Golfing Society (OSBGS) 

Old St Beghians’ Golfing Society 2019

 

 

 

The Halford Hewitt – Kent 2019

The St Bees HH team assembled at our usual accommodation at the Knowlton Court estate, conveniently located between Sandwich and Deal golf courses, in good time to enjoy two and in some cases three days of practice at Royal St. Georges. Indeed, Messrs. Stamper and Crummey also took in the pleasures of a round at Rye.

We were drawn in the first round against Repton at Royal St. Georges, a team we had played relatively recently in the Hewitt and also at the Queen Elizabeth tournament in Edinburgh, where we enjoyed some success. 

Repton have a strong golf team so to meet this challenge we set a strategy of pairings and order of play to win the day. The plan started well with Jeff Ellis and Stephen Moss leading in the top match and John Berry and Tom Wright starting well in match two. We were down early on in all the remaining matches, but if one of the matches could be turned around, we would be able to put pressure on Repton.

The top pair continued to battle and was ahead going into the last few holes, John and Tom were well set to win their game. Adrian Peckitt and Andrew Deall were not at the top of their game and were struggling to change the course of their match, finally losing 4 and 3. Behind them Andrew Goodwin and John Currie were well beaten by a strong pair of brothers playing off 1 and +3. In the last match Ben Wilson and Gareth Edgar showed some resolve to try and get back into their match but lost in the closing stretch.

John and Tom won their match 2 and 1, secured with a spectacular birdie at the 14^th hole. Jeff and Stephen, having led their match from the start, lost the last hole for a half. Final score Repton 3 ½ St Bees 1 ½.

All first-round losers enter the plate tournament, which is played at the adjacent Princes course. We would be playing against Wellington, who had surprisingly lost to St. Pauls. We had recently played against Wellington in the plate and the main tournament and knew they had a very good team.

There are only three pairs per team for matches in the plate, so a team shuffle was required. Wellington proved to be a strong side and whilst Andrew Deall and John Currie agreed a half in their match, Tom Wright and John Berry, who played together again following their success the previous day, could not reach the same heights and were well beaten. Similarly, Gareth and Ben also came up against a pair playing some exceptional golf.
It was another great week at the Hewitt, some very good golf on great golf courses, exceptional off-course entertainment and many good memories.

 

 

The Cyril Gray – Surrey 2019

Our Cyril Gray team of Stephen Moss, Andy Crummey, Charlie Crummey, Mike Stamper, Jeff Ellis and Michael Coffey is not quite so young as it used to be! However, in the heat of Worplesdon in June they acquitted themselves very well and continue to fly the flag of St Bees in another public school event.

As usual we enjoyed a delightful ‘Dinner Match’ against our long term opponents Glenalmond, whose side seems to get younger! We contrived a half and adjourned for an excellent evening at The Cricketers at Horsell with our opposition. 

John Gordon of Glenalmond is the current President of the Cyril Gray and whilst there is no suggestion that the draw is rigged, we found that we were up against Glenalmond again in the first round. The result was a 3/0 loss for St Bees. The format of the competition is that there is an automatic Plate and so we were off again in the afternoon to play Eastbourne (a repeat of a match in 2018). We were once again successful and thus proceeded to Friday and a match against St Pauls.

St Pauls failed to raise a team for the match and so we were left without a game (and also without accommodation). What followed is already the stuff of OSBGS legend.

At the suggestion of Jeff Ellis we repaired to Huntercombe, a gem of a two-ball course designed by Willie Park Jnr, near Henley.

A match then took place, School House (aided by Jeff’s wife Tracey) triumphed over the others (naturally!). The entire team was then treated to a BBQ and a night’s rest at the wonderful chez Ellis, a cracking time was had by all and a small dent made in the Ellis’ cellars.

On Saturday morning we returned to Worplesdon, and a near empty car park, to play Canford in the semi-final of the Plate. Canford are a formidable outfit who live near enough to commute and thus have little of the distractions on offer to those who are playing away. They were too good for us and by common consent should have won the Tournament proper, let alone the Plate, in which they were successful.

The Society is indebted to all who took part, particularly those travelling a good distance, and of course the Ellis family for their very generous hospitality. Beware, we shall return!

 

The QE Coronation Schools Tournament – Edinburgh 2019

The Queen Elizabeth Edinburgh competition will take place on the weekend commencing Saturday 28th September. Those OSB members interested in attending are encouraged to contact Andrew Goodwin (our Edinburgh captain) at andrew@trulyonline.co.uk, so that an idea of numbers for this event can be obtained.

 

St Bees Golf Course is in good order once again and the committed volunteers are ready for the summer season. Once again, all are thankful for the support given by the OSBs.

 

Contact Details:

Michael Coffey, President – Michael@golfclubsec.co.uk.

Tom Wright, Secretary – tomosbgolf@hotmail.com.

 

 

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The St Beghian Society    
St Bees School,    St Bees,    Cumbria,    CA27 0DS.

         Tel: (01946) 828093      Email: osb@stbeesschool.co.uk      Web: www.st-beghian-society.co.uk