On Sunday 13^th May Bedfordshire played their first league match of the season against Hertfordshire at Dunstable Downs Golf Club. The Bedfordshire team went into this fixture with some confidence after victories in both their pre-season friendlies. When the first group teed off at 8.30am the sun was out and the course was still. Perfect golfing conditions, but not for long.

The start in the foursomes is always very important, and both the first two games were very close affairs and looked destined to go the distance. The third game looked more comfortable with Paul Kirkwood and Miguel Moitas striking early going three up after four and they never really looked back winning 6 & 5. Charlie O’Brien and Andrew Taylor, playing last, struggled to find any sort of rhythm and were beaten 5 & 4. The first two games did indeed go all the way to the eighteenth with both Bedfordshire groups fighting hard to secure a half point each. The feeling at lunch was that 2-2 was a fair reflection of the mornings play but we would need to be at our very best if we had a chance of winning against a very strong Hertfordshire side.

By the time the singles got under way the wind had picked up significantly making very testing conditions for the afternoons play. Rob Sutton and Matt Hill went out first and second for Bedfordshire and gave us a great start, proving far too good for the Herts lads with Rob winning 5 & 3 and Matt 5 & 4. Captain for the day, Mark Carter, had a tougher time being four down through ten, and although he came back over the next few holes he lost out in the end losing 3 & 1.

Miguel Moitas had a tough test over the front nine holes with nothing in it,  then at ten he hit a great second shot to five feet, secured a birdie and this seemed to kick start his eventual 3 & 1 victory. Ross Jones looked to be in control being two up with three to play, only to then lose sixteen and seventeen. His opponent, Luke Colgate, put the pressure on further with a lovely tee shot at eighteen finishing six feet from the pin. Ross then hit the tee shot of the day, under great pressure, nearly holing it and finishing stone dead. Luke then missed his putt allowing Ross to secure another point and giving us at least a half in the match. With Andrew Taylor and Paul Kirkwood both losing out, it fell to Charlie O’Brien to secure at least a half for a great win and he did not disappoint, winning fifteen to go dormy three up was enough.

Bedfordshire had won their first league game of the season 7-5. This is a great result and shows all the hard work over the last couple of years is now paying off with a strong squad to select from and we look forward to the rest of the year.

Our thanks go to Dunstable Downs Golf Club for hosting the fixture and for their hospitality during the day.

Dave Weedon.

Team Manager.

Back to previous results