Madden on top at Cradoc for eighth time in 10 winters
1:06pm Thursday 20th March 2008
PAUL Madden has clinched the Cradoc Winter League title with eight wins in the 10-round competition.
Wayne Gittoes and Dai Lewis shared the runners-up spot with seven wins and a half.
Tony Bowkett finished fourth with six wins and two halves.
Tony Evans continued the good form of the Evans family with victory in the club's final Winter Stableford.
Evans took the top prize with 37 points, playing off 12, seven-eighths of his club handicap.
The former Winter Stableford winner, Graham Harris, was the runner-up with 36 points, after a countback.
Darren Martin finished third, with Chris Connolly coming fourth with 35 points.
Six players achieved birdie twos and each won six balls.
Alan Pooley has been elected as the new club captain of Cradoc.
Pooley, who is now a member of the club's greens staff, has taken over the role from Rob Cleeves, who reported on a successful year at the annual meeting.
Paul Exton remains as club vice-captain, with Nicholas Morrell continuing his long association as club treasurer.
Ross seniors have achieved a near 70% success rate in an experimental winter round robin series with four other senior sections.
The new initiative has been well supported by the club's members.
Ross have played 16-a-side matches on a home and away basis at Malvern, Leominster, Sapey and Burghill Valley.
Seniors' secretary Keith Ray scored a magnificent 40 points in windy conditions to win the monthly seniors' event. Ray's tally included two birdies.
Graham Smith took second spot with a commendable 37 points, while Nick Swann, Terry Savage and David Whitehead all posted 36 points.
Des Davies secured first place in the 0-12 handicap section of Belmont's latest competition.
Davies fired a winning return of 77-9-68.
Mark Williams (79-10-69) was second, while Harvey Hancock (80-11-69) was third.
Justin Hughes won the 13-28 section after carding 85-21-64.
Pete Edwards (84-14-70) was second, with Tony Quinn (84-14-70) taking third place on a countback.
John Lewthwaite, Mike Ingham, Reg Harrison and Merv Mortimore totalled 115 points to win the seniors' team stableford.
Tommy Boswell, Eric Mayers, Gordon Bumfrey and Des Samuel finished second with 114 points.
Paul Gosling and Tony Body took the honours with 44 points in the Betterball Pairs.
John Alexander and Des Samuel were second with 43 points.
Third place went to Peter Smith and Maurice Embrey, who also scored 43 points.
Gary Moore was the overall winner of Kington's Spring Medal after firing 84-11-73.
Doug Taylor secured the Division 1 title after carding 80-7-73.
Murray Macintosh fired 84-10-74 to take top spot in Division 2.
Marcel Veillet won Division 3 with 92-18-74.
Don Barrington, George Davies and Les Herbert took top spot with 58 strokes in the Burghill Valley seniors' Texas Scramble.
Mike Buffey, Brian McDonnell and Brian Smith finished in second place with 62 strokes.
Ivor Cooper, Geof Kramer and Ron Price secured third position with a nett 64 strokes.
G Dodge and P Fowler won the Sapey Spring Vase with a nett 56.
J Morley and N May secured the runners-up spot with a nett 57.
There was a three-way tie for third place with Gary and Mark Heason, B Eddy and J Yelland and S Cox and I Fletcher all finishing with a nett 60.
Andy Thomson pipped James Johnson to win the Three Club Challenge at the final Spring event of the Kingstone High School Golf Society.
Sam Cockman and Ben Kennedy were the other divisional winners in difficult conditions.
Result: Overall winner: Andy Thomson 45-18-27; Division 1 winner: Ben Kennedy 37-7-30; Division 2 winner: Sam Cockman 44-12-32; Division 3 winner: James Johnson 47-19-28.
Hereford Municipal Seniors entertained Summerhill Golf Club at the Racecourse and emerged winners by five matches to one.
Keith Strangwood won the seniors' nine-hole February medal by three shots when he recorded a nett 28.5.
Eric Williams finished second on a countback from Peter Robinson after both players shot a 31.5 nett.
Ken Watson and Dilwyn James won Leominster seniors' Weston Cider Cup on a countback after carding 37 points.
Ken Vale and Basil Lewis had to settle for second place after they also finished with 37 points.
The Grove have teamed up with the English Golf Union and the Ladies Golf Union to offer free tuition with PGA professional Peter Lowery.
The tuition is being offered on March 25, April 8 and April 22 from 6pm to 7pm and on April 26 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm and 2.30pm to 3.30pm. More details from Lowery on 01568 610602.