CLUB NEWS
( edited by WEB SPY)
UPCOMING EVENTS
OPEN DAY : SUNDAY 21ST MARCH : (click here)
2010 ALREADY!
CAPTAIN'S DRIVE DRIVE-IN : SAT 28TH FEBRUARY
As is the tradition, Evesham Golf Club's new Men's Captain, Barrie Saggers, invited the male members to join him on Saturday afternoon as he performed his drive in. As Barrie strode across to the first tee, resplendent in his red plus twos and with his long silver locks blowing in the gentle breeze, the brave throng of members took up positions on the first hole. The idea was for Barrie to strike three balls from the first tee and for the crowd to guess where he might hit them. Whoever stood closest to each ball when it stopped was to receive a prize. With this motivation, and knowing the likelihood that Barrie would be long but wayward, some interesting positions were adopted by the waiting members.
The first ball was struck powerfully over the trees on the left side of the hole and it landed next to John Reid who was hanging around by the 18th tee. The second ball was a bit longer but still crashed into the trees on the left before hitting a cowering Frank Meadows. The third ball was another Saggers special which powered towards a tree on the left of the fairway before glancing off it into the rough and coming to rest adjacent to a delighted Gerry Ricketts. The crowds standing on the 8th fairway, in the trees on the right of the 1st fairway and on the 2nd fairway were amused but disappointed. The optimists standing on the intended target zone, the 1st fairway, should have known their man better.
MAIL ON SUNDAY v GAUDET LUCE (AWAY) : SAT 7TH FEBRUARY
Evesham's Men played the first round of The Mail on Sunday national competition on Saturday against local rivals Gaudet Luce from Droitwich. The format involves 5 singles matches and Evesham managed a 4 - 1 victory. Led by Evesham's Club Champion Stuart Ridley, who won his match, there were also victories for Paul Callaghan, Frank Meadows and Darren Nightingale. Up and coming 4-handicapper Ryan Cleary narrowly lost his match by 1 hole.
STABLEFORD : SAT 30TH JANUARY
The Craycombe Links course stands up well to the weather and 28 pairs were able to compete on the day. The scoring was remarkably good and the winners, Paul Callaghan and Frank Meadows, put together an impressive tally of 47 stableford points. They narrowly beat Paul Sharpe and Kevin Stewart who scored 46 points. Third place was decided on countback with Diddy Carsberg and Ian Hughes pipping Dan Haines and Darren Nightingale. Each pair scored 45 points.
Having just been elected as the new Men's Captain, Barrie Saggers presented the prizes afterwards and introduced a new concept by awarding a consolation prize of a Mars Bar each to a pair he selected on the basis that one partner had carried the other. Although Phil Wheeler and James Attwood scored a respectable 43 points, Phil's contribution was minimal and so they were the proud winners of the Captain's booby prize. Barrie's formal drive-in will take place on Saturday 27th February.
MATCH v THE VALE (HOME) : SAT 5TH SEPTEMBER
Evesham's men started the weekend well with a friendly match against The Vale. Taking full benefit of home advantage, Evesham managed to win by a margin of 4 ½ to 1 ½. Three pairs (Ian Tyrrell & Tony Fawcett, Phil Wheeler & Will Tyrrell, Anthony Rock & Lewis Ridley) all won their matches and the other three pairs all halved theirs. The two clubs' players get on extremely well and enjoyed a very convivial team dinner, provided by Tess Byrne, together afterwards.
TRI-CENTENARY MATCH v BURTON & STRATFORD (HOME) : SUNDAY 10TH MAY
Yep, Evesham stuffed 'em good. For the uninitiated, every three years we host Burton-on Trent and Stratford golf clubs on a 12 man team basis for the Tri-Centenary Cup and historically Burton win!
This year The Skipper hatched a fiendish scheme to redress the balance and sent out a mixed bunch including Slim Line Honey Monster and our own Beatle, "Red Forever" Everett. Honey failed but Red amassed a brilliant 47 points by playing to scratch off an eleven handicap and Evesham romped home by a clear 20 points from Burton and a totally dejected Stratford side.
MAIL ON SUNDAY : V TEWKSBURY (AWAY) : SATURDAY 25TH APRIL
The boys went down valiantly to a strong Tewksbury team of low handicappers, all the matches going to the last hole. Tewkesbury reached the 7th round last year and will probably do the same again.
TESS IS 21!
Tuesday 22nd April dawned bright and sunny and more than 40 members assembled at 11 to surprise Tess on her ** birthday. Typically she breezed in direct from Morrisons where she had been scouring the shelves for tasty titbits and was touched at the presentation of a lovely horsey painting, a large cake and flowers. Well done, Tess and also to the Patsy and Mike for coordinating the arrangements. Web Spy missed out on the cake, though.
MAIL ON SUNDAY : V BROADWAY (HOME) : SATURDAY 21ST MARCH
A good win in the second round against Broadway, who took us out last year. They brought a stromg team over, but with Middle Riddle arriving late but up for it winning 3 &2; Exocet Smith up 2&1; Shaking Skroyd turning back the years in winning 7 &5;Chrissie Ritchings and Big Paul C both halving their matches, Evesham triumphed 4 - 1. Well done lads, now for the wider regional draw! One thing that will be changed if we are drawn at home; the start time,since some members had to sit in the sun whilst the matches played through. Skipper Tyrrell is on to it.
CAPTAIN'S DRIVE-IN : SATURDAY 28TH FEBRUARY
A full field took part in the better ball competition to mark the Captain's drive-in. The course was in great condition and this helped to achieve some very good scoring. Past Captain Jerry Cain and his partner Paul Callaghan won the event with 41 points on countback from second placed pair, veterans Mike Palmer and David Vincent. Third and fourth places were also decided on countback as Dave Carsberg and Ian Hughes just pipped Dan Haines and Darren Nightingale with 40 points each. The longest drive was blasted down the 17th fairway by Frank Meadows and Martin Fletcher won nearest the pin on the 9th. Neil Hardie was nearest the pin in two at the 4th (and nearly made an eagle). New Captain Ian Tyrrell awarded the prizes and invited the members to bring friends and family to the club's open day on Sunday 15th March.
On Sunday three of the four winter league quarter final matches were played and Tony Smith & Barrie Saggers, Hywel Jones & Dave Meredith and Colin Cleary and Ian Tyrrell booked their places in the semi finals.
AGM : THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY
Chairman Tone handed over the mantle to Skroyd Askew and with John Dale standing down as Honorary Secretary after 13 years of stalwart service, and with the election of Jerry Cain as his successor, it heralds a new era at the club.
The turnout at the meeting was about average at 70+ members and they duely gave the new Chairman a reasonable level of respect by limiting the heckling to a demand for free drinks, but Skroyd knows that it is only a foretaste of things to come. The major propositions included ; a suspension of the development fund since we have no significant projects at the present time; a clarification of the employee and honorary officer functions; justification in the changes to membership options; presentation of the 2009 budget and the imminent awarding of Golf Mark status for our junior membership.
The remainder of the meeting covered the standard procedures for the election of officers, including new Club Captain Ian " Red Mist" Tyrrell and Lady Captain, the lovely Patsy Brumage. All propostions were accepted and the demanded lubrication was quickly consumed.