Old friends and adversaries battle it out at Trefloyne - Had Idwal’s influence over the weather come to a halt? The answer is no. Both Trefloyne and Tenby seniors met up at the Trefloyne course last Thursday to continue the healthy rivalry they both enjoy. The overnight rain had cleared, but the lively breeze kept the clouds scudding across the sky. This would inevitably influence the distance and direction of the ball as both teams contested for supremacy.

Although unable to play, John Voysey, the Trefloyne captain, was there to meet and greet both teams and also there to ensure his team did him proud in this annual derby. He sent Derek Jones and Brinley Hughes to try and subdue Idwal who was joined this week by Chris Beecher. The Tenby pair was having none of it as they adjusted to the course conditions better than their opponents. Five and three, in Tenby’s favour, was the final score.

A positive start - could it be maintained? Stan Hudson and Alan Jones did their best and were able to match their opponents, Meurig Evans and Alan Sayers, from tee to green. However, the speed and slope of the greens took its toll on the visitors as they fell behind and just couldn’t adjust well enough to restore confidence. They went down by three and two.

Alan Watts had Steve Decosimo to help him this week. Alan, playing off six- handicap, was giving up 14 shots to one of the opposite pair, Dennis Holloway and Gareth Roberts, and that, as well as the punishing rough and fast greens, was a disadvantage he could not overcome. Despite Steve’s assistance, they agreed to shake hands after 15 holes.

Graham Longster and Bob Forrest proved tough opposition for David Rees and Jeff Banfield, too tough for them to overcome on their own course. Like all four-balls out there, they spent some time searching for balls, some of which may have just rolled off the fairway. This match ended after 16 holes with another win for Trefloyne.

Was there any hope for Tenby or was Idwal’s victory going to be the only one? Surely last week’s medal winner, John Stevenson, could restore a bit of pride. He did have Peter Williams to bolster his attempt as they searched for supremacy against Glyn Latcham and Keith Hubbard, the same Keith who played for Tenby on Monday at Carmarthen. Again, the course and the weather influenced the outcome as Trefloyne notched up another win.

Out on the course struggling to ‘dink’ his way against the windy conditions was John Hayhoe. Could he be a saviour? Indeed he could. He was there to set an example to Des Stone as they faced the redoubtable Graham Harrison and the steady Phil Rees.

The Tenby pair opened the scoring with a birdie and a par and improved that to be three up after five holes. They failed to maintain the lead as steady Phil, occasionally helped by Graham, clawed their way back to all-square after nine. Graham was not having the best of days and was heard to utter some guttural sounds as the club or the ball refused to follow his instructions. Despite that, the second nine produced a pattern of one up, all-square for Tenby right to the end, with John Hayhoe ending up on the winning team. He dinked (or is it dunk) his way to success.

Just in front of this pair were Ross James and Mike Whale. Dave Crowley and John Richards were their rivals in a very close encounter, so close they were only two up with two to play. Could they hold on or could Dave and John peg them back on the final holes? Idwal breathed a sigh of relief when they reported in with a two-hole win.

All rested on the final pairing. Deadly Dudley and Jamaica Jim were facing Wayne Connett and Jack Zeraschi. In this titanic struggle, Dudley described his best hole of the day - the 10th. His drive powered straight through the big oak, but landed behind the smaller trees. Undaunted, he fired his second ball over these and onto the green, two putting to earn a four net three. It was that kind of stubbornness which enabled him and Jim to win a half for Tenby.

Alas that was not enough to equalise the scores. Idwal had to be content with the fact that this was one of the closest encounters at Trefloyne for some years, and that the battle continues at Tenby in September. He was so happy that he told another joke. How does he do it?

Results: I. David and C. Beecher bt D. Jones and B. Hughes 5 and 3; S. Hudson and A. Jones lost to M.?Evans and A. Sayers 3 and 2; A.?Watts and S. Decosimo lost to D. Holloway and G.?Roberts 4 and 3; D. Rees and J. Banfield lost to G. Longster and B.?Forest 4 and 2; P. Williams and J.?Stevenson lost to G. Latcham and K. Hubbard 3 and 2; R. James and M. Whale bt D. Crowley and J.?Richards 2 up; D.?Stone and J. Hayhoe bt P. Rees and G. Harrison 1 up; D.?Williams and J. MArtin halved with W. Connett and J. Zeraschi.

Tenby reach semi-final of Dyfed KO Cup

Last Sunday afternoon, Tenby hosted Aberystwyth in the quarter-final of the Jeff Harries Bowl. Each team comprised seven pairs and the format was Greensome Foursomes.

The North Ceredigion side play in Division One of the Dyfed League. The weather improved as the day progressed, although a stiff south-westerly blew throughout.

First out for Tenby were young Luke Harries and Alan Webster. They hammered Ellis Lewis and Matte Evans six and five, putting being one of the main differences.

Dave Morris and Roger Schooling were five up after 10 holes. Despite a mini-wobble they beat Aber’s skipper Pat Jones and Ioan Richards by three and two.

There is about 50 years between Jack Harries and the evergreen Steve Sutcliffe, but they gelled well. Although one down after 12 holes against Dylan Morris and Adrian Davies, the home pair birdied the 13th, 15th, 16th and 17th to win three and one.

Richard Morton and Jerry Whitehouse were coasting at three up after 12 holes against Fred Thomas and Toby Spain, but then lost the next three holes. A win on the 16th followed by two halves ensured a narrow one-up victory.

After leading early on, Tim Davies and Paul Dennehy found themselves one down after 12 holes against Sion Edwards and Martin Haynes, but they fought back and secured a two and one win with a birdie on the short 17th hole.

Aber’s tail wagged, but it was too late. Rob Willcox and Idwal David were never ahead against Martin Harries and the young Graham Saunders. They lost both of their shot holes and were three down after 12 holes. Despite a little rally they fell two and one.

Gary McNeilly and Dai Cope got off to a flying start winning the first three holes against Clive Davies and big-hitting Bryn Shepherd. However, the visitors then claimed five birdies, including on the 16th and 17th, to win by two and one.

Consequently, Tenby won the match by five games to two. Although a home advantage is huge, it was nevertheless a good scalp against a top tier team.

The semi-finals of the Jeff Harries Bowl are played at neutral venues. Tenby now await the draw and details.

A ‘mist’ opportunity for Carmarthen

ixteen Carmarthen seniors travelled to Tenby on Tuesday with their windscreen wipers in full operation. The forecast was for the drizzly rain to ease mid-morning, so they were all optimistic. The rain did subside ,but not before they had all started their round on Tenby links course. Caldey was shrouded in dense grey mist as visibility was down to 200 yards.

Idwal had been unable to weave his magic with regard to the weather, so could he weave his magic on the course. He had gambled on Derek Cole having shaken off jet lag after his long flight home from Canada, enough to support him in his quest for success.

Alas three holes played and his head was still in the clouds, literally. Something then stirred and he recovered enough to help Idwal out of a hole. They then played well against Hywel Morris and Ken Gealy, well enough to finish three and two up.

Stan Hudson and David Blackmore went one better, beating their opposition, Rodri Davies and Ian Griffiths, by four and three. This success was determined by their prowess over the front nine, ending four up. David was on good form and so he and Stan were able to hold their lead as they cruised home to victory.

‘The mist came down, physically and metaphorically,’ said Peter Williams as he described his and David Rees’s match against Elwyn Morgan and Mick Fenney. They were not able to overcome the opposition and lost by four and two.

Phil Carpenter and Roger Scholfield, on the other hand, were able to blend well as a pair. George Laidlaw and Mike Davies, however, kept them honest right to the end, but had to concede to a two and one Tenby win.

John Hancock, reluctantly, had to withdraw, trusting his partner, Paul Bradley to gel with new partner, Steve Decosimo. It was a partnership that blossomed as this pair slipped into a seven-hole lead after eight holes. The group behind witnessed them shake hands with Jim Crawford and Peter Jones on the 12fth green as they cruised to a seven and six win.

At this stage, Tenby were four one to the good. Could this good fortune be maintained? Des Stone and Alan Watts were back in harness and hoping to continue a successful partnership. Rob Thomas and Charles Maliphant had other ideas as they maintained a steady approach to each green in turn. They adapted to the superb Tenby greens and made this a very competitive contest. Eleven out of the 18 holes were halved, with the Carmarthen pair winning four to the three won by Tenby. Rob scored a birdie two on the 17th and thought that was it. However, Des matched him with a 10-foot putt to retain a half and remain one down. Although in good position on the last, the home pair was unable make the much-needed putt to win the hole and halve the match.

The final pairings provided Idwal with a win and a loss. Rod Clarke and Ross James lost out to Fred Steel and Clive Harrison, having to shake hands on the 16th in their three and two defeat.

Brian Waters and Mr. ‘Dink’, John Hayhoe, opened up a four-hole lead on the front nine. However, a come-back by Ian Ritchie and Jimmy Mao came close to levelling the match as they came within two shots of the Tenby duo. Stubborn resistance and a bit of magic enabled the home pair to finalise this encounter on the 17th.

Tenby won the day by five and a half to three and a half. Compensation went to Carmarthen in the raffle where they scooped four prizes to Tenby’s two.