Members of the Broadwas High Handicap GC squad played their first away game of the season at Moreton-in-Marsh on Tuesday, against Moreton A.
After enduring a lengthy journey, circumnavigating early morning Worcester traffic and roadworks, the team arrived at the delightful Moreton lawns facing ominous weather warnings of heavy rain and thunderstorms.
For two new members of the team – Debbie Kaner 12 and Peter Dobson 11, it was their first match away. They were joined by David Harington 11, David Creed-Newton 11 and captain Paul Felton 12. Paula Armstrong 14 and Hazel Felton 20, who have both been carrying injuries, shared playing duties, playing two games each.
Led by captain Veronica Courtney 16, the Moreton A team comprised Adrian Grimes 12, Peta Kuck 12, Clint Parker 14, Glenys Seal 14, Nicky Middleton 14, Jean Terry 18 and Ron McAlpine 14.
The Moreton lawns looked glorious in the under the early-morning sunny spells. The club, under the newly appointed chair Marilyn Talbot-Smith, has put a lot of work into the lawns over the winter and they looked silky smooth as the players took to the courts.
Despite starting the day with sunny spells, the first round (played under the newly-introduced advantage handicap target score rules) – comprising two doubles and two singles, only brought gloom to the Broadwas team, with all-round losses, making it 4-0 to the home side.
The second round brought little comfort. Debbie Kaner came close to victory during her 13-hoop battle with Nicky Middleton, but she was defeated after Nicky put her green just in front of the 13th after a terrific approach shot which went through the back of the hoop from the 12th.
The only victory in the second (singles) round was from Paul Felton, who beat old adversary Glenys Seal. Glenys beat him in the same competition last season, but even after he put his red in the jaws of the 6th hoop and Glenys scored a terrific jump shot to take the hoop, she was unable to repeat her victory, with the Broadwas captain winning 7-4.
After round two, the score appeared to be running away in favour of the on-fire home side, standing at 7-1 to Moreton A.
Games had to be interrupted due to the strength of the rainfall and the distant rolls of thunder, but Broadwas must have found the torrential intermittent showers refreshing during the third (singles) round, because we won three of the four games played.
Making his debut for the team, Peter Dobson beat Adrian Grimes 3-2 in a timed-out game, while 20-handicap Hazel Felton beat Glenys Seal 4/6 to 1/7 in a timed-out game. Meanwhile, David Creed-Newton enjoyed his first singles win of the day when he beat Ron McAlpine 6/9 to 4/7.
The score now looked a little more respectable for Broadwas although it stood at 8-4 to Moreton at lunchtime.
Round four (two singles and two doubles, double-banked) brought three wins for Broadwas. Playing in her first away match, Debbie Kaner grabbed her first singles win of the day by beating Peta Kuck, 7-3.
In the doubles, High Handicap stalwart David Harington partnered newcomer Peter Dobson to beat Veronica Courtney and Glenys Seal 6/8 to 5/7 – 75% to 71% under the new target score rules. Meanwhile, Paula Armstrong and Paul Felton recaptured their form from last year (as a partnership they were undefeated all season), by beating Clint Parker and Adrian Grimes 7-5.
The score now stood at 9-7 to Moreton A.
It was all to play for in the final singles round. Moreton’s Clint Parker took first blood when he narrowly defeated Paula in a 13-hooper in front of the clubhouse.
Debbie Kaner took her well-deserved second singles win of the day with an 8/8 to 4/7 win over Veronica Courtney, while Paul Felton beat Ron McAlpine 7-6 just as the clouds began to break again.
With the score standing at 10-9 to Moreton A as the last game played out, it was down to David Creed-Newton to snatch the draw and he did, magnificently, with a 7-4 win over Adrian Grimes.
Final Score – Moreton-in-Marsh A 10 – Broadwas 10
Many thanks to Moreton-in-Marsh A for their usual conviviality and hospitality. It was a great day, played in good spirit. Thanks to Veronica Courtney for making the onerous match day paperwork much easier by working out the playing schedule well in advance and thanks to Gill Hindshaw for refereeing. Thanks also to Christine McCormick for looking after us in the clubhouse.
Thank you also, to my vice-captain Malcolm Armstrong, for his help and encouragement as well as to David Kaner for his coaching of the squad pre-season. My biggest thanks go to members of the Broadwas team, who kept battling despite looking like we were heading for defeat for much of the day. Well done. Next stop – Bradford-on-Avon.
Paul Felton
