Young golfers queueing up to join at Leighton Buzzard
Wannabe golfers have been queuing up to join Leighton Buzzard Golf Club, with junior membership having trebled in the first half of the year.
The club now has more than 70 junior members, with more expressing an interest in signing up, Graham Freer told guests at Sunday’s annual Presidents’ lunch.
And the retired fire officer, currently heading a team planning events to celebrate the centenary of the club which was founded in May 1925, is in “extremely good health”, with the management team strengthened by the recent appointment of club general manager Jonathan Dove, joining club professional Kevin Evans and course manager Paul Harris.and his team of green staff.
Said Graham: “Over the past decade or so, former and current members have developed a course which is the envy of the County and we continue to review further ways of enhancing facilities for our members.”
The club currently has around 600 full members and a lengthy list of applicants waiting to join.
*More than 150 members took part in Saturday’s Presidents’ Putter competition won by Stephen Baines with an impressive nett 67, a shot clear of runner-up Mark Vincent, Ian Woodman, Ryan Lafferty, Jamie Bather, Giovanni Cerosio and Mark Sandham, with Club Captain Stuart Mills and Ladies Vice Captain elect Josie Sheridan heading a chasing pack with nett 69s.
A competition in memory of late long-term and much respected Leighton member Colin Wilson attracted 28 teams of four players, with Stuart McLeod, Graham Magill, Robert Cross and David Rae winning with 125 points, two shots clear of runners-up Colin Beesley, John Mckay, Gregory White and Nick Tingey, with Steve Counsell, Dharm Naveen Diwaker, Colin Jeffery and Nathan Wilson third on countback.
Leighton Seniors drew 3-3 against Dunstable Downs, with wins by skipper John Clavey and Robin Lawes, Richard Samuels and William Hawkes, Anton Bednarek and Derek Read, with Keith Griffiths and Richard Lancaster halving their match.
Christine Rimmer won Barbara Rickard’s Ladies Captains Day event with an impressive 42 points, two clear of runner-up Michelle Plummer. Other winners were: Division 1 – Anne Tilbury, 38pts; Division 2 – Jackie Phelps, 39pts.