Surrey victorious at Windlesham
Windlesham GC near Bagshot was the venue for the annual friendly versus our friends from Surrey.
With many of the current Playing Squad already committed to the reintroduced Sir Henry Cooper Masters event at King’s Hill down in Kent, this match allowed a number of boys from the Development and U14 squads, including 10 year old Marcus Karim of East Herts, to show what they were capable of against a more experienced Surrey team.
River Gardiner led Hertfordshire off in match 1 but found himself up against a steady and experienced campaigner who had a point to prove having been left out of Surrey’s recent league matches, and he did just that. River never really got into the match and eventually they shook hands on the 12th green. Likewise, Daniel Hobbs found the going tough and lost by a margin of 5&4.
Matches 2 and 3 provided success for the visitors as captain and birthday boy Eddie Cook led by example with some sparkling golf, eventually seeing off his opponent on the 14th green for a 5&4 win before going off to support the latter matches. When Coby Arazi lost the 15th to a birdie to go one down to the Surrey captain, he didn’t let his head drop and proceeded to win the next three holes including a birdie of his own on the 16th to win by 2 holes.
Debutant, Freddie Raven and 13-year-old George Lancaster of the u14 squad were both involved in nip and tuck matches. Freddie making his Hertfordshire debut at any level, soon saw early nerves pass and battled to take his match to the 17th green before finally going down 2&1. In George’s match, there was never more than a hole between the players and when George hit his approach to the final green 20ft left of the hole and with his opponent further away and above the hole looked certain to gain at least half a point. But such is golf, his opponent duly holed his putt and when George missed a great match was settled.
In the final group, Marcus Atherton of Welwyn Garden City GC and the aforementioned Marcus Karim gave superb accounts of themselves against two steady opponents. The younger Marcus found himself 6 down at one stage of the front nine but battled back admirably and took his match all the way to the 16th green. Marcus A managed one additional hole before losing by a 2&1 margin thanks to an exquisite chip in from about 50yds out on the 15th.
Despite the final scoreline, it was a day of many positives for the management and players alike and we look forward to the return match next season.
Match Report from Gerald Duddy, Herts Boys Manager
Team Captain Eddie Cook celebrated his birthday with a comfortable 5&4 Victory
