Leighton Golf Club begin centenary celebrations

Players will tee off on the Plantation Road course tomorrow (Wednesday) morning exactly 100 years after the first ball was struck there on May 21 in 1925.

An earlier attempt in the 1880’s to establish a golf course on land off Grovebury Road failed, but an offer of land years later on the current site and subsequent developments have seen the Leighton club develop into one of the most respected golfing facilities in Bedfordshire and neighbouring counties..

Club President Graham Freer, Captain Trevor McAleese, Ladies Captain Stephanie Howlett and R&A Captain Ian Pattinson, team-up for a shotgun start with club members for a Centenary Drive-In and the unveiling of a Centenary clock located close to the first-tee.

There’s to be a new trophy to be presented to the winner of the Centenary competition, a Centenary Hickory Shaft Texas Scramble and a Centenary Summer Ball in September.

As well as weekly club competitions and inter-club matches, Leighton will also be hosting the County championships in June, the Club Championships in August, a Pro-Am in September and a variety of other competitions.

Whilst the club management team has been completing a busy centenary schedule, it’s been golf as usual for the 600 golfing members.

[] Three players completed the May Midweek Medal with matching scores of 69-nett. Brian Jones claimed top-spot on countback ahead of Denis Leitch and Peter Gadsden ahead of Derek Banwell;

[] Christian Lester won the May medal with a nett 68, two shots clear of Martin King, Neil Laming, Kamil Shah, Ian Down and Adam Cobb;

[] Peter Gadsden and Andrew Money won the Frank Clements trophy with a net 48 beating Martyn and Lila Garrod on countback;

[]Nathan Wilson won the May stableford with 43 points, two clear of Neil Laming;

[] Jamie Thomson won the Beck Trophy with a nett 66, a shot clear of Len Neal;

[] Paul Ellam and Steve Richardson won the Denis Jordan qualifier with 41 points, three clear of Simon Goodall and Alan Youngs;

[] Olivia Campbell won the Leighton Ladies Spring meeting with a nett 69, three shots clear of Laura Pope;

[] Sixty golfers took part in the Leighton Ladies open, Paula Offer (John O’Gaunt) and Lindy Clemmow (Cambridge Country club) winning with 47 points, and

[] Captain Trevor McAleese remains unbeaten in inter-club challenges, his club team returning from Ellesborough with a 3-3 tie. Steve Mrriott and Andy McDonald and Steve Chandler and Peter Sheridan won for Leighton, with Alan Sawyer and Martin Flynn and Bobby McGregor and Barry Witherden halving their match.