Gloucestershire Golf Union
Cornwall triumph over Gloucestershire at Seniors Match
The County Seniors arrived at a wind-swept West Cornwall Golf Club with a very much changed team from the Dorset match due to injuries and unavailability. This meant a potential tough task against the current reigning England Seniors County Champions who had a strong side and huge home advantage.
Foursomes
The morning foursomes were played in high winds on a very bouncy course and Gloucestershire battled hard to try and get a foothold in the match. First off were Nick Barwood and Dave Law who eventually lost a keenly contested match on the last green. Nick admitted that the long journey down to West Cornwall and his activities the day before had left him short of energy so to have such a close match was testament to his great ability. The second match saw the unbeaten dream team of Clink and Gravelle face two of Cornwall’s finest. Luck worked against them, in particular a wedge that went 220 yards and meant a hole they were destined to win was lost. They eventually succumbed to a 2&1 loss. Behind them in the third match, Chris Newman and Guy Whittern were playing the experienced pair of Simon Knowles and Ian Veale and went down in a fine quality match by 3&2. The old team of Andy Wright and Rich Wood were reunited in the fourth match but despite their bromance they lost narrowly by 1 hole. With Nick Morris pulled out of retirement at the age of 69, joining Ken Madden in the last match, they remained the only chance of Gloucestershire getting anything from the morning. Unfortunately, they also went down by 2&1 to leave the County 5-0 down at lunch and with a mountain to climb.
Singles
The Team went out with a positive mental attitude in the afternoon. Nick Barwood led the team away determined to win but a combination of ridiculous bounces, a lack of energy and the oppositions good play, resulted in a rare loss for Nick by 6&5. The next two matches gave Gloucestershire hope with Dave Law, a seasoned warrior, managing an excellent half with better to come from Chris Newman who played superbly to beat Mark Blaber 3&2. Was the comeback on? No, would be the answer!
Tim Clink, putted appallingly, taking 32 putts over 13 holes, to lose 6&5 and when Nigel Gravelle decided to grab a bee which stung him, and could no longer grip his club, a loss of 5&4 was always going to be the result and victory was assured for Cornwall. Guy Whittern battled away but eventually went down 4&3, and when the old stager, Nick Morris, actually playing in the last match, had an early bath with a 6&5 loss, the scoreline was starting to look slightly embarrassing. Wright, Wood and Madden all soldiered on but all eventually lost keenly contested matches 2&1 to complete a terrible day for Gloucestershire and a 13.5-1.5 final result and a huge win for Cornwall. There is no doubt that West Cornwall is a course that requires local knowledge and the venue certainly worked massively in Cornwall’s favour.
We live to fight another day and the only way is up!
Tim Clink Seniors Captain.
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