SSGC OCTOBER 2008
NEWSLETTER
APOLOGIES
It seems that I
already owe a couple of apologies for important omissions from last month’s
newsletter. These were both terrific achievements, one by the Ladies A Team and the other an outstanding individual effort. In
the Anderson Daytime League the Ladies A Team lost only one match in winning
promotion and will be honoured the County
CLUB WEBSITE
Have you paid a
visit to the club website yet? At www.ssgc.co.uk
you will find an array of SSGC news immaculately kept up to date by Gerry
Fitzsimons. Club results, news, photos, fixtures, contact details, club
history, open competitions, Pro’s offers, this newsletter and most recently,
some wonderful photographs of our course, expertly taken by Pauline Porteous plus much more. Log on and you are guaranteed some
entertainment. For example there is a great picture of Ridley Reid, (yes it is
possible!), having just achieved his first hole-in-one while in
What a great
pleasure it was to find out that this newsletter has gone international. On 14
September I received an e-mail from Owen and Jenny Collier now settled in their
new home in Kiwi. They had read and enjoyed the news and are looking forward to
the next edition. So a BIG HELLO to OWEN and JEN! How are things down under?
Keep in touch.
If you have
anything you would like to have included in the SSGC newsletter- something
really embarrassing or scandalous about your friends for example - just send it
to phil.balmer@yahoo.co.uk and
soon everyone will know! (Or just tell me).
LADIES COMPETITION RESULTS
The Autumn
Meeting on September 2 saw Viv Fitzsimons win Div 1 with Dorothy Gibb 2nd. Sue Balmer won Div 2 with Clare Westcott 2nd and Marjorie Bates
3rd while Div 3 was won by Maureen Blakey and Iris Dutton was 2nd. The inner 9
was won by Irene Austin closely followed by Anne McCain and Elizabeth Cahill. Serina Turnbull won the best gross. In the foursomes
Marjorie Bates and Pauline Porteous finished ahead of
Doreen Smith and Pat Bartch. Well done everyone!
Congratulations
to Serina on winning the LGU Brooch on Sept 9 with
Pauline Porteous and Margaret Graham close behind.
There was another close finish in the Fenwick Salver Final when Joan Dawson’s
75 nett was good enough to beat Joan Atkinson(77) and
Margaret Taylor(79). On Sept 16 Pat Bartch
resoundingly won the Ladies Mabane Bowl with Sue Balmer 2nd while the Hedworth Williamson Final was won by
Joan Paul with an excellent score of all-square. Viv Fitzsimons was at it again
winning not only the Nancy Walker but also Ladies Invitation Day with her
partner from Bishop Auckland. Serina and partner were
2nd with Christine Mair and partner 3rd. Close behind Viv in the Nancy Walker
were Pauline Porteous, Serina
Turnbull and Margaret Graham. Congrats to all.
On Sept 15 the
Ladies and Seniors came together for a Texas Scramble.
Pauline Porteous and Margaret Graham hindered by Ken
Noble and Arthur Foreman scored 64.5 nett to take first place while Dorothy
Foreman and Margaret Graham finished 2nd with a score of 66.4 nett despite
having Ray Scott and Gordon Stokes “helping”. (Photos on
website).
MENS
Division One
status was secured with an unprecedented 8-6 away win at Heworth in the last
match of the season. Tony Galloway sealed the win by holing the last putt on
the 18th green in near darkness. This has been a great team effort by all. The
standard of golf in the first division is extremely high. I am sure the thanks
of the team go to the growing band of supporters and caddies. Come and see the
team play next season - you will see some top golf and your backing will be
greatly appreciated.
MENS RESULTS
What fantastic
scores were recorded in the Moore-Hayton. Phil Balmer scored 73(10)63 and
finished 3rd! Colin Smith was 2nd with 75(14)61 and John Taylor won with76(17)59!! Men’s Invitation Day was won by Neil Hudson
and guest and the President’sTrophy on Sept 14 was
won by Dave Taylor(42pts) just beating Paul Carr(41)
and Steve Hale(40). In the Men’s Open the SSGC flag was kept flying by Eric Bywater and Russell Muse with 44pts on countback from three
other pairings on the same score! Well done to the qualifiers for the Mason
final and especially Mick Shotton who won Div 1 with
71(5)66 and Div 2 winner Dave Taylor with 82(18)64. Jon Ward had the best gross
with 71. NB to avoid clashing with the Great North Run the Mason final will now
take place on Sunday Oct 12. In the Texas Scramble the team of Lee Auty, John Taylor, Paul Carr and Mick Walker spreadeagled the field with an excellent 61 gross(4.6)56.4
nett. 2nd were Phil Balmer, Rid Reid, Keith
McAllister and Tom Hugill 63(4.1)58.9 by only 0.1 of
a shot from Mark Cooper, Alan Richardson, Neil Hudson and Steve Baynes 62(3)59. Hard lines boys!
NO MORE THEFTS
Since the CCTV
has been upgraded the unfortunate spate of thefts seems to have ended EXCEPT
that Dave McCain reports having lost
GREENS
Despite the
attempts of our marvellous climate, the course has remained not only open
(unlike many others) but in excellent condition right through the season. Phil Hargrave and his team are now preparing for the Winter programme. The greens have been stressed recently and
so will receive fertiliser soon as well as being aerated and treated with
fungicide to avoid fusarium in what are near perfect
conditions for its formation. After the Mason Final, tining,
scarifying and top dressing will take place and then the Winter
programme including work on teeing grounds and bunkers will begin. The aim
right through the Winter months will once again be to
play the course as near as possible to its full length, as conditions dictate.
Let’s hope the Winter is kinder than the “Summer” has
been!
NEWSLETTER
The end of
October will see this newsletter “rested” until the new season in the Spring,
so if you have any news, secrets, amusing incidents etc to share just make
contact asap with phil.balmer@yahoo.co.uk and all will
be made public. Send any news during the Winter to
Gerry Fitzsimons at news@ssgc.co.uk
for inclusion in the SSGC website.
DID YOU KNOW?
what a good teacher our Pro is? After a couple
of lessons with Glyn, Sue is actually hitting the ball where she means to –
well, some of the time! Just getting her to listen takes a special magic. Why
not get Glyn to sort your game out? He really is good…and he rewards good shots
with sweeties…blackcurrant and licorice. What could
be nicer?
MEN’S COMPETITION ENTRIES
Unfortunately, it
has become apparent that the club rules covering competition entries have not
been observed. These are important and carefully thought out guidelines
intended to make Glyn’s job straightforward and to help the competitions run as
smoothly as possible. If you are in any doubt, then please refer to
“COMPETITION RULES” on the results noticeboard.
Starting with the Winter competitions these rules will
be strictly applied and your attention is drawn to the following important
examples:
Starting sheets
will be in the Pro shop from the Friday one week prior to the competition.
Only entries
accompanied by the appropriate entry fee will be entered.(
That means that telephone entries cannot be accepted by Glyn.).
PLEASE
NOTE THAT THESE
Phil Balmer
October 2008