SURREY GOLF TEXT 2016_Surrey Golf Inside 06 03/03/2016 07:42 Page 23
beginners through to events for universities, promoting the GolfMark certification and good
practice for Clubs.
We all look forward to another successful year in 2016.
We would like to thank all those Clubs, and their members, for supporting us by hosting
county events during the year, namely:County Matches:- Hindhead GC, Royal Wimbledon GC, St. George’s Hill GC,
Royal Automobile Club, Sunningdale GC, Walton Heath GC, Wentworth GC, Woking GC.
Seniors’ Matches:- Effingham GC, Hankley Common GC, Reigate Hill GC, Tandridge GC,
St. George’s Hill GC, Woking GC.
County Championships:- Burhill GC, Chobham GC, Coombe Hill GC, Purley Downs GC,
Reigate Hill GC, Roehampton GC, Shirley Park GC, Surrey Downs GC, Sutton Green GC,
Tyrrells Wood GC, Walton Heath GC, West Byfleet GC.
Junior Matches:- Pyrford GC, Cuddington GC, Worplesdon GC, West Surrey GC,
Kingswood GC, Chobham GC, Reigate Hill GC, St Georges Hill GC, Sutton Green GC.
County Card Meetings:- West Byfleet GC, West Hill GC, Hindhead GC, Hankley Common GC,
Walton Heath GC.
FIRST TEAM REPORT FROM DAVID CORBEN
It is said that a musician’s second album is always harder and so this proved with regards to
years on my tenure as Surrey Captain. Despite the disappointing perceived level of success it
has again been enjoyable and produced times to remember and optimism for 2016. Before the
season commenced we lost Andy Devenport to the pro ranks. We thank Andy for his effort for
the county and wish him the best going forward. Aside from this the team kept a similar form
to that previous but with efforts to introduce younger players throughout the year. As ever I
must thank John Noble and Jim Christine for all their efforts and for the new methods of
teaching they are using to advance the team.
We started the season with the winter friendlies. The aim as ever was to get players as much
game time as possible and to build partnerships for the upcoming season. Sunningdale
provided the usual stiff opposition we have become accustomed to, and a strong singles
performance cumulated in a narrow victory. Close losses to Royal Wimbledon and Walton
Heath in inclement weather did little to evaluate performances or trial partnerships. A welcome
robust foursomes performance at Wentworth did give optimism going into the first game
against Sussex.
At Worthing in mid-May Sussex provided our first opposition. The morning foursomes seemed
to be drifting away from us but some great resilience pushed us into a 3-1 lead with two final
hole victories. David Ryles lead the singles out but ran up against a train of birdies and
succumbed on the 17th. Importantly four points followed from the next four games pushing
us into an unassailable lead. The final result was 8.5 – 3.5.
This strong start put us in a good position with two home games still to come. Our second
away match was played at sodden Dudsbury vs Dorset. Overnight rain before we arrived had
washed out all the bunkers and most of the course. Our performance did not live up to
expectations with only two singles points accrued resulting in an 8.5 – 3.5 loss.
Despite this loss we went into our final two games at home in the knowledge that two wins
would still lead us to the top of the league. First up was Hampshire around Burhill Old. Again
the foursomes put us on the back foot and without a gallant half in the final game from Simon
Crockett and Kieran Lovelock we would have gone in 4-0 down. After a lunchtime team talk
the singles were the polar opposite. Fantastic performances by Callum Mackay and Tom Neve
set the tone and, from the first 6 singles games, five were won. Unfortunately there was to be
no storybook ending and the final result was a 6.5 – 5.5 loss. Winning the league was now out
of reach.
As with last year the final match against Kent could have been treated as a dead rubber but it
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