Trefloyne were under no illusions that the visit to South Pembs on Sunday, June 12, was going to be anything but a difficult fixture, and so it proved. The course, whilst in immaculate condition, was always going to be a tough one for those who weren't familiar with it. To make life that little more difficult for Dyfed League captain Steve Wedlake, he was without the services of three of his highest ranking players, and their absence was going to prove pivotal in the final result. Gary Lewis was unavailable, Chris Thompson, who is due to be a father at any moment, had other things on his mind, and the supremely talented Scott Davies couldn't be released from his duties in Trefloyne's Pro Shop. Undeterred by this, everyone arrived at South Pembs, in dry but windy conditions, feeling up for the job in hand, with a 100 per cent record in the Dyfed League behind them. The captain had decided to leave well alone with his pairings, and wherever possible kept the regular partnerships together. Adam Thomas-Tom Burkat, Dean Rawlins-Rob Evans, Richard 'Tiger' Davies- Ben 'Little Tiger' Price and Graham Harrison-James Maxwell all knew each other's games extremely well. Steve Wedlake normally leads from the front with Chris Thompson, but with his regular partner unavailable on 'baby watch', Steve moved himself to last out with Ken Badham. There were no fears about the Barry Harrison-'Chick' Brown partnership. 'Chick' had been called up at the last minute, but is always available for his captain, and is a top man for team spirit. There was a gut feeling that this partnership, although put together at the last minute, was going to come up with the goods, and so it was to prove. There has to be a certain amount of sympathy for Meurig Evans, who with Graham Blum would be with his fourth different partner in five Dyfed League matches this season. Graham, who is a very talented golfer, and an altogether Mr Nice Guy, was making his Dyfed League debut, and was playing South Pembs for the first time. Talented youngsters Tom Burkat and Adam Thomas were first out for Trefloyne. As ever, they had a supreme air of confidence about them, and their tee shots whistled away towards the first green, which gave a buzz to all those who were to follow. By the seventh they had somehow found themselves four down; Adam won the long par- four seventh, to reduce the deficit to three, which should have given them some heart to mount a comeback, and with three par-four holes to come this should have suited the big drives of the youngsters. Finishing the 12th which was lost, they looked like two lost souls, having fallen back to four down. The chins were starting to drop big time, and at this point, with six still to play, they didn't look to have the spirit to win a match which was still in the mixer if they wanted it badly enough. The match was lost 5 and 3, and two wonderfully talented young individuals found themselves losing a match, that from the outset they would have expected to win. Meurig Evans and Graham Blum, playing together for the first time, were in a 'nip and tuck' match, which was going to go right down to the wire. By the fourth they were all-square, but the fifth over the valley and the short sixth were lost. Had the seventh been lost as well, at three down it would have been advantage South Pembs, but they forced a half to remain two down and stay in the match. Graham hit a lovely wood down the eighth, which lifted the spirits, and by the 12th they had rallied to bring the match back to all-square. The next six holes were pressure holes of trying to keep what they had, but at the same time wanting to take a chance and go for the win. The match went all the way down the 18th, but was lost on the final green, one down. The third match out saw Dean Rawlins and Rob Evans resume their partnership which had played so well together against Carmarthen at Trefloyne Park. An unexpected slow start had them two down at the fourth, but superb play over the fourth and fifth had them level at the par-three sixth, which was lost. South Pembs must know something about the five holes between eight and 12 that nobody else does, because once again Trefloyne found they were losing what were, in the context of the match as a whole, to be important holes. Arriving at the 12th, Dean and Rob were incredibly five down, which, following a South Pembs chip-in off the green, looked like being six down, but under enormous pressure, Rob holed out from off the green to halve the hole. There was a rally along the 13th and 14th, but the deficit proved too much, and the match was lost by 4 and 3. It is always inspiring to see players arrive at the tee box with a bit of banter, and such was the case with the Barry Harrison-'Chick' Brown pairing, which the captain had decided on very much last minute. 'Chick' had a less than auspicious start, with his drive heading way out over the practice area into out of bounds; the second from the tee didn't have enough legs on it. He coped well with the ribbing from the watching ensemble, and headed down the fairway as though he had thrashed a 250-yard drive. With the first tee nerves out of the way, 'Chick' was to come into his own and won the second, despite being in the bushes off the green. The difficult third was halved, and the fourth so nearly won with a wonderful long putt from 'Chick' that pulled up on the lip of the hole. They fell behind at the seventh, but with inspired golf won the 11th and 12th to arrive at the 530-yard 13th one up. Good approach play from both Barry and 'Chick' had them on the green in regulation, with Barry putting out to win the hole for two up. The match was now only going one way, the South Pembs pair being down and almost out, with five still to play. Barry had a superb par over the road at the par three 14th, to put them three up with four to play and on the way to a comfortable 3 and 2 victory. The captain had called it right with this pairing; almost from the word go, you could sense they were going to play well. 'Chick' played like a man possessed and with a point to prove to his captain; Barry was to play his part and there was a lot of repartee and back-slapping as they urged each other on. It has been an absolute pleasure this season to watch 'Tiger' and his cub - namely Richard Davies and Ben Price - play golf together. Continuing their unbroken partnership this season, they were to take part in a very closely contested match, with both pairings coming back to halve holes they looked like losing. Tiger holed a magnificent putt off the bank on the first, which could have won the hole, but for a long putt from South Pembs, which rescued a half. Tiger had an equally outrageous chip on the second, which lipped the hole, and it looked as though Tiger was on fire. One down at the sixth looked like being brought back to all- square with a birdie two from Little Tiger, but once again it was snatched away with a big putt for a halve. South Pembs were showing their knowledge of the greens, with some wonderful chipping and putting. By the 11th, it had been brought back to all-square and both Tigers had long sweet drives down the 12th. It was back to one down at the short 14th, where they both landed there tee shots into the heart of the green, Tiger's having been judged to perfection, by rolling down off the steep bank. There was no reply this time and it was once again back to all-square. With the wind blowing in off the Haven, the 15th and 16th holes were to prove a little daunting; the advantage gained on the 14th was immediately lost on the 15th, but Little Tiger almost had the 16th won, but for a chip out of the bushes which halved the hole for South Pembs. With two to play, it was now vital for Trefloyne to take the 17th, to give themselves a chance of a win. This Little Tiger did quite brilliantly, holding his nerve to bring the match level with one to play. With Trefloyne having holed out on the 18th, it was left to South Pembs to hole a four-foot putt to win a very closely fought contest, which neither pairing deserved to lose. Graham Harrison and James Maxwell had total control of their match in the early stages, with James Maxwell in ominous form and playing some thrilling golf, for which South Pembs had little answer. Graham Harrison weighed in by hitting the green with his second shot at the 462-yard eighth, which has out of bounds all the way down the right-hand side, to go four up. There was a mid-match wobble, and by the short 14th the lead had been cut to one up. Both players struggled around the 15th and 16th, but they held their nerve down 17 to win the match one up on the 18th, with Graham holing a big pressure putt, to secure Trefloyne's second win. The final pairing of Steve Wedlake and Ken Badham saw them both playing hot and cold, in a match that was closer than the scoreline of a 4 and 2 defeat suggests. Steve won the sixth to go ahead, which was held with the seventh being halved, but the eighth was to prove Steve's undoing when he sliced two balls over out of bounds. A 5-2 defeat looks fairly straightforward, but it was anything but. With two matches being lost by the final putt on the final hole, things could have been very different. South Pembs, with their course knowledge of how the greens would run, and their ability around the crucial 15th/16th holes, when the wind was coming in off the Haven, were deserved winners. As in any sport, you have to take your chances when they are offered, and had Trefloyne done that, it could have been a different story. With the season now having reached the half way stage, Dyfed League captain Steve Wedlake was full of praise for the team, and thanked everyone who had made themselves available, for their commitment, enthusiasm and endeavour.
GENTS SURRENDER TO LADIES
Ladies captain Linda Kromrei, along with her vice- captain Vicky Burks were the only ladies to enter the Bush House Pairs Competition, which has always been considered to be a men's competition. With the age of equality now with us, the ladies' entry was accepted with a certain amount of scepticism amongst the male membership. Mel 'The Champ' Beeley and Mike Ansell were the unfortunate pairing who were drawn against them, which was going to be a no-win situation, expected to win easily, but open to ridicule if they were to lose. There had been a lot of pre-match banter leading up to the match, which was played on June 10. Mel Beeley didn't think the match would get past halfway, and wondered why the girls had bothered to turn up at all. The conditions were set up nicely for the ladies, a balmy warm summer's evening, with not a breath of wind. The Champ was full of banter and bravado on the first tee, desperately trying to convince the ladies that they had little chance. The ladies, however, in the 'shape' of Vicky Burks had tactics of their own, which included intimidating dress etiquette, which distracted the 'Old Timer' almost to the point of not being able to get his words out, and had Mike Ansell's glasses steamed up! By fair means or foul, the ladies were not going to be taken for granted. Any thoughts that the match was going to be easy were answered by Vicky Burks's drive at the first that arrowed its way up the fairway, which resulted in the first being halved. The ladies had answered all the questions; this wasn't going to be one-way. Steady play on the second, after Mike Ansell had lost his ball off the tee, saw the ladies go one up due to Vicky Burks's putter, which was in the groove. Good tee shots off the third looked like winning the third hole for the men, but Linda saved a half. The long fourth was surely going to bring the men back into the frame, and it duly did, a huge drive from Mike Ansell, followed by some good iron play, had Mel putting out to win the hole, and bring the match back to all-square. Linda missed a relatively easy two-foot putt on the fifth, which allowed the men to edge into the lead, one up. With the par three sixth next, followed by the long seventh and eighth holes, the match could now swing in favour of the men. A good tee shot to the edge of the sixth green by Linda won the hole to bring the match to all- square, and it was 'seventh heaven' for Linda at the 461-yard seventh, as being on the green for four, there was no reply and the ladies went to the eighth one up. Linda was now well in the groove, and the long eighth was halved. Mike Ansell was going through a dreadful time, his driving was superb, but from the edge of the green he was having a nightmare. The advantage of the extra shots and red tees, were starting to tell, and the pressure was increased on the ninth. A good second shot from Vicky Burks to the green, saw the hole halved, and the ladies reaching the turn one up - so much for the match not going past halfway. Things went from bad to worse for the men at the start of the back nine. Vicky had a wonderful shot out of the bunker at the 10th to leave an easy putt, for two up, and she followed this with a good putt on 11 for three up. Mike Ansell lipped a putt out on the Glorious 12th, for Linda to take advantage to go four up with only six to play. Remarkably, the ladies had won three holes on the bounce, to leave Mel and Mike at odds to know how to come up with an answer. The 13th was now a must win hole and the pressure was on. Mel made a complete mess of his tee shot, but his partner was over the quarry and on the edge of the green in three, but made a total nonsense of the chip onto the green, which left the ball even further away from the hole, in a game where each shot is supposed to get you closer. This handed the initiative to the ladies, and they grasped it with both hands. It was now a must win holes situation, and the men responded to win the 14th, with Mike at last finding his range with the putter. It was now game on, with three down and four to play, but the men were to be put firmly in their place on the 15th by Vicky Burks. A huge drive to the top of the hill was followed by a wonderful iron down onto the green, and two putts later it was all over, for a stunning 4 and 3 victory. Mel and Mike were magnanimous in defeat, although the main concern wasn't so much the losing, but should they show their faces at the club the following day. Mel Beeley had promised his Dorritt that he would 'plat sawdust' if they lost; he was now wondering how to go about it! The ladies were fully deserving of their victory; they played steady golf, making the most of their generous handicap allowance, and the distance offered them off the red tees. Linda Kromrei has a gentle outward demeanour that hides a ruthless will to win streak, which allied to Vicky Burks's superb striking of the ball, makes them a formidable partnership.
RESULTS ROUND-UP
It was a very closely fought contest in the Tuesday Stableford on June 7, which had equal winners who couldn't be separated. Derek Jones and Alan Hicks both came in with 36 points, followed by Mel Beeley with 33 on countback. The Ladies Stableford on June 11 was won by a much more soberly dressed Vicky Burks with 34 points, who was still in a glow from the victory over the men the previous evening. Michelle Richards, who has a lovely smooth golf swing, was second with 32 , followed by ladies captain Linda Kromrei, who carded 27 points. Mel Beeley and Mike Ansell were obviously feeling the strain of their defeat at the hands of the ladies, as they turned up to play in the Terry Whiston Bowl on June 11 in a buggy, or were they trying to keep their heads down? Played in a Greensomes-Foursomes format, the Terry Whiston Bowl was won in convincing style by Brian Norman and Dean Rawlins with an impressive 37 points. John Bancroft and Ivan Kirk were second with 32, while Mel Beeley and Mike Ansell retrieved a little respect by finishing third with 31 - maybe they should have used the buggy when they played the ladies!
DYFED LEAGUE TEXAS SCRAMBLE
There is to be a Texas Scramble on Sunday, June 26, to help raise funds to support the Dyfed League team. It is hoped to have teams of three, which will include a lady, gent and junior, who will be joined by a Dyfed League player. Club professional Christine Burton will draw out all the names, for what should be a fun day's golf.