The Spring Meeting was again held at Walton Heath on 6th April. A road closure near to WH delayed a few participants, but thankfully all 48 players arrived to tee off on the Old Course at their allotted times from 9am competing for the Busby and Timms Bowls. The field comprised 35 XL members and 13 guests. The weather started very grey, but brightened as the morning wore on and the forecast rain did not amount to very much in the end, and the relatively calm conditions allowed fast rounds and plenty of time for lunch. Scoring was steady with 14 pairs returning scores of 30 or more Stableford points. The clear winners were David Ball and guest Alex Ewart on 38 points. There followed three pairs on 37, the best of which had a back nine score of 21 and featured in the two round competition places, while the next two 37s had the same scores for the back nine (19) back six (12) and back three (6). The pro was consulted but he could offer no clear direction to separate these two scores and eventually the decision was made on the 18th hole scores where there was a clear difference of 2 points in favour of Richard Willacy and Mark Welsh as runners-up for the morning competition.
As ever the Walton Heath dining room provided a superb three course feast, which players, now joined by Whispering Tony Lowe, attacked with relish.
The afternoon competition for the Gardiner Goblets was held on the New Course from 2pm and the first half of the field enjoyed fine conditions. Some light rain was forecast for late afternoon, but this description hardly did justice for the 20 minutes of torrential hailstones which turned the greens completely white (see the gallery page for some course images from Daryn Williams). Nevertheless, all but one group completed their rounds, and despite the later conditions 17 pairs returned 30 or more points, with Nick Beattie and guest Jamie Patton winning with 39 on countback of 21. The second pair on 39 featured in the two round competition places, so the runners-up of the afternoon competition were Daryn Williams and guest Nick Braley on 36 points.
The winners of the Longman Quarts for the best score over the two rounds with 74 points (35+39) were James Philpott and guest Toby Sykes, 3 points ahead of Bruce Leith and guest Jamie Sones with 71 points.
The results:
Busby and Timms Bowls morning Old Course
Winners David Ball and Alex Ewart(g)
Runners-up Richard Willacy and Mark Welsh
Gardiner Goblets afternoon New Course
Winners Nick Beattie and Jamie Patton(g)
Runners-up Daryn Williams and Nick Braley(g)
Longman Quarts combined score two rounds
Winners James Philpott and Toby Sykes(g)
Runners-up Bruce Leith and Jamie Sones(g)
I would like to record my personal thanks to the two members who produced guests on the evening before the event to ensure we played with a field of 48.
Finally I would just mention that two stalwart supporters of XL Spring Meetings, Mike Johnson-Hill and Doug Adams were unable to participate in very difficult personal circumstances, along with David Lancaster who is currently ‘hors de combat’, and that everyone at this event very much missed them.
Alan Ewart, Match Manager
