South Staffordshire Golf Club News Winter 2013/14 St Andrews Junior Ladies' Open Champion The Dartmouth Bowl Club President, Terry Leece presents Club Captain Nick Weaver with the Dartmouth Bowl The annual match against Brocton Hall Golf Club for the Dartmouth Bowl was played on Saturday 6th July with 44 players on each side contesting 22 fourball better ball matches on a wonderful summer’s afternoon, followed by a dinner in the Clubhouse. During the match South Staffs professional Shaun Ball holed in one on the par three 11th. As is normally the case, home advantage plays a big part in the event and this year was no exception Sam Meese, our 2013 Ladies Club Champion, has had the most successful with South Staffs comfortable winners 19½ - 2½. season, by getting her handicap down to scratch, winning the Midlands Schools The Dartmouth Bowl is one of the longest running Championship and finishing 4th in the English Women's Amateur Championship. competitions in club golf. But the pinnacle of her season has to be winning the St. Andrews Junior Ladies' Played between South Staffs and Brocton Hall, the Open Championship, an 18 hole qualifying Scratch Matchplay Tournament – for event dates back to 1894 when the Earl of Dartmouth Ladies under 23 years of age on 1st January 2013, played over three days on the presented a trophy to be competed for by members Strathyrum, Eden and the Old Course. Sam was subsequently awarded the Golf of The South Staffordshire Golf Club and The Monthly Scratch Trophy. Staffordshire Golf Club which was based on Stafford Common. The Earl was President of both Clubs and Gentlemen’s Prize Presentation Evening the trophy was originally contested by individual members, playing off handicap, and the venue was to The Annual Gentlemen's Prize Presentation alternate between the two courses. The first Evening was held at the Club on Friday 22nd competition was played in 1894 on Penn Common November. Eighty members attended and (South Staffs' original course) and was won by R.H. enjoyed a three course meal, a speech from Bailey of South Staffs. Captain Nick Weaver and the traditional speech By 1897 the Staffordshire Golf Club on Stafford from the Club Matchplay Champion (Mander Common had folded with many of its members Cup), Nick Parr. transferring to the newly formed Cannock Chase Golf There were presentations by the President, Club which had its course on Milford Common. The Terry Leece to the Captain of the Dartmouth Bowl competition became one played off scratch. In 1923 and The Stafford Knot Trophy won by the Club 'The Cannock Chase Golf Club' was reconstituted as during the year. 'The Brocton Hall Golf Club' after purchasing the There were some notable winners in the year. Brocton Hall Estate. Alex Berrow won the Club Championship (Scratch In 1938 the format of the competition was changed Cup), Jack Smith won the Members’ Challenge, to a club team match played for annually and Nick Parr won the Club’s Matchplay Championship, alternately at each club off club handicap, with as Tom Hewitt Snr and Colin Woolley won the Club’s many players on each side as possible. Foursomes Matchplay Championship and Alex Next year when the match will be played at Brocton, Berrow won the Men’s Open Championship it will be the 120th anniversary of the competition. (Vardon Bowl). Captain, Nick Weaver Gentlemen’s Prize Presentation Evening The full list of the winners for the year are as follows: SCRATCH CUP - Alex Berrow; MANDER CUP - Nick Parr; VARDON BOWL - Alex Berrow; TUCK CUP - Tom Hewitt Snr & Colin Woolley; MEMBERS’ CHALLENGE - Jack Smith; FOURSOMES BOWL - Gerry Blakemore & Gary Campbell; CHAVASSE BOWL - Tim Percy; DOUBLE DIAMOND CUP - Simon Nightingale; PALMERS CROSS CUP - Nick Parr; LADY PRESIDENT'S SALVER - Phil Collins; PRESIDENT'S SALVER - Nick Weaver; AMERICA CUP - Greg Freeman; HOSPITAL CUP - Pete Hammonds; BILLINGHAM CUP (Division 1 Final Medal) - Michael Snape; DIVISION 2 (Final Medal) - Gary Campbell; DIVISION 3 (Final Medal) - Malcolm Bartlett; RAY BUTTERWORTH CUP (Division 1 Final Stableford) - Geoff Baker; DIVISION 2 (Final Stableford) - Martin Barnett; DIVISION 3 (Final Stableford) - Lekh Mall; COSFORD CUP - Chris Gammon & Russell Wood; SIEVWRIGHT BOWL - Greg Freeman; WENTWORTH WALKER CUP - Will Hart; VETERANS CUP - Chris Wright; VICTOR HICKMAN BOWL - Paul Nickel; PRESIDENT’S PUTTER - Gary Campbell; ARMITAGE KETTLE - Keith Bayliss & Colin Woolley; WAR MEMORIAL CUP - John Tennant; JAMES BEATTIE SALVER - Chris Dean & Stephen Alex Berrow - Club Champion (Scratch Cup) Bennett; CAPTAIN’S CUP - Bob Barrett & Matthew Jacques; PRESIDENT’S CUP - Nick Weaver & David Franklin; WINTER LEAGUE - Tim Dutton & Steve Holden; PAST CAPTAINS’ CUP - Reg King; SUNDAY STABLEFORD CUP - Rob Arrow. JUNIOR TOPHIES: TOM SHARRARD CUP - Thomas Bryan; ANDY ELLIS CUP - Nicholas Cox; JENKS TROPHY - Jack Smith; JAMES GORDON TROPHY Will Dunn; BEASLEY SHIELD - Max Strudwicke. Last year’s Captain, David Franklin & this year’s Captain, Nick Weaver - The President’s Cup Winners Nick Parr - Matchplay Champion (Mander Cup) Gary Campbell - President’s Putter Greg Freeman - America Cup Alex Berrow - South Staffs Men’s Open (Vardon Bowl) Tom Hewitt Snr & Colin Woolley - Club Foursomes Champions (Tuck Cup) Jack Smith - Members’ Challenge More Pictures from the Gentlemen’s Prize Presentation Evening Chris Wright - Veterans Cup Keith Sargeant, Mike Lodge, Jeremy Harris, Chris Wright, David Franklin, Phil Sims, Gary Campbell, Simon Cartwright & Jeremy Bradley Nick Parr - Palmers Cross Cup Paul Nickel - Victor Hickman Cup Phil Collins - Lady President’s Salver Michael Snape - Billingham Cup Will Hart - Wentworth Walker Cup Chris Gammon & Russell Wood retain the Cosford Cup Tim Percy - Chavasse Bowl Simon Nightingale - Double Diamond Cup Keith Bayliss & Colin Woolley - Armitage Kettle Malcolm Bartlett - Divison 3 Final Medal Rob Arrow retains the Sunday Stableford Cup Greg Freeman - Sievwright Bowl The South Staffs Professionals Head Professional Shaun Ball started 2013 Peter Baker having ceased in January, attempting to playing The European/ gain a European Senior Tour Challenge Tour in 2012, card at the qualifying school spent most of 2013 here in Portugal, played over the at South Staffs coaching Silves Golf Course and at his Golf Academy or Gramacho Course at supporting and using his Pestana, and then Final considerable past Tour Qualifying at the Vale da experiences to help the players under Champion Pinta Golf Course,in Portugal. Unfortunately, UK Management at different golf events. Shaun finished in 35th position and outside Peter commenced his 2013 playing year by the qualifying mark. winning the Cornish Riviera Pro-Am Festival, During the season, Shaun played in played over three days at Trevose, St Enodoc Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship and Newquay. Qualifer at Little Aston, finishing tied 2nd. Locally, Peter has played in five PGA in The Senior PGA Professional Championship Peter putting for birdie on the 17th during the final England (Midlands) Order of Merit events at Northamptonshire County. The ISPS Hnada round of the PTS Invitational during the year, winning the PTS Invitational PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Mottram here at South Staffs in front of the Sky TV In the Staffordshire PGA Winter Alliances, Hall and the Glenmuir PGA Professional Cameras. Peter won at Enville and Brocton Hall. Tied for Championship played at De Vere Slaley Hall. Finishing 12th in The Glazerite Trophy at 2nd at both Little Aston and South Staffs and Shaun also played 3 PGA in England Wellingborough GC, 17th in the Midland 3rd at Penn GC. (Midlands) Order of Merit events. The Masters, tied 2nd in Midland Masters Pro-Am A message from Peter. Glazerite Trophy, Midland Masters and the both at Kedleston Park GC and tied 2nd in "I would like to thank all the Members who Midland Open and nine PGA in England the Midland Open at Birstall GC. have supported the Pro Shop in 2013. We (Midlands) Money List events. Peter was unable to defend the Staffordshire strive to offer quality and a high standard of In 2014 Shaun will be dividing his time Open title he won here at South Staffs last service, merchandise and golf equipment in playing the Senior Golf Circuit and coaching year, but tied 2nd in the Strokeplay the Pro Shop to all Members and visitors and the promising youngsters at South Staffs - Jack Championship played at Trentham Park. look forward to seeing you all in 2014." Burns and Dominic Allsopp amongst them. of the irrigation system with new tank, pump each year and the sowing of a new hedge Greens Chairman Report station and bore hole. alongside the fence on the 6th. • We are considering the clearing and The ongoing aim of the Greens Management ploughing of the bottom practice ground Team (GMT) and the greens staff has been to across Coppice Lane in order to cultivate turf produce and maintain a course which is in the and some new trees. top three of the Midlands area. • Completion of the installation of tee steps We felt we made substantial progress last around the course. year with the consistent performance and • Movement of larger trees from the maturing playability of the greens and aprons and we coppices around the course into key positions saw stimp speeds of 10 regularly throughout where we are losing many flowering cherries. the summer and up to 13 for the PTS. This has been hampered by the recent wet The firmness of the greens improved during ground conditions. Trees in general around the the season but as the wet weather has moved course including their cultivation and in for the winter we have more work to do on management are part of our forward planning. certain greens to improve drainage. • We are planning to introduce more colour in Unfortunately the recent unprecedented the cultivated beds around the course amount of rain is leaving the ground saturated The recently installed steps on the 4th tee.