RAFGA League of Champions – Woodhall Spa, 25/26 Mar 10

After a winter that most golfers would sooner forget, the RAFGA teed-up its opening 2010 competitive event at Woodhall Spa on 25th & 26th March. Eight teams of six players gathered eagerly to represent their stations of RAF Boulmer, RAF Cosford, RAF Honington, RAF Odiham, RAF Leuchars, MoD St Athan, RAF Waddington and RAF Wyton/Brampton as reward for winning their respective 2009 leagues across the United Kingdom.

The first day of this full-handicap stableford competition saw the players tackle a damp Bracken course in a blustery south-easterly wind, with light rain showers threatening to complicate matters throughout the day. With little roll available, the course played reasonably long from the white tees and the undulating greens presented ample opportunity to spoil putting averages, especially as green-keeping staff had placed the pins at various awkward extremes. Indeed, the points scored proved disappointingly low compared to previous years; perhaps the UK’s terrible winter really had taken its toll, and players just weren’t prepared as much as they would have liked? Nevertheless, RAF Odiham took the early lead with their best five scores aggregating 148 points, closely followed by RAF Waddington and RAF Boulmer, both just 3 pts behind. RAF Odiham’s Jago Jones-Rogers (h'cap 6) was the leading individual on The Bracken with 35 pts, followed by three players on 34 pts – Richie Matthews (Waddington, 6), Baz Price (RAF Cosford, 19) and Mike Farrell (RAF Boulmer, 8).

A more stable weather pattern greeted competitors for an early start on Day Two, but a consistent two-club wind demanded much from the players on the far more mature and spectacular Hotchkin course. Most made light work of the front nine using a decent tailwind to best advantage but the Hotchkin’s back nine is a formidable test, even in calm conditions, and many struggled into wind on their way home. However, with the pins cut in friendly places, combined with yellow tees and more roll than the previous day, some were able to keep their spirits high and feel satisfied with their efforts to give their team a chance of the title. So tough was the overall challenge that nobody played to their handicap, but Terry Stephenson (Honington, 19) generated a commendable 35 pts to pip Darren Gould (Leuchars, Scratch) and Colin Kirkham (Boulmer, 19) who both carded a respectable 34 pts. And so it was, RAF Boulmer’s players tallied 298 pts to overhaul first-day leaders RAF Odiham and deservedly earn the crown, 2010 League of Champion Winners. Full results.

As always at Woodhall Spa, we were made to feel very welcome and everyone appreciated the quality of the venue; the two days were played with excellent camaraderie and I am delighted that many players expressed their personal gratitude to RAFGA Officials. My own thanks go to Sqn Ldr Damian Townsend and WO Col Yates for their support and patient execution of our first event. We are already looking ahead to the RAF Individual Championships at Woodhall Spa, 21-23 June.

Words by Wg Cdr Richie Matthews, Director of Golf, RAFGA.

The winning team: RAF Boulmer. Dean Littlewood (Capt), Colin Kirkham, Dave Blackburn, Mike Farrell, John McCaffrey, Martin Hull, with Richie Matthews (centre).

Runners-Up: RAF Odiham. Andy Smythe (Capt), Jago Jones-Rogers, Joe Bains, Neil Staly, Flash Young, Ginner Robinson, with Richie Matthews (centre).