Sweet & David McGee down to the last hole countback of 95 points; 2nd Chris Coates, Neil Pickard, Dave Nicklas & Tony Roebuck 95pts; 3rd Richard Fox, Mick Powell, Dicky Mawer & Keith Bain 93pts; 4th Tim Howard, Dave McCulloch, Paul Collinson & Norman Hutchinson 92pts (b9).

Longest drive: Richard Fox.

Nearest the pin: Roger Sweet

Nearest the captain’s drive: Alistair Meakin.