Market Rasen Golf Club: Temporary greens test players

There's been golf action at Chichester and Cowdray Park of late

With six temporary greens in play, scores were predictably high and 11 pairs recorded two’s, including Phil Clifford and Suresh Pillai who scored theirs on the par four 17th.

Steve Forbes and Andy Platt (46pts) won in fine style on countback from second-placed father and son John and Freddie Doughty.

Neil Bridgwater and Richard Albon were third with 45 points, while fourth and fifth places were also subject to a countback, off 44 points, with Alan

Wormall and junior Tom Carter pipping Tony and Mark Hunter.

* The next weekend, 48 competitors played in the Iron Man stableford.

Attics were raided to find long unused driving irons to replace the forbidden woods and the bunker on the first hole claimed more than the usual tee shots.

A heavy overnight frost brought 16 temporary greens in play and this was reflected in the scores.

Five players managed a birdie two, four on the full-green 14th, and one on the tricky 18th, and Adie Bothamley went one better with an eagle hole-in- one on the 14th.

With scores ranging between 15 and 44 points and only eight players better than par, the format suited some better than others.

Tony Hunter won with 44 points, two ahead of second-placed Mick Duke, while Rob Hainsworth was third (41).

Men’s captain Ian Ribey was fourth with 40, and Alan Wormall just pipped Eric Winder into fifth after a countback off 38 points.

* Finalists have been confirmed for the John Hornsey Trophy (Winter League).

Father and son Mark and Jamie Codd beat Dave King and Gary Smith, and Dave Gregory with Jeff Portlock, to qualify, while Chris Law and Matt Pope beat Brian Inman and Tom Pope, and Lawrence Cook and Adam Ramsey. A close match is anticipated.