BERKSHIRE - 12th SEPTEMBER 2022

The event started on the Blue course with the now traditional closest to the pin on the opening hole. With the number of players swallowing their pride and pulling the driver increasing each year, it was Forsythe in the last group that pipped Berkshire member Baldwin for the prize. Despite the heather having a few dried out areas, most players still found themselves searching for the odd stray ball only to remember how difficult the heather is to get out of.

Forsythe & Simpson started strongly scoring 13 points over the first 4 better-ball holes but the 7th hole stopped their momentum with their first 2 point hole – every other team had a 2 pointer after the 2nd hole! Defending champion Maciver with stand in partner Houlberg, scored the only birdied 2 for 4 points on the 1st hole banking 11 points after 4 holes as did Pitchford & Pritchard and Baldwin & Berry. On the 6th hole, the pairs of Maddison & Edelsten and Patel & Conyer were the only teams in the morning round to score a 7 pointer. Bragg & Lumley birdied 4 of the both scores count holes to turn with 33 points, joint leaders with Forsythe & Simpson, Naylor & Jackson and Maddison & Edelsten.

The contending teams of Forsythe & Simpson, Naylor & Jackson who were playing together, both dropped away as a result of only scoring one or 2 points on the both scores count holes. Grech & Taylor scored the best back 9 holes with 33 points to lie in joint 2nd place on 60 points with Bragg & Lumley. Maddison shot an impressive one over par 72 to lead with partner Edelsten on 64 points.

Maddison & Edelsten having been in contention at lunch a year ago, opted for a change of strategy and went for the 2 bottles of wine with lunch tactic and started strongly increasing their lead after 4 holes scoring 12 points. Bragg birdied the first 3 holes (he also shared the wine) to score 11 points with Lumley while Grech & Taylor dropped a further point back with 10 points. The 6th hole cost Bragg & Lumley dearly scoring only 1 point to finish the front nine with 27 points and drop out of contention. Maciver & Houlberg scored 7 points on the par 3 - 5th courtesy of Maciver’s 2nd birdie 2 of the day with Hedges & Davenport also banking a 7 pointer on the par 5 - 9th hole to turn with 34 points - the best on the afternoon front nine. Maddison & Edelsten scored 33 points to Grech & Taylor’s 31 which was matched by Field & Clifton.

On the last 4 better ball holes of the day, 10 out of the 12 teams scored 10 points so no change on the leaderboard and all to play for over the final 5 holes of both scores counting. Maddison & Edelsten’s form suddenly cooled like the weather and were only able to score 14 points on the last 5 holes to Jameson & Jones 25 and Crech & Taylor’s 20.

Jameson parred his way in from the 14th with partner Jones making good use of his strokes to score the best of the day 35 points over 9 holes with an afternoon 64 points to end the day with 120 points to secure a podium finish. Crech & Taylor’s steady play added 61 points to their morning 60 points to finish on 121 points. In a final push to the line, Maddison had his 3rd birdie 2 of the day on the 36th hole but team Maddison & Edelsten’s 24 points on the back nine for an afternoon round of 57 points was to come up just short and finished on 121 points and took Runners up on countback to Crech & Taylor.