The jewel in Hedsor Golf Club’s competitive calendar, the Club Championship, was contested over two Sundays – 12th and 19th July – with players competing from the White Tees to determine this year’s Club Champion.
Nineteen members took to the first tee on the opening Sunday, with the draw based on WHS Handicap Index, ensuring those with the lowest handicaps had the honour of leading the field away.
Round One – Sunshine, Speed and Survival
The opening day provided competitors with a welcome respite from the oppressive heat experienced earlier in the week. Under bright sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high twenties, conditions were ideal—at least above ground.
The ground was a different story.
Weeks of dry weather had transformed the fairways into golden ribbons of straw, with drives running prodigious distances before finally coming to rest. While some members embraced the extra roll to reach greens in fewer shots than normal, many others found their carefully selected clubs betrayed them, watching perfectly respectable drives disappear 50 yards or more beyond their usual finishing positions, often into hazards.
Fortunately, the greenkeeping team had worked hard to keep the greens receptive, watering them sufficiently to reward well-struck approaches with at least a fighting chance of staying on the putting surface.
Leading the way after Round One was Ray Wilks, whose outstanding nett 64 was closely followed by Greg Lee on nett 65. A little further back, Rash Mumtaz and David Chaplin shared third place on nett 73.
While low scores were certainly achievable, scorecards across the field also featured a generous helping of Snowmen (8s), Hangmen (9s) and the occasional Moose (10 or more) as the fast-running course punished anything less than perfect course management.
None were immune—including our own leadership team. Captain Jay Goodwin and Vice-Captain Bilal Hashmi mounted what could best be described as a determined rearguard action, ensuring that every other member remained comfortably above them on the leaderboard after the opening round.
There were, however, moments of genuine brilliance.
Mick Ballard recorded two birdies, one arriving on Hedsor’s longest hole—the 515-yard par-5 11th. Additional birdies came courtesy of Sam Kirkaldie, Andy Finlan, Jules Pearce, and Bilal Hashmi.
Despite holding the overnight lead, Ray Wilks admitted afterwards that although delighted with his round, he would have preferred a slightly larger cushion over Greg Lee.
As events would later prove… that concern was entirely justified.
Round Two – Harder, Faster, Tougher
Seventeen competitors returned the following Sunday, with Ed Calam and Sam Kirkaldie unable to continue their challenge.
Although the weather was once again warm and sunny, another week without rain had transformed the fairways from merely firm into something approaching hardpan. Golf balls bounced unpredictably, wedge shots refused to check, and another crop of Snowmen, Hangmen and Mooses duly appeared across the scorecards.
Captain Jay once again heroically maintained his rearguard defence of last place, while Vice-Captain Bilal managed to escape the basement and enjoy a brief spell of fresh air further up the leaderboard.
Remarkably, in these increasingly difficult conditions, only one birdie was recorded all day, courtesy of Peter Hillyer.
Awards That Will Never Appear on a Trophy
Every Championship creates memorable moments, and this year’s competition was no exception.
The Obdurate Golfer Award
Jules Pearce
Faced with a ball sitting deep inside a yellow penalty area, Jules steadfastly refused to accept the option of taking relief. Instead, he embarked upon a determined seven-shot excavation mission before eventually escaping.
His simple explanation afterwards:
“I’ve started, so I’ll finish.”
The Rookie Mistake Award
Rash Mumtaz
Rash produced one of the more unusual moments of the Championship by inadvertently completing a hole with the wrong golf ball, earning himself a two-stroke penalty.
Fortunately, it only cost him a few shots—and perhaps a little pride.
The Mountaineering Award
Bilal Hashmi
Only around 20 yards from the 9th green, Bilal somehow required five shots to finally arrive on the putting surface.
Highlights included delicately attempting a chip… before expertly knifing it over the green and out of bounds.
It wasn’t so much golf as an extended expedition.
A Dramatic Finish
Ray’s post-round wish for a bigger overnight lead proved prophetic.
Greg Lee produced another excellent round, returning nett 75, while Ray could only manage nett 76.
Both players therefore finished tied on an aggregate nett 140, leaving the Championship to be decided on countback.
With the superior second-round scorecard, Greg Lee claimed the title of Hedsor Club Champion in one of the closest finishes the competition has seen for many years.
Congratulations to Greg on a superbly deserved victory and to Ray for pushing him all the way to the final putt.
Finally, thanks go to everyone who competed and, as always, to our greenkeeping team, whose efforts throughout an exceptionally dry spell ensured the course remained both playable and an exacting championship test.
The Hedsor Club Championship once again delivered everything it promised: excellent golf, extraordinary resilience, plenty of humour—and enough Snowmen, Hangmen and Mooses to populate an entire wildlife park.
Our thanks for this excellent report prepared by Vice Captain Bilal Hashmi.