Sun 17th Jul
Held at the delightful and challenging Woking GC in June each year. Harrow has tasted grest success in all competitions over the years.
George Rothman, Past President and regular competitor has provided a comprehensive report on this year’s performances.
SENIOR DARWIN (Over 65) 14/15 June 2011. We had overall our weakest team since at least 2001, with only 4 front-line players (roughly 10 h/cap or a little under), and 3 in the 13 to 15 bracket. They produced our best result for at least 10 years. Several front-liners were unavailable: it is hoped that those who did play, and those who couldn’t play, will note the dates for next year, a week later, TUES 19/WED 20 June 2012, and try hard to leave at least one of the 2 days free.
My warmest thanks to the entire team of 7 who were all happy to turn out for the duration, and all of whom performed excellently. We have had tougher draws for the 1st round or two. The end stages in our first 3 matches were all very tight, and could have gone either way: congratulations to all our men for holding on under pressure, which had to be resisted in many of the matches. Results were:-
- Round 1 v Clifton Tues a.m. Harrow won 2 1/2 – 1/2
- Jeffrey Bonas & Charles Wade won by 1 hole.
- Stephen Proctor & ** Hugh Stevenson won 7/6
- David Moseley & John Tansley halved.
- ** Congratulations, Hugh, on your relatively recent knighthood!
- Round 2 v Uppingham Tues p.m. Harrow won 2 – 1
- Proctor & Stevenson won 3/1
- Bonas & Wade won by 2 holes
- Tansley & Tom Webb lost 3/2 (6 down after 8 holes)
- Round 3 v Eton (Semi-final) Wed a.m. Harrow won 2 – 1
- Tansley & Webb lost 4/3
- Proctor & Stevenson won at 20th
- Bonas & Wade won 6/5
Tansley & Webb were again 6 down, so recovered well again. The second match was pivotal. Our boys were 3 up, 6 to play, but then lost the next 3 holes. It continued difficult on the 16th, 17th & 18th, the momentum being with Eton, and the pressure intense. With great character we held out, and despite problems at the 19th, we won solidly at the 20th. Stephen Proctor (very ably assisted by Hugh Stevenson) maintained his 100% record against Eton, largely in Hewitt matches. We had beaten a considerably stronger side – “the old enemy”, and well exceeded our expectations.
- Round 4 v Charterhouse (Final) Wed p.m. Harrow lost 0 – 3
- George Rothman & Webb lost 3/1
- Proctor & Stevenson lost 7/6
- Bonas & Wade lost 5/4
A step too far, against the best school, playing well, and our boys not fully trained for 4 rounds!
VETERAN DARWIN (Over 75) 15 June p.m. Captain Noel Collison’s plan was for Proctor & Rothman to try for the main scratch prize, won by Wellington with 38 pts. But we had to give the Senior Darwin Final priority by both playing in it (I had only one round in me, it being my first round back after my broken shoulder). Accordingly Harrow entered one pair only – Noel Collison himself (80) and Ivan Stewart (aged 90). They brilliantly won the Age-Handicap event with 38 points, satisfyingly beating Eton into 2nd place with 36 pts. This was their 3rd win together, and in Ivan’s case his 6th, all in the last few years, the other 3 wins being with Ronnie Watson, who sadly died earlier this year, at 91.
BERNARD DARWIN TROPHY (over 55) 30 June/(1 July). Harrow were drawn against strong Charterhouse in rd 1. We did not have our strongest side. It was a fairly narrow defeat, with the result in question to the 17th green.
- Jeffrey Bonas (Capt) & Thomas Olesen lost 4 & 3
- Andrew Aylwin & Stephen Posford lost 2 & 1
- Foley Gort & John Sheffield won 3 & 2 (copy by post to Foley Gort)
The Darwin Plate had a higher standard than usual, since several of the fancied schools, including Tonbridge went out in the first round. The Plate is a scratch stableford off yellow tees, with the best 2 of 3 foursomes pairings counting. The winners, Tonbridge, had a record 63 pts (34 + 29). Second with 60 were Radley. Rugby 58; Malvern 55; Harrow & The Leys, who played with us each got 54, which would have been fairly close in previous years. Gort & Posford got 27, as did George Rothman & Sheffield. Aylwin & Olesen were our 3rd pair. Would all potential players PLEASE NOTE THE DATES FOR NEXT YEAR, A WEEK LATER – THURS 5/FRI 6 JULY 2012, AND TRY HARD TO BE AVAILABLE!!
