Senior HHDUGC Team Captain Chris Mear is currently planning his attack on the 2009 Yorkshire Inter-District Union campaign, however, yesterday evening gave opportunity to reflect on the highs and lows of last years team performance.
Addressing key officials at the Union AGM the former Captain of Meltham Golf Club filed his report on the 2008 season. He opened by advising that out of the 19 players representing the Union last term were four 'ever-presents'; Ben Crowther (Dewsbury District), Frank Greaves (West End), Andy Shaw (Bradley Hall) and Mathew Colcombe (Longley Park). Meanwhile four debutants were selected for the team; Ryan Greenwood (West End), Jared Ellison (Huddersfield), Jamie Bower (Meltham) and David Stafford (Todmorden). Mear also stated that Greaves won the Order of Merit, sponsored by Parnell Riley, with 38 points. The tenacious competitor was closely followed by Shaw four points back.
Mear then gave a brief re-cap on each match.
Match 1 - Bradford Union at Halifax Ogden Golf Club on the 18th May:The foursomes were evenly contested, three wins came from Powell & Bridges, Fairhurst & McLean and Greaves & Greenwood.
However, the singles did not start well losing the top three matches which was going to prove to be synonymous for the rest of the season. A victory by Fairhurst & Crowther got the team back into the match but despite wins from Bridges, Greaves and Colcombe plus a battling halved match by Birkett it meant that for the second time in consecutive seasons the team lost to Bradford on the opening day of the season 17 –19 - Deja Vu!
Match 2 - Leeds Union at Howley Hall Golf Club on the 8th June:The foursomes started well with top pairing Shaw & Fairhurst battling to a well deserved win by a score of 2&1. The away side then lost the next three matches but battling performances by Sweeney & Colcombe and Ellison & Stocchero ensured that Halifax, Huddersfield started the after lunch proceedings on level terms.
The afternoon matches started with all the top six singles going behind early on and, as most of you will know, the Howley Hall course does not let you gamble too much, so it was always going to be uphill from then on. However, Shaw managed to turn his match around winning 3&1, Greaves also managed to turn his match on it's head from four down to win by 1 hole, a further win by Stocchero and a halved match by Ellison left the final score 23 – 13 in Leeds' favour.
Match 3 - Teesside Union at Bradley Hall Golf Club on the 22nd June:Although the rain kept off all day the conditions at Bradley Hall were far from conducive to good golf, a strong wind
blew down the valley making playing conditions nearly impossible. The team again did well in the foursomes with wins for Powell & Shaw, Schofield & McLean, Appleyard & Colcombe and Stocchero & Ellison (pictured) leaving the HHDUGC team leading 8 – 4 at lunch.
The singles got underway and for once Halifax, Huddersfield got off to the flying start with the top three singles all having healthy leads after 10 holes. Shaw struggled to close out his game but a magnificent 2 iron to the last green ensured his win, and by that alone you will be able to gauge how wild the wind was - the 18th at Bradley Hall is only 158 yards long! At this stage approach shots were landing on greens and on some occasions actually stopping and then rolling upto twenty feet - you were either lucky or unlucky depending on where your approach shot landed. Further wins by Powell, Battye, Greaves, Scholefield, Ellison and Stocchero ensured a home victory by the margin of 22 – 14 and the first points of the season.
Match 4 - East Riding Union at Driffield Golf Club on the 13th July:The East Riding team had a very rare appearance from their newly crowned English Amateur Strokeplay Champion, Steve Uzzell. He went on to get the home union off to a good start partnering Andy Lockwood and winning his foursomes match against Broadley & Powell. The HHDUGC sides only morning win came from Shaw & Fairhurst meaning that at the halfway stage the scores was 10 – 2 to east Riding.
Singles triumphs came from Powell, whilst consolation successues from the tail after the match was lost came from Crowther, Greaves, Scholefield, Colcombe and Appleyard.
Match 5 - York Union at Heworth Golf Club on the 3rd August:Graham McLean pulled out of the team at the last minute which meant Mear had to find a replacement and 15-year-old Jamie Bower (pictured) of
Meltham made his debut. At one stage the normally non-playing captain had to get his clubs out as Fraser Scholefield, despite several directional instructions, had still not arrived! Mear could see that Frank was not amused, however as Mear was making his way to the first tee Fraser screeched around the corner and into the car park, Mear quipped, "I don’t know who was most pleased... me or Frank!"
Foursomes wins by Stocchero & Ellison, Crowther & Bower and a half from Appleyard & Colcombe meant that Mear's men trailed by 7 – 5 at half time.
That gap was soon closed in the afternoon singles when Powell won the opening match with a 2 & 1 win. Further victories from Greaves, Appleyard, Crowther and debutant Bower left the team just short at the end by a margin of 21 - 15
Match 6 - Harrogate Union at Bradley Park Golf Club on the 17th August:The course was barely playable after a long week of downpours plus heavy overnight rain. Both team captains inspected the course, and although Mear was not totally convinced that the course was playable, it was decided to go ahead as planned.
Again the HHDUGC started well with wins for Broadley & Shaw in the top match, with further wins in the next two matches - Bridges & Greenwood won by 1 hole and Greaves & McLean clinched their game on the last hole. Unfortunately these were the only foursomes winners leaving the score equal at 6 – 6.
Yet again our local team lost the top singles but then fine wins by Shaw, Greenwood, Bridges,and Greaves against four lost matches meant that Harrogate were 14 – 12 up mid-way through the contest. Good news came from young Bower who won 6&5 and with David Stafford also winning on his debut meant that the score was 18 – 16 in favour of the HHDUGC. in the closing stages. Crowther made a solid par up the last to seal the victory 20 - 16.
Match 7 - Sheffield Union at Meltham Golf Club on the 7th September:Sheffield Union had already won the league and with wet weather all week over the county every IDU match was called off. Mear said, "This was probably our best result of the season - an 18 – 18 draw with the league champions!"
The league was won by the Sheffield with 13 points followed by the East Riding on 10 points and the Leeds on 9 points with the Halifax, Huddersfield and District team in 6th place on 5 points.
Mear also told the Union Executive, "I would like to thank all the clubs who hosted a Union match last season and the team looks forward to your continuing support for the coming season."
Following the end of the league season interest swiftly moved to the 35th Inter District Team Championship, to be held on home soil at Huddersfield Golf Club on the 14th September.
Mear said, "With home advantage I genuinely thought that we could be serious contenders. After the morning rounds were completed we were in second place on 451 strokes just behind a very strong Sheffield Union on 443. The high spot of our team performance was a 5-under par second round by Sam Bridges (pictured) which proved to be a new course record."
The team eventually finished on 896 in 4th place 24 shots behind Sheffield, the eventual winners. Mear added, "Disappointing was the fact that the last two players of both the Bradford Union and the Leeds Union produced very good scores which pushed our team into 4th place and not the second that we deserved."
Looking ahead to the coming campaign Mear warned, "The position that we find ourselves in at the moment is not ideal, we are not getting enough new blood into the team, our better players are all getting older together, but yet there are no juniors coming through and establishing themselves in the senior team to replace the older players. I feel that we need to coach the talented junior boys more intensively to try and stop this current shortfall in talent and make the transition from junior to senior team seamless. It is actually quite worrying and something the union needs to address if we are looking to compete at the higher level and not just make the numbers up."
Concluding his report Mear added, "I would like to take this opportunity to thank our team sponsors for last season, our players were again immaculately dressed in Stromberg trousers thanks to Rodney Taylor of Stromberg. Thanks to Danlett & Brewfit for supplying the team with golf balls, and thanks again to Parnell Riley for sponsoring the Order of Merit. Lastly but not least thanks to Mr President, Mr President Elect, Fred Ibberson, John Cocking, and Albert Guest our official team photographer and everybody else who supported the team. Also I would like to thank the Huddersfield Examiner, The Halifax Courier, and the Huddersfield Golf website for their continued coverage of the Union team."
