Hedsor Golf Club travelled to Huntswood for the latest instalment of our friendly inter-club series, fielding six pairs on what turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable day of golf, hospitality, and sunshine, despite the final score ending in a 5-1 victory for the hosts.
Representing Hedsor were:
– Jay Goodwin (Captain) & Mick Ballard
– Andy & Sue Finlan
– Nic Manley & Ray Wilks
– Merv Ford & Adam Johnson
– Peter Hillyer & Greg Lee
– Bilal Hashmi & Rash Mumtaz
A Warm Welcome and Perfect Conditions:
The day began under grey skies, but conditions quickly improved, with the sun eventually forcing everyone out of jumpers and into short sleeves, a welcome change after the long winter months.
Our hosts treated both teams to a hearty breakfast of egg or bacon baps before play, followed by lunch after the final match, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere throughout the day.
Jay Goodwin & Mick Ballard:
Hedsor’s Captain Jay and partner Mick found themselves in a tightly contested match against Huntswood Captain Steve and Graham.
After taking an early lead on the 2nd hole, Huntswood fought back to edge ahead by one at the turn. The match remained close throughout before a superb birdie on the 17th by the Huntswood pair sealed a 2&1 victory.
Jay reflected:
“Mick and I had a closely fought match… eventually, we were undone by a superb birdie putt on the 17th.”
Andy & Sue Finlan – Hedsor’s Lone Victory:
The Finlans produced Hedsor’s sole win of the day and did so in style.
After losing the opening hole, they immediately steadied themselves, halving the second before taking control of the match and never trailing again, eventually winning 2&1.
Sue summed it up perfectly:
“After that we were never down.”
Merv Ford & Adam Johnson:
Merv and AJ found themselves up against a Huntswood pairing inspired by James, who produced some exceptional golf including two consecutive birdies.
The Hedsor pair were 5 down at the turn but fought back admirably, reducing the deficit to 3 down thanks in part to an excellent birdie from AJ.
Unfortunately, Huntswood closed out the match on the 16th, securing a 3&2 victory.
Merv reflected:
“We managed to pull back to 3 down which included an excellent birdie from AJ. Nice game, very good company.”
Peter Hillyer & Greg Lee:
Peter and Greg endured a difficult start, finding themselves 4 down after 8 holes, including losing one hole to a gross birdie.
However, they showed tremendous resilience, refusing to lose another hole from that point onwards and clawing back two holes before eventually losing 2&1.
Greg commented:
“Golf played in a very friendly manner. Thoroughly enjoyable day and the weather played its part.”
Nic Manley & Ray Wilks:
Nic and Ray came up against a Huntswood pairing who were simply on fire.
By the turn, their opponents were playing level par golf, leaving Hedsor 6 down after 9 holes. Although Nic and Ray managed to win the 11th with a par, the pattern continued and they eventually succumbed 7&5.
Despite the result, Nic remained philosophical:
“We were not very good at golf but enjoyed the day out…”
Bilal Hashmi & Rash Mumtaz:
Bilal and Rash also endured a difficult afternoon against a rampant Huntswood pairing featuring Simon and Fred, who apparently couldn’t stop making birdies, both gross and nett.
The Hedsor duo lost 7&5, though Bilal’s post-match analysis perhaps provided the quote of the day:
“I played at a 30 handicap index and Rash at a 50. No sign of Harry Putter today.”
He added:
“How we managed to halve two holes and win two, I cannot begin to explain.”
Final Thoughts:
While the overall result favoured Huntswood, the day perfectly captured the spirit of these fixtures: competitive golf played in excellent company, accompanied by generous hospitality and plenty of humour.
A big thank you goes to Huntswood for hosting such an enjoyable event. Hedsor will no doubt look forward to the return fixture and the opportunity to reverse the scoreline on home turf.
Prepared by our Bilal Hashmi Handicap Sec and member contributions