Deadly duo record Christmas Stableford win

Sam Cliff praised partner Kenny Small for his deadly putting after they scored an impressive 30 points from the 13 available holes to win Sunday’s Christmas Greensomes Stableford at Canterbury Golf Club. Playing off a combined handicap allowance of 16, Cliff and Small made light of the heavy, wet course and a freshening breeze to score a ninth-hole birdie, four pars, three bogeys and a double for 22 points on the front nine, adding eight more on the remaining 15th to 18th holes. They won by one from 17-yearold juniors Charlie Cook and Christopher Francis (cha10) who were right on their heels after eight pars and four bogeys only to drop a point at the last but still edged Patrick Goode and Simon Mount (cha 14) into third place on countback.

Cliff gave Small all the credit for the victory saying: ‘’I think it was Ken’s deadly putting. He was godly with the putter, absolutely superb. “Alternative tee shots really helped because he would hit a steady one and I could occasionally, without losing it, get a really long shot onto the fairway but once we got into the green he was just deadly with that putter. “Anything within 10 feet he was either in the hole or so close it left an easy one for me and on the 15th he had a particularly long one from the front of the green and pretty much got it right next to the hole to leave me an easy tap in. “I had a lot of steady iron play and that really helped helped but we made our points on the greens and particularly with our birdie on the ninth. “I played a nice drive up, he hit a good shot in leaving me about 60 yards to the flag I got it about four feet away and he just put it straight I. You can just trust him with his putts, I think he only messed up one all day.’’

Sam Plews celebrated his first round in six weeks with a hole in one at the 8th on Saturday. Playing in a friendly four ball with Richard Askham, Colin Shaxted and Richard Scott, nine-handicap Plews choked down on a six iron into the wind to score his third ace. Sam said: ‘’I’ve had a couple of holes in one and I’ve had one on the eighth before, I’ve been a member for thirty years so one every ten years is about right.

‘’It was nice but it was nice just to be out there for the first time in six weeks.’’ Jacqui Mount (h11) won Saturday’s Ladies’ 7 Club Christmas Competition, the first to be played since Lockdown 2.

On a saturated course and in cold and damp weather, there were only 13 holes in use and many of the 20 ladies had not played since October or early November.

To add to the challenge Mount was also playing in an oversized Christmas Elfie hat but scored 24 Stableford points, including the only birdie of the day, a three for four points on the fourth. Sue Jones (h19) and Val Binns (h11) both scored 22 points

but Jones came second on countback thanks to a three points par on 17, although Binns was the only player in the field to score on all 13 holes.

St Stephens Golf Society play every last Friday of the month.

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Sam Plews - scored a hole in one at the eighth

Jacqui Mount won the Christmas Competition