IT’S been an energetic and rewarding start to the new season at Downes Crediton Golf Club.
A couple of weeks of wall to wall sunshine has not only lifted the spirits, but has also provided ideal conditions for many essential jobs to be done.
Once again the grounds team, and some willing and often expert helpers, have put in a lot of work.
As a result the course looks ready for the busy times that lay ahead. Though of course, as this article is being put together, the rain has returned. Well it is early in the year!
The club has many friendly matches during the season. This affords the opportunity to play other Devon courses, and for members of these clubs to visit and play Downes.
There are A team, B team and Mixed team fixtures taking place throughout the year.
Last week our B Team played Honiton Golf Club at home and were very successful, returning a score of Home Team 4 - Visitors 0. A good start to this year’s friendlies.
Last Sunday saw Downes Crediton Golf Club host the final Dartmoor Ladies event of the winter season.
Dartmoor Ladies was founded as an informal winter season competition to help ladies new to golf.
Events have been thwarted several times over winter by the weather, but Sunday stayed fine and dry.
Seventeen ladies enjoyed the competition and the format was a three ball, two scores to count.
The ladies with the best score, a very creditable 82, were Lyn Parry (Downes Crediton), Serena Skinner (Teign Valley), and Jenny Rowe (Stover).
Golf was followed by a Sunday roast in the clubhouse. Well done to all ladies who took part. The next event will take place at Woodbury Park in September.
The regular ladies competitions in the week take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Tuesday roll up is usually a nine hole competition and on Thursdays there’s an 18 and a nine hole event.
This week the Thursday 18 hole individual stableford was won by Angela Storey, with Anne Woodger in second place and Sue Jackson just a point behind in third place.
The nine hole stableford, was won by Sue Sparham.
On Monday, April 14 a large field of Seniors played in the Roger Baird Trophy.
The overall, and Division One winner, with an impressive 41 points, was Dennis Wright. Division Two was won by Andrew Chandler with 38 points.
There was also a nine hole competition and this was won by Mike Haywood, with a commendable score of 20 points.
The Wednesday midweek stableford was headed by Stewart Cowling with a very creditable 40 points, and the traditional Thursday evening nine hole event this week was won by Trevor Sanders with 21 points.
On Saturday, April 19 the weather intervened and the planned competition was postponed due to a late start.
When the course was re opened, despite the weather, a good field turned out for a stableford competition.
This was won by Tommy Carter with an excellent score of 46 points.