at Trentham Golf Club
Tue 6th – Thu 8th October
Warwickshire Squad
Warren Bladon (Kenilworth)
Paul Burns (Coventry Hearsall)
Steve Creed (Stratford-on-Avon)
John Lawrence (Sutton Coldfield)
Alan Mathers (Stratford-on-Avon)
Phil Murphy (Handsworth)
Karl Smith (Handsworth)
Ian Stranks (Kenilworth)
Tuesday 6th October – Warwickshire v Lancashire
Creed & Mathers led the team out in the morning foursomes and gave us the perfect start by securing a 4&2 victory. Our 2nd foursomes pairing was Bladon & Stranks and despite being 2 down after 3 holes, they would fight back to win 2&1. Our final pair was Burns & Murphy who found themselves 4 down after 11 holes and with some work to do, after winning 3 of the next 6 holes the match went down the 18th and culminated with a 10-foot birdie putt sliding agonisingly by to give Lancashire a 1up win.
Foursomes Score: Warwickshire 2 v 1 Lancashire
Creed led us out in afternoon singles and it became clear early in the round that all was not well with his health and despite fighting valiantly he would have to concede his match on the 12 green and take no further part in the finals. The 2nd singles match saw Burns involved in a tight game that would see him stand on the par 5 18th tee 1 down, a drive, 3 wood and putt to gimme later would see Burns get a very creditable half point. Bladon came up against an opponent whose short game was on-fire and succumbed 4&2 to 8 up & downs. Smith lost his tight game 2&1. Mathers eagled the 2nd and birdied the tough 8th to take a healthy lead into the back 9 in securing a fine 4&2 victory. Lawrence came up against an in-form opponent resulting in 7&6 loss.
Singles Score: Warwickshire 1.5 v 4.5 Lancashire
Match Score: Warwickshire 3.5 v 5.5 Lancashire
Wednesday 7th October – Warwickshire v Sussex
Smith & Murphy went out 1st and would find themselves 3 down after 3 holes, despite steadying the ship they would lose 4&2. Mathers & Burns took an early lead before being hit with 3 birdies on the bounce at the end of the front 9 in their 4&3 loss. Bladon & Stranks took an early 3 hole lead with birdies before being pegged back to all-square on the 18th, this is when the drama started, facing an 80 yard shot into the green the Sussex player would fly the green OOB, bounce on the footpath, onto the clubhouse wall, back in bounds to the edge of the green. 2 putts later and the game was halved.
Foursomes Score: Warwickshire 0.5 v 2.5 Sussex
A quick lunch for Bladon saw him lead us out in the afternoon singles and narrow the match score with a high quality, birdie filled 2&1 win. The 2nd game saw the lead go back & forth between Stranks and his opponent in finding the all-square on the 18th tee, it was here that the golfing god’s were not in the favour of Stranks as his tee-shot took a nasty bounce that would see it rest against the foot of a tree and unable to match his opponent and 1 down loss. Lawrence fought to keep himself in his match but ran out of holes on the 17th in losing 2&1. Burns had a nip & tuck match saw him 1 down going down the 18th where his par was good enough to secure a hard earned half point. Mathers would then find himself on the wrong side of a quality game in losing 3&1. Smith unfortunately couldn’t contain his opponent in his 6&5 loss.
Singles Score: Warwickshire 1.5 v 4.5 Sussex
Match Score: Warwickshire 2 v 7 Sussex
Thursday 8th October – Warwickshire v Cornwall
Mathers & Burns would lead us out and run into Cornwall’s unbeaten lead pair and succumb to 6&5 loss. Bladon & Stranks remained unbeaten as a pair by winning 2&1. There was never more than a hole in it throughout the game for Lawrence & Smith and when they stood on the 18th tee with a 1-hole lead they knew that a halved hole would be enough. A good drive would be followed by a well struck 2nd shot that unfortunately found the slope of the fairway and drifted into a bunker some 60 yards short of the green a splash-out followed by a chip to 20 feet would find Lawrence needing to hole for the game. Cometh the hour, cometh the man and his perfectly struck putt found the middle of the cup.
Foursomes Score: Warwickshire 2 v 1 Cornwall
Murphy led us out for the final time with the team determined not to go home empty handed and in a thrilling match he secured a magnificent half point that could have been a whole point had his opponent not birdied the last. Bladon then continued his good form with a high quality 6&4 win. Stranks got us another hard fought and valuable half point. Lawrence would make it 2 from 2 on the day with a high quality 3&2 win. Mathers ran into an opponent who’s putter was hot on the front 9 and couldn’t make any in-roads in his 5&4 loss. Smith would close the week with a 2&1 loss.
Singles Score: Warwickshire 3 v 3 Cornwall
Match Score: Warwickshire 5 v 4 Cornwall
Whilst we didn’t bring the trophy home, it wasn’t for the want of trying. There were many very good performances throughout the week that the players can be proud of and the experience of playing in an England Mens Senior County Final is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
A special mention also needs to be made to the support team who helped enormously throughout the week both on & off the golf course.
Thank you to: Mark & Debs Reynolds, Andy Jolly, James Lamond, Steve Barnett, Sue Timberlake & Sharon Butler.
Link to England Golf report:
https://www.englandgolf.org/newsdetail?newsarticleid=1630