On Wednesday, May 23, Tenby Seniors A team beat Glyn Abbey A team 2-1 in the South Wales Bowl. It was a lot closer affair than the eventual result was.

The lead pairing of Roger Schooling and Stan Hudson soon took total control of their match, going four up at the turn and eventually running out comfortable winners 6 and 5, to put Tenby one up.

In the anchor match, though, things were not going too good for Tenby; with Jim Moffatt and Bob Howse both out of sorts with their game. They were three down at the turn and went four down after 15. They won the 14th to bring the deficit back to three, but succumbed to their spirited opponents when they lost the 15th to go down 4 and 3.

So everything hinged on the middle match, with the pairing of Martin Neilan and Robin Hagley battling against the Abbey captain. It was all-square up to eight, but Martin and Robin nicked the ninth to turn one up. Robin in particular, who had been drafted in late the previous evening when Jeff Banfield went sick, was having a fine game.

However, the Abbey pair battled away and birdies were required to win a hole. Standing on the 17th, the Tenby pair still clung on to their one hole advantage and it was a credit to all four golfers when all tee shots finished pin high on the green with a chance of a two. All four tried and Robin came closest when his 10-foot putt lipped the hole.

So down the 18th; it was looking a bit ominous when Robin's tee shot went out of bounds, with the Abbey pair well placed, but so was Martin. All three finished just short of the green with their second shots. When Martin chipped to within 12 feet of the pin and the Abbey pair were not able to better five, it looked like a comfortable two putt for the win. However, Martin gave watching captain, Jim Martin, palpitations when he rolled his approach putt nearly five feet past the hole! With all the Tenby team holding their breath, Martin calmly stroked home to win one up and seal the team match 2-1.

In the next round, Tenby face a tough away match at Carmarthen for a place in the quarter-finals.

J.D.M.