Match 1 Malcolm Norton (acting captain) Dave Drew match Match won 2 - 0
Our leading pair lost the first hole to a Essex chip-in for birdie. Very close over the next fourholes, then Dave shot into action, hitting the flag with his third shot on the sixth and dropping two inches from the hole for a gimme…after nine holes Dave and Malc where 2 up. Opposition Roger then handed out cheese and biscuits and promptly won the next three holes … lesson; be wary of those bearing gifts especially from the opposition. The match was all square after sixteen but Dave and Malc won 17 and 18 to win the match two up.

Match 2 John Parkinson Richard Allen match halved
JP was giving the opposition 15 and 11 shots, this match was never going to be easy. The SbN pair were two down after two but JP drew the team level with a birdie on third & fourth, hitting the flag on 4 with his second shot for a tap in birdie. Amazingly there was not one hole half on the front nine. At the turn SbN were 1 up. The match then went through a series of halved holes with Richard making a very important four for three on seventeen to make the match all square. Hole eighteen was halved to end the match all square. Great company and a well earned half for both teams.

Match 3 Paul Sheffield Tony Reeves match lost 1 - 0
Tony and Paul played well but fell victim to a on-form 28 handicaper who played to 18….!! No bitternes here …. Nip and tuck all the way around with never more than one in it. The match was lost on 18.

Match 4 Graham Vandervord & David Seymour match won 5 - 4
An early lead was soon reduced to level but Dave held the team together through 6 & 7. Around the turn Vanders coped well with the opposition shots and the home team coasted to a comfortable win against two very pleasant opposition golfers.

Match 5 Richard Middleton Mick Henry match halved
Three up by the sixth hole with Richard making an unlikely birdie from the front bunker on the third. The Essex boys clawed their way back to all square by seventeen. Richard holed a 7 foot pressure putt to half the match.

Match 6 Eric Fisher John Crane match won 2 - 1
Eric was most unhappy with the badger digging around Gainsborough and believes they may have been hired by the Essex team … he could have a point??, SbN one down after two but by the sixth had reversed the score to two up on the sixth with a nice birdie on the fifth. Essex pulled it back all square after the tenth. SbN then went two up after twelve and sealed the match on sixteen.

Match 7 Tony Denmead Dick Lumsden match halved
An honorable draw was most definitely the correct result in this match. Stoke won six holes and Essex won six and six were halved. Every time one team went ahead the other pegged them back. SbN went one up with one to play but inevitably the Essex won the last to tie the match. Very close very enjoyable.

Match 8 Simon Meriam Rob Swan Match won 3 - 2
SbN took advantage of having only one opponent at the start, taking the first hole and never losing the lead. Their second man turned up after three holes but SbN extended their lead to four up after five. A string of halved holes followed by a late comeback by The Essex reduced the SbN lead but they held on to win the match three and two.

Many thanks to John Parkinson on reporting on today’s final Inter Club match of 2025. Thanks John.

Team …………

     1st     Malcolm Norton (Captain) & David Drew

     2nd     John Parkinson (Reporter) & Richard Allen

     3rd     Tony Reeves & Paul Sheffield

     4th     Graham Vandervord & David Seymour

     5th     Richard Middleton & Mick Henry

     6th     Eric Fisher & John Crane

     7th     Tony Denmead & Dick Lumsden

      8th.    Rob Swan & Simon Merriam