Market Rasen Golf Club: Ruthless Carter claims back-to-back wins

A field of 21 originally lined up in the men’s singles knockout competition (for handicappers 16-plus) which was eventually whittled down to for.

The semi-finals saw Adam Ramsey beat Matt Cooksey, and Tom Carter see off Rick Dale to take their places in the final.

Up-and-coming young golfer Tom claimed a convincing 6 and 5 victory on the 13th hole to earn the congratulations of on-course director Adam Ramsey.

* Market Rasen Golf Club’s A team have secured the North Lincolnshire Scratch League Championship for the first time in 34 years.

They took on a confident Cleethorpes team, the current champions, at Grimsby GC and ran out 4-2 winners to take the title.

Rasen’s six pairs recorded three wins, just one loss and two halves. They will now face Belton Park at South Kyme GC on October 7 to play for the All Lincolnshire Scratch Team Championship.

* A field of 71 members competed in a two-day, 36-hole nett medal competition last weekend for the prestigious Beckett Salver.

After round one, 13 players had submitted scores of nett par 71, with eight birdie twos shot on the par-three holes.

Only three shots separated the top eight, with leader Mike Perry (66) a shot ahead of Tom Carter and Guy Hardcastle, Richard Albon on 68, and Pete Langford, Richard Everett, Chris Osbourne and Mark Hunter all on 69.

With competition so tight, there was great anticipation for the second day, played in cooler and breezier conditions.

But the course played well and, again, 13 players carded nett 71 or better.

Past captain Hardcastle shot a nervous 71 to take his total to nett 138 and claim fourth place, just one shot behind the ever-consistent Hunter (69+68) on nett 137.

But Carter and Perry were four shots out in front, maintaining their excellent form throughout day two to both card nett 133s, with Carter claiming the Salver after a countback.

Perry and Hunter both reduced their handicaps to seven and 12, respectively, while Carter has shaved four shots off his handicap during the school holidays.

Unable to maintain his form, Richard Albon, still won the Best Nett Prize for day one, while Matt Cooksey took the prize for day two after a storming round of nett 66 to earn a one-stroke handicap cut.

The Gross Prize went Jacob Morley after a back-nine countback from Neil Carmichael after both carded aggregates of 154.

* The Market Rasen GC ladies held their Invitation Day in perfect conditions last Wednesday.

As has been the case for most of this summer, the scores reflected the conditions, particularly the 45 points amassed by Sue Archer and her guest from Cleethorpes, Elaine Barker, to win the competition outright.

Second spot went to Bridget Holmes and guest Liz Wride, a long-time Rasen member who now plays at Waltham Windmill, with 40 points.

Just one point behind were Carol Mann and guest Diane Humphries (Ashby Decoy), while Di Warburton with guest Julie Sales (Kenwick Park) were fourth, with 38 points.

* The following day the ladies’ team travelled to Immingham to play a friendly match and were delighted to win 3-1.