Sunday 11^th May 2014 saw Bedfordshire host their first league match of the season against Essex at South Beds Golf Club.

The foursomes got under way on quite a cold and very blustery morning. Gary Munro and Scott Armitage led the way for Bedfordshire and had a very tight match which was nip and tuck all the way. Standing on the fifteenth it was all square but Essex won holes fifteen and sixteen to go two up with two to play, a half on seventeen gave Essex the first point of the day 2 & 1.

Paul Kenna and Harry Busbridge were out second but never really got going. They were always behind and finally beaten 6 & 5. The very young pairing of Bradley Finch and Reece Blair went out third and were always in command and took their match 6 & 4. Mark Yeomans and Jack Leek were out at four. They lost a couple of early holes and although they competed well were unable to pull back the deficit finally losing 3 & 2.

At lunch although being 3-1 down the Bedfordshire team still believed they could take something from the match, 5-3 in the afternoon singles would give us a half in the match.

In the first match out, Gary Munro and Bobby Keeble from Essex managed to play some fantastic golf in very tough conditions, both players realising the importance of the early points. Gary trailed at the turn but only by one hole, by the sixteenth Gary had reversed the result taking a one hole lead onto the seventeenth tee. Bobby then proceeded to hole a monster putt to take the match all square with one to play. Birdies by both players on the last left the match all square, which was probably a fair result.

Bradley took the second slot and just managed to pull ahead at the turn, saving his best golf for the back nine, where he holed some great putts winning 3 & 1. Scott out at three just couldn’t break down his opponent going down 4 & 3.

Bedfordshire now needed points and Mark Yeomans at number four did not disappoint, although being two down at the turn he managed a fantastic fight back to win his match 4 & 2.

Reece Blair at five again had a great battle. It was a very tight game with Essex just ahead most of the match, one down with two to play Reece came up with a fantastic up and down at seventeen to give himself a chance of a half, which he managed by taking the last.

At this point in the match we still had a chance of taking something from the fixture, Harry Busbridge was three up after nine and looking good, but this time it was the Essex player who managed the fight back, finally winning 2 & 1.

So now we needed to win the last two matches for a draw. Jack Leek took his point with a professional 2 & 1 win, but Essex were in command in the last match leading three up at the turn. Paul Kenna managed to pull one back early on the back nine and battled hard but finally lost his match 2 & 1.

Essex ran out 7-5 winners.

Great credit must go to all players who managed some fantastic golf in very tough conditions. Although they just lost I was very happy with my team’s performance, a great battling display with a team with a number of young players.

The Bedfordshire team showed a great togetherness and looked like a team that had been together a lot longer than they have.

Our thanks go to South Beds Golf Club for kindly hosting this fixture.

DAVE WEEDON

TEAM MANAGER

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