Craigielaw just to the North East of Edinburgh was the setting for the 2010 HMC Foursomes Finals where the 6 Regional Finalists, Bedford, RGS Guildford, Truro, Wellington, Loretto and Harrow came to join battle against last year’s two Finalists Millfield and Epsom.
Playing on their home course with their two Professional coaches in attendance, Loretto were clear favourites. However, with the two other Golf Academies taking part, all three sporting players from various parts of the globe playing off scratch or better, the playing standard was surely the best that these Finals have ever witnessed.
After a month of glorious sunshine spreading across the whole of the UK, Sunday afternoon saw some of the most atrocious weather this corner of Scotland had ever seen: gale force gusts of wind driving the torrential rain and hail across the course meaning that several teams felt unable to complete their rounds. Thankfully, Monday saw a respite from the rain, though the wind was certainly still going to be a factor.
The seeding saw Truro, the lowest-handicapped non-academy school, grouped with the top seeds Loretto, last year’s runners-up Epsom and RGS Guildford, whilst the other group looked from the start like it was going to come down to a battle between Millfield and Wellington, the latter of which was weakened by the absence of its two top girls, both of whom were off playing in the European Championships, with Bedford and Harrow the other two teams hoping to cause an upset.
And so it proved – for a short while at least. Whilst the overall tables showed that all went to form in the end, the Academies did not have it all their own way. Several matches were forced into play-off holes, with the 2nd pairs in the Epsom v Loretto game having to play 6 extra holes - surely another HMC record - before Epsom came out on top. Indeed it was pleasing that although the eventual group winners did predictably turn out to be Loretto and Millfield, the bottom seeds in each group, Guildford and Harrow, both won one pair’s game, the third seeds in each, Epsom and Bedford, both won one match, and the second seeds in each, Truro and Wellington, both ran their illustrious opponents close in what proved to be the deciding matches.
The Final too was in the balance for a long while. Loretto’s Korean import, Julie Yang - surely one to watch in the future - together with her partner Lewis Gregory, never looked troubled, winning with three holes to spare, but the other two matches both came down to the 18th, Millfield’s female pairing of Melissa McMahon and Sophie Keech winning theirs, but Loretto’s top German pairing of Max Walz and Marvin Aardhammer pulling off the desperately required win for Loretto to take the match 2-1.
And so on to the Stableford competition contested by the six non-Finalists over 9 holes. Epsom’s stalwart pairing of Jeremy Morgan and Lewis Kuhler won the best pair with a fantastic level par score; and after one or two queries over the marking of cards, the Organiser saw fit to be lenient to the winning school, Truro, who become proud winners of the Tankard. Many congratulations to all!
A final word about the spirit of this competition: For the majority of schools, reaching the Finals is an outstanding achievement of a year’s golf well played and it is for this reason that there is now a trophy for each Regional Winner. And it is these schools which represent the spirit of this competition to the utmost – one only has to look at the sartorial elegance of the Harrow team dressed in co-ordinated but individually-sourced clothing. The Academies, with their imported scratch golfers, dedicated professional coaching, on-course fist-pumping, top of the range golf wear, to say nothing of the untoward and unhealthy parental pressure, should perhaps now consider looking elsewhere for their accolades...
Winners: Loretto Runners-up: Millfield Tankard: Truro Best pair: Morgan & Kuhler (Epsom)
James Nicholls, 14 July 2010
2010/11 Regional Draws
The Regional Draws for the 2010/2011 season have now been made. See menu on left. Play-by dates as follows: Preliminary Round (where applicable): 30 Sept 1st Round: 31 Oct 2nd Round: 31 Dec Semi-Final: 31 Mar Final: 31 May
2010 Regional Winners
Congratulations to Loretto, Harrow, RGS Guildford, Bedford, Truro and Wellington for winning their respective regions and going forward to take part against last year's Winners and Runners-up, Millfield and Epsom, at this year's National Finals at the Craigielaw Golf Club in Scotland on 4-6 July.
2009-10 Draw
The 2009-10 Regional Draws are now live. Play-by dates as follows: Round 1 by October 17 Round 2 by December 12 Semi-final by March 27 Final by May 29
Millfield again!
HMC SCHOOLS FOURSOMES FINALS, 2009
After such glorious weather for the Wimbledon fortnight, it was inevitable that the fairways at Royal Ashdown Forest would be fast and bounces unpredictable, often bringing the light rough or even the heather into play off straightish drives. What came as a surprise to many players was that the greens, although in fine condition, had dried out so much that they were less receptive than expected and so full of hidden borrows that they were hard to read. Add to these difficulties the strong, gusty winds on the first day, sudden squalls with lashing rain on the second, not to mention many long carries and blind tee shots, and we had a course that provided a daunting test of skill and nerve.
When Mr Christie, the current Captain, presented our prizes, he mentioned that only two players beat par in the recent Regional Qualifier for the Turnberry Open; it underlined the difficulty of the course. All credit, then, to these talented young players for adapting so well to the challenging and ever-changing conditions in which holes could easily be lost from seemingly promising positions; even the best putters struggled to achieve consistency. No wonder there were so many tight finishes, with many matches going to the 18th or extra holes.
The first day often produces a number of one-sided matches and group winners begin to pull clear of the rest; not so this year! In Group A, Millfield did win comfortably against Bradfield in the afternoon, but they had started by dropping a game to Bedford’s George Wilson (4) and Liam Garrett (8) despite the ten strokes difference in handicaps. Wellington, having only dropped one point in the first two rounds, would have to beat Millfield in their head-to-head to reach the final, but could they do it without four of their top team? In Group B, second seeded Epsom contrived to lose to Monmouth in the morning, but then took maximum points from Rugby in the afternoon, though the second pairs went to the 19th. Half of Birkenhead’s games were very tight; their original top pair, Dominic Barnes (Scr) & Andy Crosby (8), only prevailed over Rugby’s Sam Ghorpade (4) & Qahir Popat (8) at the 19th to secure a 2-1 win. Then, having made out a successful case for altering their pairings, Birkenhead secured another 2-1 win against Monmouth with two of the games decided on the last hole. So, in the last round Epsom would have to beat Birkenhead to win Group B, but anything less than an emphatic 3-0 win could still put Monmouth through if they demolished Rugby and were level on points. Complicated though the scoring may sound, it is a tried and tested system, as well as a very fair one.
During the last round, the conditions were often appalling, with driving rain, but the greens, remarkably, remained playable. It looked as if play would have to be suspended, even abandoned, because of the danger of lightning strikes but the thunder clouds rolled away just in time. Wellington’s efforts were outstanding; they hauled themselves back into contention when all seemed lost. Watched from the clubhouse, with its vantage point over the 1st and 18th, their pairs battled it out over extra holes; Sam Williams (2) & Murray Rose (4) won at top pair on the 21st, but Oliver Fowler (4) & Robby Wibbels (4) lost on the 19th. This gave Millfield, with the third game won 5 & 4, the vital points to win their group: as top seeds, they were in the final – just! In Group B, Epsom finally justified their seeding, too, but the family pairing of Lewis Kuhler (5) & Madeleine (6) also needed to play down the 19th before they prevailed.
With the final starting late after such exhausting rounds in the morning, the pundits seemed convinced that the longer rest would favour Epsom. In the event, it was Millfield who started the final better in the continuing rain, took the lead in all three matches and held it. All credit to them for what is their eighth win in ten years when they, like so many other teams, were below full strength. For Epsom, who had fielded their top team, it is some compensation that, under the new rules, they will be in next year’s final without playing in the Regional Qualifying Competition. Having won “The Tankard” in 2008 and the Runners-up Cup in 2009, they will know what to do in 2010!
While the finalists teed off on the Old Course, the competition for “The Tankard” (a “generous Stableford”: played off scratch, par = 3 points) was played on the West Course. Although, the rain continued for some time, the majority of players rose to the challenge of the new course and there were some excellent scores. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, those teams which had just missed out on the final struggled to regain their earlier form. However, Monmouth’s shrewd decision to alter their pairings paid dividends; Brad Davies & Joe Park (both 8) won the Best Pair Trophy on count-back from George Mackenzie (10) & James King (10) of Bradfield. Both pairs were only one over par gross for the twelve holes played, outstanding golf in adverse conditions. Bradfield, beaten by all three opponents in the match play rounds, scored consistently enough in the Stableford round to win “the Tankard” for the third placed school, a remarkable achievement.
In the locker-room, there is an ancient oak box with a hole in the lid; players are invited to donate “golf balls for the Forest Row Boys’ Golf Club”. This testifies to the long-standing support and encouragement of junior golf, a tradition that was very evident from the teams’ first arrival for practice rounds on Sunday to our rain-delayed departure on Tuesday. We are most grateful to the Secretary, Mr Douglas Neave, and to all at Royal Ashdown Forest GC for all their efforts on our behalf. The Club was established after a meeting of enthusiasts in December 1888 and a press cutting of May 6th, 1889, reporting on the first ever rounds played there records that: “the tramp round the links at Ashdown Forest was delightful” – it still is.
The seven schools that stayed also appreciated the hospitality at Tonbridge School and thank all at Hillside House for making us welcome so soon after a hectic end of term. On behalf of all the teams, I thank all the Team Managers for their efforts and also Mr David Ward, our official starter for the two days. Finally, my personal thanks go to Mr James Nicholls for his indefatigable efforts in liaising with club and school, along with my best wishes for the future of this splendid competition as I step down after nine years of organising the HMC Schools’ Foursomes Finals.
WINNERS: MILLFIELD: Ben Taylor (+1) & Harrison Greenberry (3) Luke Krupa (3) & Jackson Bowes (3) Sam Parsons (2) & Joe Boardman (4)
RUNNERS-UP: EPSOM Gareth Blease (1) & David Boote (1) Lewis Kuhler (5) & Madeleine Kuhler (6) Jeremy Morgan (5) & Danny Cullen(7)