Paul Jackson and Paul Smith playing sparkling golf were able to secure first place in Colchester Golf Club’s Curtis Cup.
Played in pairs as a better ball bogey from their nine and eleven handicaps Jackson and Smith returned plus eight to cement in their win. With two equal halves, their round shone on fairways crying for rain and with the ball running and running, control was the key.
Russell Storey (14) and Ian Parry (8) were the closest pairing to Jackson and Smith just one hole behind on plus seven and safely tied in second place.
Four pairings were a further hole back on plus six, Pete Manby (13) and Steve Moore (12), Mike Blakebrough (10) and Andy Smith (6), Iain Cruickshank (8) and Don McBurney (20) along with Stuart Watson (10) and John Blackmore (3).
Judith Robertson handed in a score of five under par nett to win the ladies’ Charles Bland medal. From a sixteen handicap she left the field four shots behind to return a 68.
Turning just four shots over her handicap she wavered a little on the start of the back nine but got it under control to birdie the 15th and 16th to settle for 68 nett. Marilyn Wood (18) was second on 71 tipping Fiona Prentice after the countback. Gill Minns (17) and Cherie Clark both returned 72s.
Ann Salmon (31) just got the edge over Joan Cotterill (26) in the ladies Long Handicap Cup. Salmon’s nett 71 put her two clear of Cotterill and five clear of the chasing pack.
Ann Spurr (33) was placed fourth with Hayley Joel (28) in fifth. Joy Bevan (32) was sixth and Jill Baker playing off thirty-six was seventh, all returning scores of 76 nett.
Still going strong are the men’s senior team who had an 8½ to 2½ victory at home against Abridge to put them into the semi-final of this county run competition..
Like the weather the team steamed through the opposition, and whilst the final score would suggest it was easy, the truth was that most matches were hard won. Eight of the eleven matches went to the seventeenth or eighteenth.
Just David Humberstone’s win over Peter Wendleken at 6&5, and John Redden’s 4&3 win over John Stroud produced big number wins, the rest were very tight.
“A good solid win” said team captain Tim Rogers, “we will go into the semi-final knowing that we have the experience to go on in this competition. Whoever we meet it will be tough, there are no easy wins at this stage.”
Colchester’s Youth Shield (handicapped) team had a fine victory over Thorndon Park at Colchester. With wins by Arian Masud, Theo and Ollie Baker, Charlie Allison and Edward Mason making the final score five matches to nil.
| 
