Syd celebrates his birthday in fstyle with Captain's day win

And Syd, who captained Leighton’s Plantation Road club in 2002, put his success down to two new clubs bought for his birthday by wife Jill which he used competitively for the first time in the Bedfordshire Captain’s Spring meeting at The Bedford club.

Syd topped the table with an impressive 39 points – 12 of which were scored on just three holes - to win the event by two shots and leaving four other Leighton colleagues trailing in his slip-stream.

“Jill bought me a new Calloway Epic 3-wood and a rescue club for my birthday and they have made a massive difference to my game” said Syd, adding: “I’m just wondering now whether investing in a new set of irons will add some magic to my game.”

The Captains Golf Society is open to everyone who has been, or is currently, Captain of any of the 23 clubs in Bedfordshire.

Leighton Ladies Captain Avril Simpson raised over £2,000 for charity at a Race Night held at the club. Money raised during her year in office will be donated to her chosen charities later in the year.

Steve Molyneaux claimed top spot in Leighton’s April Medal on Saturday, beating Phil Eddy on countback after both finished with a nett 65.

Andres Valentine took third spot ahead of Stuart Goodwin after both finished with a nett 66, with Peter Townley (nett 67), Tim Dawson and Chris Ive (nett 68) and Billy O’Neill and Jason Brooks (nett 69) in hot pursuit.

Voja Savic, Brandon Waddington, Derek Hobday, Shane Bentley, Colin Beesley, Scott Douglas, Duncan Figg, Stephen Foster and Paul Dowdeswell all finished with a nett score of 70.

David Debell has chalked up a second inter-club win just weeks into his year as Senior Captain, teaming up with Steve Shepherd to kick-start a 6-0 victory over Aylesbury Vale with two matches halved.

They were followed home with wins by Paul Johnson and Roy Virjee, Robbie John and Len Neal, John Bettle and Geoff Allatt, Terry Wright and David Payne and David Roberts and Patrick Quinlan.

Harry Adam and Nigel Phelps halved against Aylesbury’s Bob Smith and Hugh Frood and David Sweetnam and Keith Camp shared the spoils with Vale’s Bob Philips and Steve Waters.

Pictured right - Defeated but not downcast, it was all smiles from Leighton Ladies Captain Avril Simpsonas she presents the Barney Hallam trophy to Seniors skipper David Debell after their annual encounter. Thirty-eight pairs took part in the event, with the men winning 12 of the 19 matches, with three halved.