Match Result - Felixstowe 4.5 pts, Stoke by Nayland 3.5 pts

The warm, balmy weather on the coast at Felixstowe played host to a match much looked forward to by the SbN team, looking to avoid another pasting by the sea - witness the recent match at Frinton. The course was in excellent condition with fast, running fairways, quick greens and rough that was a little too long for some (including your match reporter). The traditional fish & chips was, once again, excellent.

Match 1 SbN pair: Malcolm Norton and Nick Wright (WON 6 & 5)

Without much opportunity to play in ditches at Stoke, Malcolm became particularly attached to them and decided also that the bunkers were there to be used. However our Captain had chosen his partner well with Nick, playing for the first time on the Felixstowe links, coming in with an impressive 39 stableford points, including two blobs. Having carried Malcolm for much of the round, Nick's shoulders were rather sore by the end but the early drink and fish & chips did the trick.

Match 2 SbN pair: Phil Hickley and Kevin Walsh (MATCH HALVED)

Having raced into a two-up lead after two holes, the Stoke pair thought they were going to register a comfortable victory. However that was not to be the case and the Felixstowe duo wrestled the game back to go one up after ten holes. Kevin used his shots well to take the match to all square after fifteen only for the Stoke pair to go one down on the seventeenth. Nerves were in play on the eighteenth with opponent Stephen making 3 (with his provisional ball) and partner Malcolm coming up short of the green after two shots. This ultimately left Phil to hole an awkward three-footer for par to win the hole and square the match.

Match 3 SbN pair: Andy Cracknell and Trevor Waterhouse (LOST 4 & 3)

The Stoke team knew they were in for a struggle given the quality of their opponents play right from the off. Long (and straight) off the tee, towering irons into the greens and solid putting from the Felixstowe pair saw them comfortable winners on the day. A good friendly match however, even though the Stoke boys felt that had they played another eighteen holes, the margin of victory would only have got bigger.

Match 4 SbN pair: Iain Gault and Tony Emms (MATCH HALVED)

An excellent game which was close throughout and produced a grandstand finish with Tony holing from 60 feet to win the eighteenth hole and secure the half-point for the Stoke team. A great result considering the number of shots the SbN team were giving away on the day.

Match 5 SbN pair: Alan Finlayson and Phil Boyland (MATCH HALVED)

Another close duel in the sun with Alan's putter red-hot throughout with him not missing anything inside 10 ft. (Is this the same Alan I've partnered?) Phil incurred the wrath of the group ahead with his opponents confidently telling him that he could safely play towards the green as 'he'd never reach them from so far back' only to send the players scurrying for shelter as his ball arrowed in to the green. A good match, played in the right spirit and close throughout.

Match 6 SbN pair: Terry Mitchell and Steve Mitchell (LOST 2 & 1)

The only difference in this really close affair was the Felixstowe pair's uncanny ability to hole long putts from off the green which they achieved on three occasions, all at critical points in the game, much to the annoyance of the Stoke pair. So...if the first experiment with the pairing of two Mitchells didn't quite workout......

Match 7 SbN pair: Del McWilliams and John Williams (LOST 6 & 5)

.....neither did the McWilliams/Williams team, falling to the biggest defeat of the day. However that only tells half the story with the Felixstowe pair shooting one over par gross after the first seven holes leaving the Stoke duo six down. That pretty much did for the match with the rest of the game returning to a more usual standard, meandering to a predictable conclusion. Bad luck to Del and John on this occasion coming up against tough opponents.

Match 8 SbN pair: Bob Filer and Dave Drew (WON 3 and 2)

A closely fought match with the Stoke pair dovetailing nicely on the front nine to go to the turn one up, helped in no small part by Dave's birdie three on the fourth hole to secure a half! The back nine saw Bob's natural talent shine through, ably assisted by Dave, with Bob recording pars on 11, 14 and 16 to close out a relatively comfortable victory.

Many thanks to Phil Hickley for his report on todays trip to the seaside.