Meltham Golf Club had to endure a wait of almost 60 years before winning their first Halifax, Huddersfield & District Union of Golf Clubs Scratch Team Championship... but they have now won the prestigious event twice in the past four years.
Yesterday they added to their first ever victory, at Crosland Heath in 2006, with a nine stroke win over Huddersfield around their home course. Tied for the lead with surprise package Longley Park at the halfway stage they powered to victory with a polished display in the afternoon.
Union regular, Graham McLean, led the charge with an impressive performance scoring a 36-hole total of 144 following rounds of 70 and 74. The one-handicapper was unlucky to miss out on the best individual score of the day at a rain-swept course with a three-putt at his final hole on a green that held surface water and had to be 'squidgied' for the final hours play as the rain became more persistent.
McLean was joined by Meltham Scratch Team Captain and HHDUGC Team Manager, Chris Mear, who recovered well from the disappointment of an eight on his final hole in the morning to produce a sterling afternoon round of 72 in the worst of the weather. Rising star and Yorkshire Boys player, Jamie Bower, also produced two solid rounds of golf whilst recording a 77 and 73 with the winning quartet being completed by Jason 'Jasper' Moore whose pair of 79's confirmed the popular victory. The team are pictured above with Union President Philip Walton (left) and event sponsor, John Eyre (right).
The home side were spurred on by a number of members supporting their club out on the course despite the bleak conditions. And the triumph will soften the blow of missing out on promotion back to the top division of the re-jigged HHDUGC league system.
Pre-tournament favourites Fixby, third at Woodsome Hall last year, had to endure second place this time. Current Union Individual Strokeplay Champion, Brad Tupman, battled the elements to record excellent rounds of 75 and 70 and with Matchplay Champion, Richard Broadley, posting scores of 76 and 73 the record winners of the championship looked set for a charge.
However, they were unable to claim their first win since 2000 as rounds of 84 and 76 from Ben Johnson and scores of 79 and 82 by Neil Williams didn't quite prove to be enough. Despite some near misses Huddersfield have only won the title 3 times in the last 21 years following a sequence of 28 wins from the previous 40 meetings - including a run of nine consecutive titles from 1958.
Longley Park were unable to sustain their morning momentum but Matthew Colcombe had the consolation of taking the leading individual prize, on a second round countback, with his rounds of 74 and 70. McLean took the best morning prize with Tupman collecting the low afternoon award - only three players broke par all day.
Speaking at the presentation afterwards Mear admitted that the greens had not been at their usual slick best and that had probably played into the hands of the host team. McLean also commented that after seeing the course in the 'best condition during his membership at the club' only a couple of weeks ago it was disappointing that the recent rain had slowed them down considerably. President Walton, thanked the Captain of Meltham Golf Club for the use of the course and natural inconvenience caused to his members, although he doubted many would have taken to the fairways once they had seen the weather!
CSS was 72 for the first round and 71 for the second round. Full scores to follow.
Yesterday they added to their first ever victory, at Crosland Heath in 2006, with a nine stroke win over Huddersfield around their home course. Tied for the lead with surprise package Longley Park at the halfway stage they powered to victory with a polished display in the afternoon.
Union regular, Graham McLean, led the charge with an impressive performance scoring a 36-hole total of 144 following rounds of 70 and 74. The one-handicapper was unlucky to miss out on the best individual score of the day at a rain-swept course with a three-putt at his final hole on a green that held surface water and had to be 'squidgied' for the final hours play as the rain became more persistent.
McLean was joined by Meltham Scratch Team Captain and HHDUGC Team Manager, Chris Mear, who recovered well from the disappointment of an eight on his final hole in the morning to produce a sterling afternoon round of 72 in the worst of the weather. Rising star and Yorkshire Boys player, Jamie Bower, also produced two solid rounds of golf whilst recording a 77 and 73 with the winning quartet being completed by Jason 'Jasper' Moore whose pair of 79's confirmed the popular victory. The team are pictured above with Union President Philip Walton (left) and event sponsor, John Eyre (right).
The home side were spurred on by a number of members supporting their club out on the course despite the bleak conditions. And the triumph will soften the blow of missing out on promotion back to the top division of the re-jigged HHDUGC league system.
Pre-tournament favourites Fixby, third at Woodsome Hall last year, had to endure second place this time. Current Union Individual Strokeplay Champion, Brad Tupman, battled the elements to record excellent rounds of 75 and 70 and with Matchplay Champion, Richard Broadley, posting scores of 76 and 73 the record winners of the championship looked set for a charge.
However, they were unable to claim their first win since 2000 as rounds of 84 and 76 from Ben Johnson and scores of 79 and 82 by Neil Williams didn't quite prove to be enough. Despite some near misses Huddersfield have only won the title 3 times in the last 21 years following a sequence of 28 wins from the previous 40 meetings - including a run of nine consecutive titles from 1958.
Longley Park were unable to sustain their morning momentum but Matthew Colcombe had the consolation of taking the leading individual prize, on a second round countback, with his rounds of 74 and 70. McLean took the best morning prize with Tupman collecting the low afternoon award - only three players broke par all day.
Speaking at the presentation afterwards Mear admitted that the greens had not been at their usual slick best and that had probably played into the hands of the host team. McLean also commented that after seeing the course in the 'best condition during his membership at the club' only a couple of weeks ago it was disappointing that the recent rain had slowed them down considerably. President Walton, thanked the Captain of Meltham Golf Club for the use of the course and natural inconvenience caused to his members, although he doubted many would have taken to the fairways once they had seen the weather!
CSS was 72 for the first round and 71 for the second round. Full scores to follow.
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