MEN'S SCRATCH CUP

On a gloriously sunny September morning, Paul Haley and Johnny Morris met to do battle (writes I.P.W.D.). With few people braving the early start, match official and club captain, Idwal David, checked the players had identified their balls and had counted their clubs before the match could commence.

Preliminaries out of the way, the first drives soared down the first, nine-iron to the green, two putts and they both walk away with a friendly birdie and a half.

The rough came into play on the second and Paul won it with a four to go one up. Rough trouble again on the third for Johnny, but a remarkable recovery saw the hole halved in 4s.

The match had truly got under way. A birdie on five for Johnny and the match was all-square again. Six and seven were halved and then a bogey by Paul on eight let Johnny in for the first time to go one up. Nine saw another reverse, this time Johnny bogeying to enable Paul to bring the match back to all-square after nine.

The match was truly competitive, but being played in a great spirit, as all their encounters have been over the years. Hole 10 saw another birdie and Paul was one up again, but as it continued to see-saw, bogeys on 11 and 12 for Paul saw Johnny back in front. Thirteen was halved and 14 won to a par by Johnny to go two up before crossing the line. Paul brought it back to one on 16, before losing 17 and halving 18, to enter the halfway stage two down.

After being well watered and fed by Steve and his team, John and Paul stepped up to the first to resume the contest. Balls were again indentified and clubs counted before the battle commenced.

Unfortunately, a group of holidaymakers on the path at the back of the 19th green decided to stop and talk whilst the players were trying to concentrate on their putts. Club bouncer 'Wiggy' explained the error of their ways and they moved on, but the interruption had not helped Paul and he went three down.

Johnny extended his lead to four on the 20th hole, before 21 and 22 were halved, steadying the ship a little. Paul then hit back with a three on 23 to bring the match back to three down.

Holes 24 and 25 were halved and then a drive hit left off the tee by Paul left him little option but to play down the ninth fairway, allowing Johnny to win 26 to take it back to four. Twenty-seven was halved with two great threes after Paul sunk a monster putt, before Johnny made his three.

Unfortunately, Paul's concentration was again disrupted on 28 and 29 as he went five and then six down. Threes on 30 and then a birdie three on 31 saw the match won 7 and 5 in favour of Johnny Morris to win the title for the fifth consecutive time.

Johnny played powerful, consistent golf, with some of his recovery shots from the rough magnificent. Paul's golf was steady, but he was always under pressure.

A great match played in great spirit on a course that is a credit to the work of Chris and his staff.

Thanks to match and handicap, especially Jim Martin, for organising the tournament so well, and well done to both players for providing such good entertainment to the many spectators watching on the course.

Ladies' Scratch Cup

In the final of the Ladies Scratch Cup between Georgia Thomas and Emma Guerreiro, only the sun outshone Georgia Thomas's golf (writes H.K.M).

Both girls put on an excellent display in the morning round. They started with pars on the first, but Georgia struck first by parring the second when Emma got snagged up in the rough.

After getting back to all-square, Emma turned the tables with a birdie on the seventh; Georgia got it back to all-square but then went one down when she lost her ball through the green at the back of the 11th.

The lead continued to change hands throughout the remainder of the morning round, but it was Emma who sat down to lunch with a narrow one-hole lead.

Into the afternoon's round and it was Georgia who put on the pressure when she started really well and by the 21st hole was two up. However, once Emma settled down, it became 'nip and tuck' again.

Once more, though, Georgia upped her game from the 28th and was on the crest of a wave; playing some unstoppable golf. She had a superb eagle three on the 29th (11th) hole; this followed by a superb tee shot on the 30th - the par three 12th - to go five up. Both girls hit perfect drives down the 31st hole (13th), leaving themselves with short wedge shots to the tricky pin placement, tucked in behind the twin bunkers.

Georgia got her blow in first, finishing just beyond the pin. Under heavy pressure, Emma played too long to the back of the green; her resultant long putt finished short and Georgia took the hole and the match to win 6 and 5.

Both girls should be commended for the spirit they played the match in – it was a match that lady captain, Heather Morgan, thoroughly enjoyed refereeing and watching.

In the Bronze Final between Liz Storey and Georgina Ormond, Georgina was playing in her first Finals Day and it was the experience of Liz that told.

After a shaky start, the inexperienced Georgina found herself five down very early on. She pulled one back on the sixth with a superb putt for her par. This early lead gave Liz a cushion throughout the match.

As the match progressed though, Georgina started to settle down and struck some beautiful golf shots from the tee and around the green. Liz's experience around the green told in the end, though, and she eventually went on to win on the 14th, 6 and 4.

All agreed that both ladies had played some lovely golf - Georgina will definitely be back to play in another Finals Day.

FULL RESULTS

Scratch Cup: John Morris bt Paul Haley 7 and 5.

Ladies Scratch Cup: Georgia Thomas bt Emma Guerreiro 6 and 5.

Allen Cup: Nick Allen bt Phil Goodridge 4 and 3.

Sellar Cup: Andrew Pouton bt Sam Jaakola 3 and 2.

Reason Jones Cup: Roger Schooling and Viv James bt Michael Schooling and Paul James 2 up.

Charles Mathias Cup: Mark Edwards bt John Stevenson 2 and 1.

Llewellyn Thomas Salver: Olivia and Robin Bradbury bt Laura McQueen and Jim Moffatt 4 and 2.

Presidents Cup: Sam Jaakola bt Richard Ormond 2 and 1.

Davies Cup: Peter Rossi bt Phil Goodridge 3 and 1.

Ladies Bronze: Liz Storey bt Georgina Ormond 5 and 4.

Colwyn Williams Cup: Peter Brown and Chris Davies bt Gethin Evans and Nick Allen 4 and 2.

Veterans Cup: John Hall bt Stan Hudson 3 and 1.

Junior Scratch Cup: David Webb bt Sam Jaakola 5 and 3.