Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Pilbeam warms to task
Canterbury Golf Club
The ladies section of the Whitstable and Seasalter Golf Club have been competing in their Christmas competitions.
Two birdies helped Ladies’ Captain Louise Tucker to a top score of 32 points in the first round with Penny Perkins finishing in second on 30 thanks to a fantastic hole-in-one on the sixth. Helen Foad and Val Brown also scored 30 points. Jackie Crowther took the spoils in the second round with an impressive 36 points followed closely by Tucker and Perkins on 34 and 30 points respectively.
An early morning frost affected the third round meaning only nine holes were played. For the second week in a row Crowther finished top beating Jacqueline Bagley on count back with 17 points each. Holly Butler was third on 16.
Weather once again affected the fourth round and only nine holes were played. Crowther completed her third win in as many weeks with a birdie on the last to help her to a fantastic score of 21 points. Tucker was second on 19 points, followed Perkins and Fran Price, on 17. The tournament consists of five stableford rounds, four of which have been completed.
Shaun Pilbeam (h1) sparkled in the frost to shoot a stunning three under par gross 68 for 40 points and victory in the men’s section of the Sutton Stableford competition, which started with a shotgun start in freezing conditions on Saturday. Jenny Rutherford (h10) made 32 points to win the 16 strong ladies’ section by one from Alyson Wreford (16), with Claire Wilson (h18) third on 28. Pilbeam bogeyed the par five 1st but birdied the 2nd and was level par at the turn. Birdies at the 11th, 14th and 16th brought him home in 32 to add 22 points to his first nine haul of 18 and win by four points from Paul Stewart (h10), who beat David Williams (h13) into third place on countback in a men’s field of 66.
Pilbeam said: “It was pretty frosty when we started but the greens weren’t frozen so they were quite receptive.
“I got a bad lie in front of the first green but apart from that it was just pretty steady stuff really, no dramas, I was straight off the tees, hit most of the greens and I’ve been cut back to scratch.’’
Liam Holland won Thursday’s men’s Stableford competition with 41 points. Holland (h9) played long and accurately almost throughout and also had the short game – plus a little luck – to convert his chances for a one point win from a charging Emmanuel Madekufamba (h10). Holland played par golf until he missed the green with his tee shot at the 5th but hit straight back with four point birdies at the 6th and 7th.
After again missing the green at the short 8th he came up short with his pitch at the 9th and was then astonished to see his 20 foot putt roll two feet past the hole and then slowly trickle back down the sloping green before teetering on the edge of the hole and topple in for another birdie and a front nine haul of 23 points. A towering five iron onto the 17th green and a regulation five at the last capped a tremendous round and saw a shot cut from his handicap.
Holland said: “The best thing about my round was my driving which helped set up my chances for four birdies and its always great to get those. I had a bit of luck but I rode my luck.’’ Madekufamba scored 40 points for the first 17, including a chip in eagle at the 1st, before hitting his second shot out of bounds at the last.
He said: “I played safe all day but, after hitting a 300 yards drive at the 18th I should have just settled to get on in three and take the points. Instead I lashed at a three iron, shanked it out of bounds and then scuffed the next one.’’ Terry Smith (h20) scored 37 points to finish third. Meanwhile, Terry Martin (h20) won on countback from Chris Gay (h15), David Brindle (h16), Bert Whyte (h13), Tony Wenham (h12), and sixth placed David Gregory after they all scored 32 points on a freezing, if sunny, seniors’ Stableford competition on Monday.