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

Knaresborough GC

There was enough overnight rain to keep golfers on their toes in the delayed August monthly Medal. A good day to stay out of juice rough then, but Ivor Roy (5) failed that first test when he left his drive in thick stuff.

A groan-inducing effort out of the rough came next followed by a pushed shot onto the green 40 feet from the flag.

Nothing Roy likes better though than overcoming the odds. He rolled the putt home for an unlikely par.

After that it was a day of mostly solid ball-striking, with only a dropped couple of shots over the front nine at the seventh when he carded double bogey six.

Frustrating was the fact he missed three good birdie chances from less than 12 inches. But a par at the index one 15th is always welcome. It was hard earned however after he missed the green left then chipped up to three inches to clinch the four.

He could have come unstuck by mud at 17 when his coated ball swung way left and had to be wedged out of rough to retrieve a bogey six. But a fine ‘up and down’ at 18 snared his final par to close on 73, one over.

On most other days, three birdies from Steve Bradley (3) would have nailed the victory for him. But he came to grief at the 15th suffering a triple bogey eight. The fact he struck back immediately with his final birdie at 16 helped close his round on 74.

Mike Pennington’s (0) card looked even better at first glance with four birdies to his credit including the last at the 18th. Unfortunately their value was more than cancelled out by six bogeys overall.

A curving 25 yard putt from off the 15th green for par exemplified much of Mark McLaren’s (11) winning round in Division Two.

There was a sharp sigh of relief when the marathon downhill putt hit the flag and dropped, one of 11 putts that saw him finish with a three under 69.

It compensated for the double bogey at the long eighth, the only real lapse of the round, incurred when he found the fairway side ditch.

Graeme Sharp (18) won second spot with 71 while Bob Hough (16) on 72, was unable quite to capitalise on a resounding four under front nine.

In Division Three, Steve Stancer (20) led the leaderboard with a 71 followed by Graham Clarke (20) on 74 and Sean Robinson (21) on 76.

Bridget Tasker (15) topped Division One with a 76 in the ladies’ August Medal, while Sharon Braithwaite (23) led a small group on 81 to finish second on countback. Julie Willey (9) was third.

Carol Wakelin (29) topped Division Two with 77 followed by Sue Williams (26) on 82 ahead on countback of Sue Rowe (28). Pam Hunter (43) led Division Three on 86 with Janice Spink (38) on 89 and Gerry Huyts (45) on 91.

Pannal GC

On Monday August 7th there was a good showing for the Open Stableford which turned into a clear victory for Men’s Captain Martin Boyle.

His 40 points will undoubtedly lead to a handicap review although he only finished one point ahead of Rob Welsh on 39.

In third place was Gary MacNair with 36 pipping Phil Moore into fourth on countback.

On Tuesday 8th the ladies played for the Joyce Griffiths Team Trophy presented in memory of the Club’s 1985 Ladies’ Captain.

An Am-Am played off the shorter Green Course saw the team of Carole Whiles, Gail Witcomb, Sophie Jacob and Claire Hutchinson run out as comfortable winners with 90 points.

Second place went to Alison Gould, Alison Stratford, Val Smith-Jackman and Lynne Roberts with 84 and three further back on 81 were Betsey Haldon, Lucy Hindmarsh, Sandra Taylor and Julie Smith.

Wednesday evening was the final Captains’ Night of the season when the Captains were on hand to present the Chadwick Trophy contested by the winners and runners -up from the twelve rounds played out on Wednesday evenings from mid- May.

In fourth place was Frank Flaherty on 29 points edged out on a card count by Simon Mantle. In second with 30 points was Vanda Mackenzie but she didn’t come close to matching husband Lindsay, who continued his successful 2023 season with a trophy winning 33 points.

Saturday 12th was the monthly medal where the Barber Trophy is awarded to the player with the lowest gross score in the competition. 130 members playing across three divisions contested for the Trophy which was won by scratch golfer Will Caldecott with a 73.

In Division One it was Gary Beeston (9) who carded the best nett score with a 67, three ahead of Owen Rees (6) on 70. Geoff Hickling (6) recorded a nett 72 which after countback put him in third place ahead of Simon Rothwell (6), Gareth Whiles (6) and Michael Crack (2) all on the same score.

Division Two was a particularly tight affair with a card count needed to separate three players all on nett 71. It was fast improving Henry Wright (12) who proved the winner beating David Taylor (12) and Colin Greenwood (14)

In Division Three Jeremy Halliday (15) had a three shot nett win with a 67 beating Tim Considine (20) and Craig Eastwood (20) into second and third respectively

The final competition of the week was the Ladies 36 hole Challenge Medal held on Sunday 13th.

Claire Hutchinson won the gross score competition with a score of 161 to win the Challenge Bowl. Gail Witcomb was victorious in the nett competition with a score of 155

Harrogate GC

With the course lush and in lovely condition following the wet month or so, twenty-four ladies played the combined Sunday and Tuesday Medal which also incorporated the Anniversary Salver.

The greens were also faster than of late which was appreciated by the players. The contest to lift the trophy spanned the three divisions and ultimately it came down to a very tight finish between two players are enjoying a good run of form.

Division One’s Val Thornborrow and Division Three’s Louise Sellars finished tied on nett 73. Congratulations to Louise Sellars who had the better back nine to win the Anniversary Salver.

Results: August Combined Medal: Div. 1. 1st Val Thornborrow, 92–19=73. 2nd Pat Benson, 90–13=77. 3rd Elaine Shepherd, 99–16=83. Div. 2. 1st Margaret Brown, 106-25=81 (bb9). 2nd Margaret Wildridge, 110-29=81. 3rd Celia Fowler, 108-25=83. Div. 3. 1st Louise Sellars, 107-34=73. 2nd Margaret Gobbi, 108-34=74. 3rd Carol Coleman, 113-35=78.

The mid-week Stableford attracted another large and strong field and again provided intense competition with the top eight players covered by just 2 points.

On 34 points there were four players, and one point better off sat three players. These three players covered the spectrum of handicaps and were striving for second place.

After the count-back, the higher handicapper, Robert Allison claimed that position from the lowest handicapped player, David Keywood.

This left Jonny Pearson pushed into fourth. Mark Harding’s 36 points gave him the win.

Results: 1st M. Harding (21), 36pts. 2nd R. Allison (29), 35pts (bb9). 3rd D. Keywood (1), 35pts (bb9). 4th J. Pearson (15), 35pts.

Club President Ian Glover hosted his Presidents Day with fingers crossed that he and the players would enjoy fine weather.

Almost 150 players representing all playing sections of the club entered and for the most part enjoyed reasonably favourable conditions albeit somewhat blustery.

Eventually, when the showers did arrive the rain bucketed down. The President, welcomed players to a lovely spread as they exited the 9th Green and arrived at “Tim’s Cabin” the half-way house and sent them on their way ready for the back-nine.

Scoring across the three divisions was very good with close competition across the board. Alexander Walkinshaw and John Myers headed Division One, tied on 38 points, but Walkinshaw had the better back-nine to win.

Tim Fox took 3rd place on 37 points, one point better than three players, David Balsden, James Hobson & David Keywood tied on 36.

Three players came home also sharing 38 points in Division Two, but they, Anthony Armstrong, David May & Alan Crawfurd-Porter, were contesting 2nd, 3rd & 4th as they were chasing Len Walters winning on 40 points.

The best scores of the day all came in Division Three where, once again, there was a tie. Ian McDowell & Robin Hinchley must have been so pleased to score 39 points but in the final analysis they were 3 points adrift of a fine round by Robin Nicholls and therefore he is this year’s winner of the President’s Prize.

Results: Div. 1. 1st A. Wilkinshaw (10), 38pts (bb9). 2nd J. Myers (11), 38pts. 3rd T. Fox (8), 37pts. Div.2. 1st L. Walters (15), 40pts. 2nd A. Armstrong (12), 38pts (bb9). 3rd D. May (14), 38 pts (bb9). Div. 3. 1st R. Nicholls (20), 42pts. 2nd I. McDowell (21), 39pts (bb9). 3rd R. Hinchley (24), 39pts. Winner: President’s Prize, Robin Nicholls.

Vice-captain, David Walkinshaw reflected on the 2nd Team’s campaign in this year’s Bainbridge Trophy. They finished with a total of 51 points in a tie for 4th place out of the nine teams. This creditable result was just nine points behind the winners.

H.G.C. Rabbits won the home leg of the Dalesgatesforth Tri-trophy reducing the gap between them and current leaders, Bedale.

Having lost 4-2 to Selby two weeks ago the Harrogate GC Seniors took full home advantage last Monday in the return match, running out winners 6-0.

Oakdale GC

The Senior Trophy was played on Saturday 19th, with 91 players taking part. The winner with 43 points was Geoff Allsopp (25). Second was Anthony Comerford (22) with 42 and Adrian Blackburn (10) with 40 points.

Thirty-five pairs entered round five of the Open Series on Wednesday 16th, playing from yellow and red tees. The winners with 46 pts were Tom Stephenson (13) & Ryan Digings (13) with 46 pts.

Second were Marcus Bowsher (19) & Richard Cassells-Smith (10) with 45 and third were Adam Fisher (15) & Liam Storm (12) with 44pts.

A home match was played between Oakdale Seniors and Cobble Hall Seniors on Monday 14th in heavy rain. Despite the levels of precipitation the match was completed with Oakdale winning out 3.5 to 2.5.

A Juniors stableford competition was played on Thursday 10th where all three tees were in use. The winner was Sam Johnson (47) with 41 pts.

Second was Ben Stratford (18) with 34 pts and third was Archie Fountain (30) with 33 points.

An exchange day was arranged with the ladies of the Bradford Golf Club at Hawksorth on Tuesday 15th. The communications received from the Bradford ladies was extremely complimentary with everyone having a very enjoyable day.

Harrogate Union

The Knaresbrough Trophy is usually played as the Union’s last alliance of the winter. However, because of bad weather, the event was rescheduled at Otley, the holders, on Monday 14th August.

The format is that of the usual 4BBB winter alliance, with the trophy being played for by teams of three pairs nominated by the clubs. The weather was mixed with players donning their waterproofs one minute only to take them off five minutes later.

Andy Langford and Ben Smith (Romanby) playing in game 3 set a target of 40 points. Smith had recorded 2 on the par 4 fourteenth hole after his drive stopped rolling about 6 inches from the hole.

They were ousted from the top spot at game 6 when Mark Edmondson and Terry Jobling (Bedale) returned a score of 44 pts and Burrell and Swiers (Thirsk) scored 41 pts. Three other pairs returned score of 41 pts.

The prize winners were, 1st place - Mark Edmondson and Terry Jobling (Bedale) 44 pts, 2nd place Christopher King and Craig Davenport (Thirsk & NA), 41 pts (last 9) 3rd place Peter Harker and Paul Woods (Otley) 41 pts (last 6),and in 4th place Brian Marsden and Mel Morgan-Davis (Otley) 41 pts (last nine).

With an aggregate score of 123 pts the Bedale team of Terry Jobling and Mark Edmondson (44 pts), Graham Lilley and David Hall (40 pts), and Craig Lawson and Michael Kirkbride (39 pts) won the Knaresbrough Trophy. Otley, the home club, were runners up with a score of 121 pts.

Bedale GC

August 6 – Gents August Medal & Natalie Anne Rayner Memorial Trophy: Division 1 - 1st Steve Black nett 67; 2nd Bailey Lawson nett 69 (countback required); 3rd Mick Kilbride nett 69 (countback); 4th Andrew Hawskswell nett 69 (countback); 5th Tim Morris nett 69 (countback).

Division 2 - 1st Alan Hutchinson nett 69; 2nd Adrian Lazenby nett 70 (countback); 3rd Graham Seel nett 70 (countback); 4th Michael Spink nett 73; 5th Andy Balsillie nett 74.

Division 3 - 1st Steve Senior nett 72; 2nd Mo Kamali nett 73; 3rd Jamie Moffatt nett 74; 4th Tony Collett nett 76.

August 8 – Air Ambulance Round 16: 1st Ross Elsworth 42 pts; 2nd Mike Edwards 41 pts (countback); 3rd Ian Johnston 41 pts; 4th Lee Thompson 40 pts.

Air Ambulance Conclusion: After 16 rounds, the Air Ambulance competition has now completed. The final results are 1st Lee Thompson 300 pts; 2nd Steve Smithurst 295 pts; 3rd Kevin Palethorpe 293 pts; 4th Adrian Lazenby 291 pts; 5th Heath Johns 288 pts.

Members of Bedale Golf Club were also pleased to invite Lin Stead from Yorkshire Air Ambulance to present a cheque donation of £1,000 to Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

August 9 – Water Rats: 1st Dave McCabe 35 pts; 2nd Alan Haresnape 34 pts; 3rd Hubert Van-Huet 33 pts.

August 9 – Ladies Sue Waring Trophy: 1st Debbie Eames nett 66; 2nd Di Clark nett 9; 3rd Hannah Bowe nett 74.

August 10 – Thursday Stableford: 1st Ric Noble 38 pts; 2nd Geoff Bush 37 pts; 3rd Dave Hennessey 36 pts; 4th Dave Larder 35 pts.