Thurlestone Golf Club

Triumph postponed – and, of course, failures too writes Lincoln Shaw.

Summer sunshine arrived just a touch too late to decide who will be this year's lady champion and we will have to wait a couple of months to find out who will wear the crown.

Not for the want of trying. In what are des­cribed as 'horrendous, windy conditions', eight very brave souls played 18 holes and, unsurprisingly, the scoring was very high. Lowest gross was Jenny Roberts (2) with 89.

Heather Spencer (11) had the best net with 86, runner-up Gill Hicks (11) hitting net 87. In division two Liz Sharman (21) topped the list with net 89, followed by Sue Curry (26) net 90.

The final, deciding round was due to be played the following day but, alas, the gale-force winds and common sense decided that it must be postponed to another day – July 15. Fingers crossed it might be a little calmer then.

A couple of days later it was so different and the ladies enjoyed what is described as 'a lovely, friendly' match at Dainton, with an equally friendly score of 3-3.

Thurlestone winners were Penny Bow­den and Diane Baker; Roberta Price and Sally Nelson Roberts; Anne Seymour and Maureen Groves.

A lovely day for the men's midweek stableford which attracted 54 players and a sparkling performance by Gra­ham Smith (20), who scored 41 points to win division two and earn him a two-stroke drop in handicap. He scored 39 points, two more than David Pike (24) with Andrew Clarke (15) third with 38.

Division one saw John Mahood (7) on top with 35 points with Alastair Whalley (6) in second place with 34 and Roy Hann (14) a further shot behind.

By Saturday the sun was again shining brightly, encouraging some outstanding scores for the May medal and Brittany Ferries qualifier.

In division two Tim Woodward (19) continued his fine form since coming across from Dartmouth by winning from Roger Seymour (20). Tim shot a solid net 70 to Roger's 71.

In division one Kevin Mingo concluded his preparations for the Devon Amateur Cham­pionships (at Thurle­stone this weekend) by shooting a gross and net 69, but the victor in the division, with a fine net 67, was Alan Welch (11).

Alan receives £150 worth of Brittany Ferries vouchers and will represent the club in the regional finals.

Congratulations too, belatedly, to the men's palarait team, who beat Exminster in a match played at Churston.

They will now meet Libbaton in the next round, to be played at Staddon Heights on May 31.

Back to the ladies and Thurlestone fielded two hopefuls in the Devon Championships played at Bigbury last weekend.

In round one Laura Tregelles (5) had a gross 80, which put her in the top 10 for the championships rounds on Saturday, while Gill Hicks (11) had a gross 94 and went into the Lloyd Williams plate knockout.

Unfortunately they were both eliminated on Saturday, but well done to them both.

And so another busy weekend, with the Dev­on Amateur Champion­ships taking place at Thurlestone; 36-hole medal today, matchplay Saturday and Sunday.

With more praise, I feel sure, for the splendid condition of the course.

So that's it folks, all written in a hurry after a splendid five-day break in Paris re-living memories of VE Day while watching ceremonials at the Arc de Triomphe with wonderful music, marching men, magnificent horses and spouting politicians from several different countries.

Many thanks to Liz and others who have sent me news of what has been happening at Thurlestone in our absence.

Plus apologies if hasty writing has produced the usual clang­ers, usually about the ladies when, as frequently happens, I get a name wrong.