Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Gary back in the swing
Gary Fitchett earned his first win in two years when he totalled 38 points for victory by one from Mick Scott in last Wednesday’s men’s midweek Stableford.
Fitchett followed a first-hole triple bogey by drilling a 20-foot putt for birdie at the second hole and dropped only two more shots on the front nine for a haul of 22 points.
He added 16 more on the back nine, failing to score only on the 16th after he pushed his second shot into trees on the right and then found a bunker.
Two closing bogeys saw him squeeze home ahead of Scott, who began with a birdie in an outward nine of 21 points but he wrecked his hopes by failing to score on the 12th, 16th and 18th holes.
Paul Newbury made 35 points to take third on countback.
Fitchett said: “My last individual win was in October two years ago, so I’m delighted.
“I was pretty steady on the front nine and, after that first one, I was driving really well.
“I’ve struggled with my driver all year but it’s been getting better (in) the last few weeks.
“I think I’ve just stopped trying to think about it too much, just go and hit it.”
Sunday’s second round of the Hallet Cup men’s winter league was washed out when parts of the course became flooded by heavy rain.
Sue Jones heads the ladies’ winter league table after she and Sarah Wetherell emerged victorious from the second round of the greensomes Stableford competition, which was severely affected by heavy rain and flash flooding.
They scored 13 points in the worst of the weather on the front nine and 18 on the back for a total of 31 to win by four from Val Binns and Ali Kingston, who took second on countback from Jacklyn Baron and Val Lucas.
With each player having a different partner every round, Jones, who scored eight individual points, leads the table with 13, one ahead of Alyson
Wreford and Jacqui Mount, with five more rounds to go.
Canterbury ladies made a flying start to their Pearson Trophy campaign when Jones, Claire Wilson, Diane Florence, Catherine Hinds and Jacklyn Barons won 4-1 at home to Sittingbourne on Tuesday.
Bob Green carried only a half set of clubs in the wet conditions and made light work of his best round since June 2017, totalling 41 points to win Monday’s seniors’ Stableford by two from Scott in a field of 64.
Third-placed Bernard Disneur scored 23 points on the first eight holes, including a birdie at the second hole, but was derailed by a double bogey at the ninth and blobs at the 10th and 11th.
Georgina Carlotti scored net 65, gross 102, to win the net prize at the mixed Kings Hill Junior Open at West Malling on Wednesday, in a field of 44.
Carlotti, 12, reached the par-five first hole in two and said: “I played to seven under my handicap, but I was a bit annoyed because the first boys’ net prize was a trophy and some balls and the girls’ was a glove and some balls.”
Amos Brazier conjured up some golfing wizardry, starting with a birdie four and then reeling off 10 pars and seven bogeys for 38 points to win Saturday’s Juniors’ Halloween Stableford competition by one from Christina Carlotti.
Ben Holcroft gave himself an early 11th birthday present by holing a long putt for birdie at the second hole on his way to his best competition round of exactly 100, net 67, for 36 points and third.
FAVERSHAM GOLF CLUB
Faversham handed a cheque to a charity on Friday night.
The presentation of the cheque for £3,558 was made at Faversham by the 2020 club captain, Paul Fraser, to Paul Butt who is a volunteer for Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex before Faversham held
the men’s trophy presentation for last year.
There were around 50 attendees who saw the 2020 winners collect their trophies.
Charity volunteer Mr Butt said: “The hard work by Paul Fraser and members of the Faversham Golf Club is an example of how efforts produce the essential donations that keep the Trust operating.
“The sum of money raised will fund a wide range of equipment and other requirements and, as an example, is sufficient to provide fuel for more than 20 helicopter missions.”