EAST REGION INTER COUNTY MATCH PLAY

The 1st team travelled to Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands G.C to play the 2019 East Region County match week. The course was  in lovely condition with fast  greens and lots of hills to climb up and down.

We play 3 foursomes in the morning, followed by 6 singles matches playing for a total of 9 points. We  had a squad of 8 which was down to 7 after we lost Alice to a bad back and we also our President to an allergic reaction to tree pollen !! We had a tough start to what proved to be a very tough week of competitive golf. It was a week when having played well in the foursomes for the most part, we just couldn’t convert this into overall match wins.

We had a team consisting of youth and experience and would like to congratulate Georgia Parker on making the 1st of many, I am sure county match weeks.

Going forward the GB are looking into starting up the 2nd team so that in the next few years we will have strength in depth and players coming into the 1st team have some experience of playing this type of competition. It is a big step up from junior golf.

I would like to thank Vicky, Mo and the team for all their hard work during the week. Kevin Lovelock for his continued work coaching the team. Also a big thanks to all the caddies and supporters who came to Aspley Guise, the team very much appreciates all the support we get.

Amanda Norman

The match against Cambs & Hunts proved to be the highlight of the week so far for our team, who fought their way to a halved match overall.  Everyone is working hard but, in general, Suffolk are finding the going tough and a muscular niggle or two might be affecting the outcomes of the individual matches.  

The team’s Thursday game was against Hertfordshire who already have two match wins on the board and were obviously hoping for a third success which would bring them level with Norfolk, will be delighted to have finished the day with a 6-3 scoreline.   It was not an easy victory.   As on the previous two days, Suffolk was ahead at lunchtime with two foursomes points on the board.

Lottie Whyman and Sharon Luckman had a fine win in the morning despite a slight dispute over the rules but Lottie wasn’t quite on her game after lunch.  Her opponent was also the recipient of a barrage of serendipity and she made the most of her good fortune.   

Georgia Parker, who has made the step up to the ladies’ level from the Junior golfing scene, is doing well.   She has a pragmatic approach to the matches and, win or lose, she is not fazed by the occasion.   Today she lost on the eighteenth. 

Lils James also lost on the last hole and the only success from the six singles matches came from Abbie Symonds. Over her county golfing career, Abbie’s efforts in a good cause have been outstanding and it is good to see her maintaining her battling qualities.    

Suffolk’s foursomes play over the four days has been very productive but, unfortunately, their usual ability to turn the singles around has deserted them. Of course, Norfolk will be hoping to keep their momentum going with a win over Essex, taking their match tally to four and keeping their noses in front in the race for the Championship Finals place.

Essex triumphed today though there were some close tussles and the standout Suffolk performance came from the partnership of Alice Barlow and Abbie Symonds playing Sophie Wheeler and Ashley Chalmers.  Alice and Abbie were three down after fourteen holes but stormed through the next four to win 1 up.

Suffolk were in a good position going into the singles, having won two of the morning foursomes.   Lottie Whyman and Sharon Luckman bt Louise Caldon and Amanda Colgate Herbert by just the one hole while Amanda Norman and Lils James narrowly lost to Megan Henry and Harriet Lynch 2/1.

In the singles, Essex got the bit between their teeth, winning five of the six singles for a 6-3 victory.   Lottie Whyman flew the flag for Suffolk, beating Chloe Arthur by 4/3. 

Tomorrow Suffolk will play Cambs & Hunts and a win would give them a boost.   A look at the weather forecast for the venue is not exactly encouraging, but we will all be hoping for the best and wishing the team good fortune.

Results (Suffolk names first)

Foursomes:  Alice Barlow & Abbie Symonds bt Sophie Wheeler & Ashley Chalmers 1 up;  Lottie Whyman & Sharon Luckman bt Louise Caldon & Amanda Colgate Herbert 1 up;  Amanda Norman & Lils James lost to Megan Henry & Harriet Lynch 2/1.

Singles:  Barlow lost to Lynch 4/3;  Whyman bt Chloe Arthur 4/3;  Georgia Parker lost to Katy Yates 5/3;  Luckman lost to Caldon 2/1;  Symonds lost to Ashley Croft 2dn;  Norman lost to Chalmers 1dn.

Final Result:  Suffolk 3, Essex 6.

 Juliet-Latimer Jones