Good win for Boys Against Lancashire Boys
This was our penultimate match in the Northern Counties League against Lancashire on their home turf of Lancaster GC on a sunny day with little breeze.
We were missing five players, Alex Boyes, Tom Hartshorne, Sam Norman, Tai Naylor and Alfie Baldwin who were playing in the English Amateur at Seaton Carew and Hartlepool so new players were introduced for this critical match.
First out in the foursomes was Jonty Butcher with Sheffield teammate Presley Allott losing the second to a birdie gave the opposition the lead for the front 9, but a par on ten tied the match then it was a game of ping pong with the lead switching until sixteen where a birdie secured the lead for us and eventually a 1Up win. Ethan and Benjy got off to a cracking start and with four birdies on the front nine were 5Up at the turn and continued to hold their game to win 4&3. Harry and Ewan playing, not their best was up for most of the game and won 2&1. Boys captain Josh and Luke were up in their game from the start and continued in that vain throughout with four birdies and 1 bogey to win 5&4. George and Huey were 2Up at the turn and played some good golf on the back nine to win 3&2. Result at lunch 5 – 0.
The boys knew what they had to do in the afternoon, continue in the same vein staying focused and producing the same spectacular golf as they did in the morning foursomes. New boy Presley was first out and won the second with a par then lost the next two with bogeys, however a birdie on the par 3 sixth and pars at seven and eight took him to 2Up, but then lost nine to a birdie to go out 1Up. He played the back nine well and with birdies at fifteen and sixteen he went on to win 2&1, a good start. Jonty had a battle on his hands going out 1Up and then with a poor back nine was 1Down after twelve where it remained when got to the eighteenth and with a good tee shot some twelve feet away, sadly he missed and lost 1Down. Benjy was in good form going out in 2 under to be 4Up where he was then in control to take his game 5&4. Ethan was 2Down after two, but with birdie, par on the next two got the game back to tied and winning eight and nine was out in 2Up. He was then in control and won 4&2. Harry didn’t get off to the best of starts and was 3Down after nine and was unable to get the game back under control and lost 5&3. Josh played well as usual, but with a birdie and an eagle on par 4 seven was 2Down after seven, then a birdie and par from him levelled the game after nine. Birdies at nine and ten took the game under his control and finished it off on sixteen with a birdie to win 3&2. Ewan didn’t get off to the best of starts and was 2Down after nine, but with a good fight back with birdies on eleven, twelve fourteen and par on thirteen he was 1Up. A poor drive on seventeen allowed his opponent to win it with a par and level the game where it remained with par 3’s on eighteen to finish tied. Huey was 2Up at the turn but went 2Down after two pars and 2 birdies from his opponent then he won fifteen and seventeen and needed a good tee shot on eighteen which he produced but missed the putt to lose 1Down. Luke was on great form with 3 birdies and the rest pars on the first nine gave him a 2Up lead, however his home ward journey was a little different, but he managed to win 3&2. George’s game was a little back and forth and was tied at the turn, but two birdies at ten and eleven gave him a 2Up lead and he continued to win the game 3&2.
This was a terrific win against a good side of Lancashire on their home turf which made it extra special. The match as always was played in the true spirit of the game and new friendships made on both sides. I once again am delighted with the boy’s performance, they have played extremely well and once again played as a team, Team Yorkshire!
We now move onto our last match against Durham in about 10 days’ time.
Philip Woodcock
