Market Rasen Golf: Patience pays for Captain’s Day winner

The club’s finance director carded a magnificent stableford score of 45 points to top a 128-strong field at Bob Pearce’s Men’s Captain’s Day competitions.

The event was blessed with a perfect window of good weather as 105 men and 23 ladies took part, with the final three competitors just putting out on the 18th hole when the next deluge arrived.

Colin claimed the top prize, his first win since 2004, thanks to eight nett birdies and a nett eagle, a round which earned a two-shot reduction in handicap.

He finished two points clear of second-placed junior member Ben Larder, whose round included nine nett birdies and a nett eagle which also earned him a two-shot handicap reduction.

Category one player Steve Hewish was third with 41 points as his back nine of 20 points pushed Mick Duke’s back nine of 19 into fourth place.

Both received handicap reductions as did unplaced past junior captain Mark Bedford, Joe Osbourne and Clive Jenkins.

By dint of Colin’s overall win, the Past Captains prize went to Gaff Elliott, whose score of 38 points took him into handicap category one, joining his son Charlie who edged Harry Peplinsky to the Best Junior prize.

With 22 men shooting par or better, and a further nine just one over, in their 18-hole qualifying stableford off yellow tees, compliments were paid to the green staff for getting the course into such fine condition after the torrential rain which had closed the course the previous Tuesday.

The ladies’ 18-hole qualifying stableford was won by Helen Wilson with a superb score of 39 points earning her a one-shot handicap cut.

New member Sue Smith was second, playing in her first-ever competition, edging membership director Jane Salt into third place after a back nine countback off 35 points.

In the over 65s category, John Chapman’s 37 points included a nett eagle two on the par-three 18th to keep him well ahead of nearest rival John Doughty.

Nearest-the-pin prizes went to Sharman Scott (ladies – fifth), new member Jim Ure (men’s fifth), Mick Beddoes (men’s 14th) and Dave King (12th and 13th in two).

The longest drive on the 15th hole went to Jamie Smith, straightest drives on the sixth were by Tilly Lawrence and Adie Sawyer, and nearest the barrels on the third and 17th were Jamie Smith and junior Will Fowlston.

A total of 11 players ‘Beat the Pro’ by finishing nearer the pin on the 18th than Dan Clarke, and after a draw, the prize was won by Rosemarie Lawton.

At the close of play men’s captain Bob Pearce provided all competing members with a free raffle, a drink and a barbecue, and donated all the entry fees – almost £400 – to his chosen charity, the St Andrew’s Hospice.