Impressive below-par scores bring Leighton Buzzard golfers coveted club trophies

President’s Putter hot-shots (from left) John Dunning, winner Mark Sandham, Club President Brian Carter, Carolyn Chamberlain and Voja Savic.

Two Leighton Buzzard golfers have won coveted club competitions after carding impressive below-par scores within three days of each other.

Leighton-based London cabbie David Nero won the Senior’s Spencer Cup with an eight-under-handicap 44 points, while on Saturday, company director Mark Sandham beat more than 130 club colleagues after carding a nett 65 to top the leader board in the annual Presidents’ Putter event.

David is enjoying a purple patch after a period of “self analysis” after a barren patch prior to which he won three competitions in 12 months.

“I’ve focused on keeping my game as simple as possible, taking my punishment after hitting a bad shot, and not being too technical,” said David, who beat Steve Marriott by a shot, with Barry Nappin taking third place with 41 points.

For Thomson Reuters boss Mark, holing out on 11 holes with single putts was the major factor in him winning his first singles event in his 22 years as a member of the Plantation Road club.

Although he has previously been on the victory podium in three other team competitions, the solo-win had eluded him – until his master-class performance on Leighton’s top-quality greens.

“It was one of those days golfers dream about,” said Cumbrian Mark, adding: “I hope there are more to come.”

Voja Savic finished runner-up in the Presidents’ Putter event, pipping Jonathan Dunning on countback after both finished with nett 66s, while Mark’s son Alex had to be content with 46th place despite carding a nett 73.

Top lady finisher was Carolyn Chamberlain with a nett 71 while Mark Leng and Sandra Bellis both won nearest-the-pin prizes.

Leighton Buzzard Golf Club’s, David Hawkins, Gary Bennett, Daniel Lamont and Gareth Mccready teamed up to win Leighton’s Colin Wilson Remembrance Bowl with a score of 129, a shot clear of Colin Beesley, Daniel Latimer, Stuart McLeod and Gregory White, with Steve Leng, and Adrian, Edward and George Stephenson third with 127 points.

Leighton Seniors scored an impressive 3-2 win over Dunstable Downs, with skipper Denis Leitch and Ian Rimmer setting the standard with an opening three-hole win.

Keith Griffiths and David Woulds impressed with a six hole win, and with Graham Pellow and Barry Nappin halving their match, Derek Read and Danny Nairne secured a Leighton victory with a single hole win in their match.

Chris Newnham won the Sandhouse Golf Society Conemarra Trophy at Wellingborough with 38 points, beating Colin Aitken on countback, with Mark Vincent taking third place.