Team Finals Weekend @ Thornbury Golf Centre – 27-29 September 2024
The annual running competition finals took place at The Thornbury Golf Complex over the weekend 27-29 September 2024. A total of 9 competitions were decided in some very close matches over the course of the 3 days.
Reaching the finals itself is a great achievement so many congratulations to all finalists and thanks to all those who entered competitions but didn’t make it this year. In total 176 players played across the weekend, with some lucky enough to be playing in more than one event. From an organisational perspective it’s a significant task firstly running the competitions through the year and then managing the event itself. Many thanks therefore to all the NAPGC competition organisers and management team.
Friday 27 September
Leading into the weekend the rain had been relentless and late on Thursday we were advised by the course that a buggy ban had been necessarily put in place. More rain followed but the course was open for play when we arrived for our first competitions on Friday – the Women’s TopRock Bowl, Women’s Match Play, Men’s TopRock Salver and the Senior Men’s Mitchell-Thomson.
The opening event was the Women’s TopRock Bowl, which is greensomes match play single pair event. Our finalist clubs were the same as 2023 with Easthampstead Ladies taking on Wishaw, the defending champion club. This year Easthampstead represented by Alex Cram and Lynda Atherton were able to build a lead and seal the match with a 4&3 victory. This is the second time that Easthampstead Ladies have prevailed in this competition having previously won in 2020.
The Women’s Match Play which is also a single pair event, competed for on a better ball basis was next up, with Warley Woods and Huntswood the finalists this year. The match was extremely close and eventually decided on the 18th green where Huntswood were narrowly unable to hole out for the half, which enabled Warley Woods represented by Hayley Davies and Sue Roberts to win the match 1up. This is the first time Warley Woods have lifted this trophy.
The men followed the ladies with our final single pair match play event of the day was the Men’s TopRock Salver, competed for on a better ball basis and contested between Stevenage and Rickmansworth. As ever the match was closely fought but it was the Rickmansworth pair of Mick Rogers and Thomas Moore eventually coming out on top with a 3&2 victory. A first time win for Rickmansworth in this tournament.
The Men’s Seniors Mitchell-Thomson final was the final event on Friday with four clubs, Farnham Park, Rose Hill, Thorney Park and Basildon, who had won their regional events competing against each other. The event comprises four pairs for each team, aged 55+, playing stableford greensomes with the combined scores from each team deciding the eventual champions. Rose Hill had built a commanding lead going into the final round. Farnham Park, the defending champions, pegged back 11 points in that final round but it wasn’t quite enough, and Rose Hill sealed the tournament with a score of 153 from Farnham Park on 149 in second place. This was the first time Rose Hill have lifted this trophy.
Saturday 28 September
Saturday saw the culmination of the Siemens Bowl, Hawtree Mixed Final and the Ballantyne. While the course had remained dry overnight, buggies were still not possible, meaning all players had to walk the course. The sun did though show itself which gave some warmth to the day.
The opening event on Saturday was the Siemens Bowl. A four ball better ball, aggregate stableford competition. The final was contested by for by four clubs, Wycombe Heights, The Oaks, Rose Hill and Huntswood who had progressed through area knock out rounds. Scoring was reflective of the conditions with only three hitting the trigger of 42+ points for a handicap adjustment. Rose Hill were quick out of the blocks with 43 and 44 points from their first two pairs proving too much for the other teams to peg back, and they went on to win with a total of 167 points. Like last year Wycombe Heights took the runners up spot, with 155 points. For Rose Hill this was an impressive fourth title on the trot in the Siemens Bowl.
The Mixed Hawtree Trophy, consisting of four pairs per team playing greensomes stableford with scores aggregated, was second up. There were three regional divisions to qualify through with Haste Hill, Portsmouth and Royal Epping making it through the knock-out rounds. Royal Epping Forest put out a very strong team of low handicap golfers at the final and their impressive total of 158 proved too much for the others with Haste Hill taking second place on 140. This was a deserved first-time victory for Royal Epping Forest in the Hawtree, a trophy which was first played for in 1937.
The Ballantyne Trophy team match play better ball consists of three pairs per club. Richmond Park and Wycombe Heights were our finalists having battled through area qualifying and national semi-finals. As ever the games were very competitive, but it was Wycombe Heights who were able to take control on the back nine and go on to win all matches for a 3-0 result. A first time win in this tournament for Wycombe Heights.
Sunday 29 September
Sunday played host to the final two events, the Clapham Common Platinum Shield and the Whitewebbs Bowl. Buggies continued to be unavailable due to the wetness underfoot. It was also quite a chilly day with a reasonable breeze making conditions difficult.
The Clapham Common is a men’s six pair aggregate stableford greensomes event. The four area winners contesting the final were Stevenage, Hoebridge, Royal Epping Forest and Wycombe heights. Scoring was reflective of the weather conditions with 40 points the top individual scores of the day. After three pairs it was very close, but the consistency of Wycombe Heights proved too much with all their pairs scoring in the range 36 to 39 points for a total of 223points. The battle for the Ellis Cup was much tighter with the last pair results making a countback between Hoebridge and Royal Epping Forest necessary. Royal Epping Forest prevailed in this to retain the Ellis Cup Trophy, for a second year. This was only the second time our worthy winners Wycombe Heights have won the Clapham Common Shield, having previously prevailed in 2009.
The final event of the weekend was the Whitewebbs Bowl, which comprises four women from each club playing better ball stableford to give an aggregate two pair score for each club. Our four national finalists as area winners were Easthampstead Ladies, Huntswood, Basildon and Warley Woods. Scoring was very close and good in the prevailing conditions. Having breezed through the earlier presentations, there was a ‘technical’ hitch at this one, with two scores transposed. Thankfully this was corrected before the tournament winners were announced. Our sincere apologies to all for the disruption and confusion caused. After resolving, the outcome was a deserved win for Warley Woods with 38 and 37 points for a 75 points total, from Basildon who took runners up spot with a pair of 37s for 74 points. This was the first time Warley Woods have won the Whitewebbs bowl.
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In closing, thanks go out to all clubs, players and organisers who played in, supported and managed events and matches over the course of the year. Congratulations to all of our winners, if you reached the final hopefully you will want to be back for another crack and if you didn’t hopefully you will strive to get there next year.
Stuart
