Duo prove past masters

Canterbury

A return to bygone days at Canterbury on Sunday clearly suited veteran golfers Paul Blake and Sam Plews.

The two men, playing with clubs that were last used in serious competition around 90 years earlier, carded by far the best score of the day to finish well clear of their rivals in the club’s Hickory Challenge.

Blake and Plews compiled 47 points in the Greensomes competition using just five clubs each and that put them seven points ahead of second-placed Michael Cunningham and Ken Small. Third, one point in arrears, were Chris Gay and Richard Young.

Nineteen pairs took part in the event while two days earlier, 18 pairs competed in the first of the two contests, some of the players dressing in attire that would have been appropriate for the period when the clubs were in regular use. The Friday event was won with 42 points by Frank Hixson and Don Bower, who finished a point ahead of Gerard Bartynek and Ian Harding, with Dave Elliott and Tony Wenham two points further back in third place. Friday scores 42 points Francis Hixson (h15) & Donald Bower (h21); 41 Gerard Bartynek (h27) & Ian Harding (h28); 39 David Elliott (h6) & Tony Wenham (h13); 38 Terry Robb (h12) & Mick Gasking (h19); 37 Roger Hyder (h0) & Cath Smith (h19); 36 Stephen Bowles (h18) & Christine Bowles (h33), John Wigg (h12) & Bruce Maguire (h17); 34 Colin Dawson (h18) & Andrew Kirkland (h19), Paul Earnshaw (h14) & Robert Simmonds (h22); 33 Amanda Pilbeam (h15) & Lesley Johnson (h36), Alison Kingston (h6) & Neil Parsonson (h14), Danny Maude (h0) & Milo King (h0); 31 Joy Flynn (h19) & William Flynn (h22), Robert Staples (h18) & Edwin Simner (h19); 29 Philip Lake (h16) & Ann Lake (h18); 27 David Kingston (h16) & David Gregory (h25), Colin Buttenshaw (h14) & Nigel Lang (h17); 26 Marion Hawes (h17) & David Hawes (h24). Sunday scores 47 Paul Blake (h11) & Sam Plews (h12); 40 Michael Cunningham (h8) & Ken Small (h16); 39 Chris Gay (h15) & Richard Young (h16); 38 Neil Parsonson (h14) & Gillian Bailey (h28); 37 Max Rutherford (h5) & Ben Rutherford (h13); 36 Ralph Evans (h11) & Colin Mercer (h21), David Elliott (h6) & Ian Munday (h10); 35 David Simmons (h11) & Anthony Dance (h11); 34 Simon Goodfellow (h6) & Rhona Hunter (h30), Tim Brett (h8) & John Farrier (h18); 33 Roger Hyder (h0) & Jon Filby (h24), Beau Hart (h13) & Nicola Hart (h13), Roger Forster (h7) & Sheila Forster (h7); 32 Bernard Disneur (h14) & Marianne Disneur (h26); 29 Timothy Jakob (h17) & Michael Longmore (h18); 26 Jenny Rutherford (h11) & Scott Rutherford (h24); 24 Malcolm Wagget (h18) & Eileen Wagget (h19); 15 John Dorries (h23) & Wendy Richards (h29); disq Andy Nutley (h19) & Ted Dilucia (h21).

Bob Staples (left) and Eddie Simner dressed in appropriate attire for Canterbury’s Hickory Challenge