THE season is now drawing to a close at Bigbury Golf Club and it is expected that the trophy and honours board competitions will be finalised before the prize-giving event to be held at the end of October, writes Marlene Johnson.

The ladies’ May Rose Bowl is a rather lovely trophy and is a knock-out competition. Players take part in qualifiers and they are then entered into a draw. The Bigbury ladies who made it through to the final this year were Ruth Bickle and Ros Hanley.

They are pictured shaking hands after their match. Ruth, on the left, was very pleased to win the match and will receive the trophy at the club’s annual prize-giving evening next month.

Ruth and Ros had interesting and very competitive matches on their way to the final. Indeed, in her semi-final, Ros, with a playing handicap of 36, played the club’s lowest handicap lady whose course handicap is four.

And, because of golf’s handicap system, the very competitive match went to the 18th hole before being won by Ros. Ruth had a similar very competitive match with her semi-final and also won on the final hole.

The second weekend of September saw very reduced entries in both the ladies’ and men’s Stableford competitions, as a result of the unpleasant conditions. Perhaps understandably, there were no handicap reductions for those who braved the weather and played, with only one birdie two recorded. Well done to Kim Flook, who bagged this on the 17th hole.

Jane Wain was the very pleased winner in the ladies’ competition with a score of 32 Stableford points. In second place was Ros Hanley with a score of 30, and third with a score of 28 points was Margaret Taylor.

The very convincing winner of the men’s competition with a score of 37 Stableford points was Stuart Hanney. In second place was James Keetley with a score of 37 points and there was a countback needed to decide the third place as well with both Jed Spedding and Peter Warley scoring 29 points. The computer showed it was Jed who was third with Peter fourth.

Pictured: Ruth Bickle, left, winner of the May Rose Bowl, shaking hands with runner-up Ros Hanley.

There were 140 entries, in teams of two, for Thurlestone GC’s recent open competition, reports Liz Line.

Staddon Heights boasted the victorious duo with Alex Cole (7) and Zack Rosen (12) getting their hands on the Canada Cup, thanks to a strong score of 73 points.

Their closest challengers, with 68 points, were Andy Lucas (8) and Chris Osment (5).

The junior Stableford competition on Saturday suffered from very strong winds but six youngsters braved the weather all the same.

Jacob Brooker (12) scored 29 points and won on countback ahead of Finn Robson (21). Aiden Mulligan (5) was close behind in third, with 27 points. Well done to all of the juniors who battled against the strong winds.

The club were also delighted to hear that Oliver Chester and Finn Robson, two members of the junior’s section, have been selected to join the Devon Juniors Under 14 team. Well done Ollie and Finn. They join a duo already in the Devon Golf men’s team and Aiden Mulligan in the Devon Golf U16 team.

Many club members are fortunate to be members of other clubs around Britain and some are even at the R&A of St Andrews. The Queen Victoria Jubilee Vase was inaugurated in 1887 to honour the Monarch’s silver jubilee and is the major knockout singles championship during the autumn at St. Andrews, where 240 entrants from around the globe battle it out over six rounds at the Old Course.

Not only did Thurlestone’s Andrew Swan compete but he won, much to the delight of everyone back at the club.

He was victorious, eventually winning on the 20th hole, defeating his opponent from Royal Adelaide, Kym Perks. An amazing performance of resilience and determination that is ever so poignant as Andrew’s father won the same trophy in 1983. There is another connection to Thurlestone- in 1891 and 1893, Harry Colt also won the trophy.

Pictured above is Thurlestone club captain John Rogers (centre) with the pair that won the Canada Cup from Staddon Heights Golf Club. Alex Cole and Zack Rosen won with 73 points.