Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Iddenden celebrates early
Golf round-up
Birthday celebrations started a week early for Canterbury golfer Jez Iddenden on Sunday when he scored a notable double by lifting the Brook Rose Bowl and the Henry Knight Salver in the same tournament.
On a day when scoring well was far from easy, two-handicap Iddenden shot a one-under-par 70, to win the gross event for the Henry Knight Salver by three strokes and a net 68, which earned him a one-stroke victory in the handicap competition.
Iddenden, who will turn 28 on Sunday, joined Canterbury two years ago after the demise of Herne Bay Golf Club, where he held the amateur course records over both the old and the modified layouts.
He swiftly established himself as a regular member of Canterbury’s successful East Kent League side but Sunday’s victory represents his best individual performance to date.
He could hardly have hoped for a better start, making three birdies in the opening four holes – at the first, third and fourth.
The only blemish on his card over the outward nine was a bogey at the short second and after missing further birdie opportunities at the sixth, eighth and ninth, he completed the outward half in a two-under 34.
A bogey at the 10th was compensated by a birdie at the 13th and although Iddenden dropped a shot at the 16th and 18th, where he missed a six-foot putt for par after going long with his approach, he made birdie at the long par-three 17th to sign for an inward nine of 36 and a gross 70.
Next best in the scratch event was Dean Danton with a 73.
He started from the 10th and made bogeys at each of his first two holes. He picked up a stroke at the 14th but dropped a shot at the 18th for a first nine two-over 37
Three birdies in five holes from the first put Danton back on track but a bogey at the sixth halted the charge and a doublebogey ended his challenge.
In the net competition for the Brook Rose Bowl, Iddenden needed a countback to see off closest rival Gordon Miller.
Late starter Miller, playing off 20, had a good first nine, making five pars but having two double bogeys to turn in sixover 42 and with plenty of shots in hand.
The tougher second nine took its toll, though,. and he registered only one par and three doubles, significantly one of them coming at the last.
Miller’s back nine 46 left him a stroke short of Iddenden when the countback was applied.
Heading a group of four players who finished a shot behind the top pair was the improving Jason Kennett (handicap 21), whose better back nine earned him third place ahead of the revitalised Phil Johnson (h14), Richard Askham (h7) and Iddenden’s older brother, Ashley (h7). Leading scores Scratch – 70 J Iddenden; 73 D Danton; 76 L Johnson, R Askham, J Macdonald, A Iddenden; 77 M Andrews; 78 M Rutherford; 79 K Bryant, J Coupe, T Grove; 80 R Beer; 81 A Dance, L Elmer; 82 Peter Johnson, A Evans, I Munday, M Lambton, T O’reilly, L Kirkham, M Pilbeam. 73 other scores. Net – 68 J Iddenden (h2), G Miller (h20); 69 J Kennett (h21), Phil Johnson (h14), R Askham (h7), A Iddenden (h7); 70 K Bryant (h9), B Whyte (h13), A Dance (h11), M Andrews (h7), A Grove (h9); 71 I Munday (h11), D Tottman (h13), D Danton (h2); 72 T Pearce (h12), J Isherwood (h15), J Macdonald (h4), L Elmer (h9), R Balcombe (h13). 75 other scores.
With an amazing seven-stroke win over their nearest rivals, Fran Fearn and Ali Beck were the clear winners of the Tchitcherine Salver at Canterbury GC.
The Foursomes Medal competition was won with a net 68 with Margaret Francis and Gillian Bailey well adrift in second spot.
Miss Tchitcherine was a member of a small group of Russians who had escaped the Revolution in 1917 and settled in Canterbury. She enjoyed playing bridge at the club with then president Mr P Brook and his wife Ethel.
The ladies also held their Ping Fourball betterball Stableford competition. Amanda Pilbeam and Kim Atkinson excelled with 45 points, two ahead of Jack Barons and Diane Florence who took second on countback.