Market Rasen Golf Club president shoots 63 to win Duckworth Trophy

Club president Benny Hinchliffe was a popular winner of the Duckworth Trophy on Saturday EMN-180904-111317002

This should have been the first handicap-qualifying competition of the season, but despite the herculean efforts of the greens team, there were three temporary greens which shortened the course too much.

The members, however, were delighted to be playing the full 18 holes, and there were four birdies recorded on the par-three fifth hole which had been closed all week.

A total of 20 players shot nett par 71 or better, with head greenkeeper Ben Lowery recording a gross 71 to take the best gross prize.

Winter League winners Lynne Patrick (left) and Pam Ross. EMN-180904-112111002

The second, third and fourth-placed players all shot an excellent nett 65, but Harry Lee claimed the runners-up spot with a great back nine of nett 31.5, ahead of Mark Hunter and Neil Baxter.

The popular outright winner was club president and past captain Benny Hinchliffe who carded a magnificent nett 63, including four nett pars, nine nett birdies and two nett eagles.

* On April Fool’s Day, 34 pairs competed in a men’s foursome medal to qualify for eight knockout matchplay places for the Utley Trophy.

Playing off half combined handicaps, the qualifiers were father and son John and Freddie Doughty (64.5), Dean Wilkinson and Neil Baxter (64.5), Steve Allison and Neil Bridgwater (66.0), Paul Moore and Dave Tuhey (68.0), junior section organiser Grant Hinchliffe and Alan Wormall (68.5), Tim Brumpton and Steve White (68.5), Pete Conway and Adie Bothamley (68.5), and John Pickering with Laurie Finch (69.0).

* Market Rasen’s ladies’ A team started off the season in style with an away win at Ashby Decoy, in Scunthorpe, for the singles matchplay Tasker Trophy.

* Last Wednesday, the ladies competed for the Abraham Trophy.

Normally a qualifying competition, the extremely wet conditions saw the course reduced to only 12 holes.

Coping with wet and muddy fairways proved to be of little consequence to immediate past captain Sheilah Mitchell who clinched the trophy ahead of runner-up Helen Gibbard and third-placed Joy Purkiss.

* Lynne Patrick and Pam Ross were crowned winners of the Winter League, from runners-up Di Warburton and Sue Archer.