TO begin yet another really busy week, on Monday, May 12, Downes Seniors hosted their Annual Open Tournament. There were 120 entries from clubs near and far.

The format was a Pairs Stableford Better Ball.

The honours went to Martin Garside from Tickenham GC and MJ Piper from Torquay GC with 47 points, beating the team with the same points by virtue of a better back nine.

The home team, in second place, were Keith Hoskins and Andy Rogers.

There were also 19 twos scored! Many thanks to all who helped with this very busy event.

The ladies also had a very busy week. On Tuesday, a group of ladies enjoyed a lovely away day at Honiton Golf Club.

The team event, which was a better ball with two scores to count, was won by June Mitchell, Ying Wong, Linda Gill and Sue Sparham.

The trophy for the best individual score of the day was won by Di Parsons.

Three ladies from Downes also played in a Pro Am at Exeter Golf and Country Club. The highlight of their day was one of the team winning nearest the pin on the 14th hole.

Just eight inches away from the cup, so nearly an ace!

On Thursday, May 15 the ladies held their Spring Meeting, once again enjoying the glorious sunshine.

The winner of the Millar Bowl (best Scratch score) was Angela Storey with a gross 94.

Liz Guildford won the Handicap prize with a nett 75. Other prizes were awarded for the best nett 36+ handicap, won by Di Parsons, and the Cynthia King-Robinson Cup (best nine hole nett score) won by Annet Coles.

Sue Jackson, winner of the Past Ladies Captains Trophy with Shirley Stunell.
Sue Jackson, winner of the Past Ladies Captains Trophy with Shirley Stunell. (Mike Palmer)

The Past Ladies' Captains of Downes held their annual golf match, followed by lunch on Friday, May 16. Eleven ladies played for the Past Ladies Captains' Trophy, which was won by Sue Jackson with an impressive 22 points over nine holes. Nineteen past Ladies' Captains enjoyed an excellent lunch in great company.

Former Lady captains of Downes Crediton Golf Club.
Former Lady captains of Downes Crediton Golf Club. (Mike Palmer)

In the Devon Veterans Captains Competition, Andrew Chandler and Peter Stunell, playing for Downes, were beaten into second place by the team of John Pitts and Richard Cull playing for Stover GC with 41 points.

The Midweek stableford was won by Neil Wilson, 37 points, and the Thursday Stableford by Mike Charnock, 21 points.

This week there was a Saturday Roll up Stableford, won by Stephen Ebdon.

Saturday and Sunday, May 17 and 18 were given over to Mid Devon Greensomes, a competition played over two days, Okehampton on Saturday, and Crediton on Sunday.

Scratch and Handicap winners of the Mid Devon Greensomes Event.
Scratch and Handicap winners of the Mid Devon Greensomes Event. (Mike Palmer)

There was a terrific field of 148 players, representing clubs from Devon and further afield. For example one group, chanced upon by your club reporter, had players from St Enadoc, Cullompton, East Herefordshire and Axminster.

For non golfers, Greensomes is where a team, of two players, both drive off from the tee, but then choose and play the best ball. It is amazing how many ways there are to play golf!

Two great days of competition, in glorious weather on two very different courses, were quite a challenge, both mental and physical.

There were prizes in nine different categories for mens, ladies and mixed results. The overall winners, and winners of the cups were, Jack Whiteway and Lee Carey the 36 hole Scratch champions, and Redd Cann and Tony Gosling the hole 36 Handicap champions.