The 2025 Bainbridge Shield Final was played on Sunday 26th April at Kenilworth Golf Club between teams from Stonebridge Golf Club and Olton Golf Club. The event, a scratch foursomes competition played between pairs representing Warwickshire Golf Clubs has been played since 1906 and in the first seven years of playing, Olton Golf Club were winners on five occasions. Olton, this year, were represented by Rob Tovey and Ryan Hinsley and their opponents Stonebridge Golf Club, playing in their first final, represented by Will Newcombe and Lee Lawrence.
The weather was a little cool when the match began at 8.30am, but the forecast promised an improving picture with warm sunshine and no rain. The opening five holes were shared, two wins apiece and a half, but Olton went in front at the sixth hole when Stonebridge had bunker trouble at the green. An Olton birdie at the par five eighth hole saw the lead double and remained the same after nine holes. Holes ten and eleven were exchanged but a Stonebridge bogey on the par five twelfth saw the Olton team’s lead rise to three which quickly became four when they made a birdie three after driving the green at the par four thirteenth. A concession by Stonebridge on the fourteenth hole and a winning par four from Olton at the next saw the latter’s lead rise to six holes up. The sixteenth hole was halved in par fives, but an excellent second shot from Olton at the seventeenth hole yielded a concession after Stonebridge were unable to make par from the greenside bunker. After both teams made par three’s at the eighteenth hole, the Olton lead was seven holes up at lunch.
Stonebridge won the opening hole in the afternoon, as they had in the morning, but a bogey at the short second saw the Olton lead back up to seven. The next three holes were halved, but a Stonebridge bogey at the par five sixth hole saw them slip another hole behind. Despite winning two of the next three holes, with the other one being lost, the score was seven up to Olton as play entered the final nine holes. The tenth and eleventh holes were halved leaving Olton seven up with seven to play and when the leaders second shot found the par five twelfth green the match was over, Olton winning by eight and six.
Congratulations to both teams on making the Final which was played in great spirit and a big “thank you” to Kenilworth Golf Club for hosting the match and providing sustenance to the players during the day.
My thanks to County President Stuart Bloxham for supporting the match throughout and to County Chairman Mark Reynolds for acting as our referee for the final.
The draw for the 2026 Bainbridge Shield can be found on the website.
James Lamond
