Golf round-up: The latest news from Harrogate & district's courses

Knaresborough GC

While the winter ‘rainy season’ grudgingly concedes we are entitled to some playable conditions, certain basic rules apply.

One, stay on the fairway. Two, if in the rough get back quickly. Credit then to Graham Oxley (9) who mostly followed that advice to post a commendable 37 points in Division One of the Pro Stableford.

He does acknowledge though that, “if you miss the fairways - get lucky!” For instance, in chalking up 10 pars, he thought he’d lost his ball on the 13th fairway.

In fact it was plugged in the wet ground. He flew his free drop to the front of the green then two putted from 60 feet to save par.

At the index one 15th he missed the green way left but from the wet rough chipped up to three feet for another par par.

Fearing another lost ball at the 18th, he was spared a blank hole when a player coming up 17 spotted the ball for him. A grateful Oxley seized his chance and salvaged two more points. James Lupan (7) on 36 and Paul Jackson (12) on 34 were second and third.

Off the golf course - but in the gym was the root to success for Graeme Sharp (14), heading the leaderboard with 39 points.

Sharp put the work in with a course of physical strengthening at the gym over the winter. With the saturated course playing long, extra power was a definite benefit. But it was backed up by nifty putting, particularly when putts from the fringe went in at the 15th and 18th for pars.

Like Oxley in the first division, Sharp also hit a solid share of fairways with his drive, averting the lure of clingy rough. One birdie - at the long ninth - ensured his edge over close opposition.

A sound drive was followed by an indifferent hybrid but - drawing on that muscular enhancement - an excellent five iron into the green and a two foot putt sealed the birdie.

Ian Pickles (13) got the better in a countback with Steve Isaacs (20), both on 37 points. In Division Three, Bill Baybutt (25) with 36 shaded Steve Cox (29) on the countback with Andy Galloway (27) third on 19.

Pannal GC

Every golfer in the UK is only too aware of the severely adverse conditions which have prevented them getting on to their course in recent weeks.

This is underlined by the rainfall figures for Pannal GC for the first two months of the year. The 2023 total for January and February was 116 mm (4.6 inches). For the same period this year it was 219 mm (8.6 inches) – in other words almost double.

Despite this various winter work programmes are underway to ensure the course is at its best once the better weather arrives.

The ladies did manage a 13-hole Fourball Betterball competition on February 27, which was won by the combination of Vanda Mckenzie and Betsy Haldon with 29 points.

Close behind on 28 were Ruth Skaife-Clarke and Ladies’ Captain Clare Davies, who needed a card count to leave Julie Parry and Sandra Taylor in third.

With the weather proving kinder than it has been, the members of Pannal GC were able to enjoy a full programme of competition golf during week beginning March 3.

On the Tuesday, 33 ladies played in the Mad March Hare singles Stableford competition. Although It was reduced to 13 holes and two temporary greens due to the wet conditions, the day was pleasantly spring like, which encouraged ladies to enter the competition.

Division One found Carole Whiles in third place with 24 points, Janet Jones second with 25 points and the winner, with an impressive 27 points, was Hilary Ingram.

Division Two was tightly contested, Helen Mountford was third with 23 points, Rebecca Booth second with 24 points and the winner was Sue White with 25 points.

Following the golf the ladies gathered for soup and sandwiches, following which there was a prize presentation. Lady Captain, Clare Davies, congratulated Hilary and Sue and presented them with their Mad March Hare Division One and Two winners’ broches.

The Ladies Winter Trophy has come to its conclusion, the winner being the lady with the best 3 scores from a possible 6 rounds. Amanda Dunn was announced as the winner and presented with her trophy.

The afternoon was concluded with a presentation to the ladies regarding the forthcoming WHS changes, which will take effect from 1st April.

At the back end of last year, the annual Men’s Seniors Rosebowl was rained off but was rescheduled for Thursday, March 7. A field of 49 players teed off at 10.00 with a shotgun start in overcast and cool conditions.

Congratulations to Steve Dodds who won the title with a score of 29 points over 13 holes.

The four-man team prize was won by Anthony Robinson, John Gladstone, Steve Jenkins and Peter Chambers with a score of 62 points (two out of four to count) with Bill Mullins taking the prize for Nearest the Pin on the 3rd hole.

Saturday was the date of the Two Player Stableford Texas Scramble, with 16 holes open including an optional welcome stop at the Halfway House.

This is a format which tends to see the very best players at the top of the leaderboard and this was no exception.

With Handicap Indices of +2.3 and 4.9, the format left playing partners Jason Taylor and David Thomas with a zero shot allowance but that did no deter them as they scattered the field with a points score of 41.

Trailing in their wake in second place were Tim Considine and Nigel Brown with 39 and third went to Roger Emmett and John Jones with 38, after a card count.

Bedale GC

February 22 – Thursday Stableford: 1st Terry Jobling 37 pts; 2nd Mike Edwards 34 pts; 3rd John Norwood 33 pts.

February 28 – Ladies Winter Stableford: Division 1 - 1st Rachel Holden 36 pts; 2nd Patricia Knox 32 pts.

Division 2- 1st Kate Clark 37 pts; 2nd Sharon Wilkinson 36 pts.

Division 3- 1st Claire Retchless 35 pts; 2nd Karen Lilley 29 pts.

Nine holes: 1st Pauline Morris 12 pts.

February 29 – Thursday Stableford 1st Mike Stirk 37 pts (countback required); 2nd Mark Edmondson 37 pts (countback required); 3rd Dave Snaith 37 pts (countback required); 4th Phil Danby 36 pts.

March 1 – Seniors Stableford: 1st John McAuley 43 pts; 2nd Steve Gibbins 40 pts; 3rd Kevin Brady 35 pts.

March 1 – Friday Animals: 1st Dave Hennessey 41 pts; 2nd Lee Broadway 40 pts; 3rd Harry Sargent 39 pts.

March 3 – AM-AM Twist: 1st Jonny Rayner, Adrian Woodward, Ross Hodgson & Matthew Gibb 104 pts (countback required); 2nd Tim Morris, Matthew Day, Kevin Bradley & David Munton 104 pts (countback required); 3rd Marcus Pennock, Kevin Palethorpe, Darren Forrest & Alan Hutchinson 104 pts (countback required); 4th Craig Lawson, Scott Gray, Paul Simmons & Mike Edwards 102 pts.