The Forty Fourth Mixed Foursomes Championship was played on Sunday May 28 on a fine but cool afternoon. A capacity field of 34 pairs set out to try and win the coveted Championship and have thir names inscribed on the O and S ALLOM BOWL – the winners being the combination with the best gross score over the 18 holes.
The Bowl was presented to the club in 1970 by OG and STELLA ALLOM who were founding members of the club and Life Members. The Perpetual Trophy was presented to the club in recognition of nearly 40 years of enjoyable membership.
This year’s event was once again proudly sponsored by Veni Tang and Gary Hing.
Not only were Veni and Gary the sponsors but they were also the defending champions – could they make it a double? 10 time winners Cath Bellemore and Paul Baster were looking to make it eleven titles and Chris and Stewart Wharton were trying to repeat their 2020 performance.
Other fancied pairings appeared to be Rhonda Moore and Shane Maloney and Patricia and Steven Noske.
A brief overview –
After nine holes Cath and Paul (4 over) were 2 shots in front of the defending champs and Joan Brown and Gavin Furness (6 over). The winner would more than likely come from one of these three pairings.
Cath and Paul started the back nine slowly and were 4 over after the first 5 holes and gave the others a glimour of hope.
Veni and Gary were 7 over after their first five holes and 4 adrift.
Joan and Gavin were also 7 over and 4 back from the leaders.
All went awry for the two chasing pairs over the final 4 holes and they fell down the leaderboard whilst the leaders settled and played the final 4 holes 1 over to claim their eleventh title by 8 shots from Rhonda Moore and Shane Maloney.
The Noskes made up some ground over the final nine holes to finish third 3 shots back, with the defending champions, Veni Tang and GaryHing and Joan Brown and Gavin Furness a further shot back.
So congratulations to the ten times Champions Cath Bellemore and Paul Baster for claiming their eleventh title.
GROSS LEADERS – Cath Bellemore and Paul Baster- 81, Rhonda Moore and Shane Maloney – 89, Patricia Noske and Steve Noske – 92, Veni Tang and Gary Hing – 93, Joan Brown and Gavin Furness – 93
The Nett event was very competitively contested amongst the 34 pairs and this was won by Jane and Stuart Waters with an excellent score of 72.5. The 2022 winners, Fiona and Bruce Palmer, were runners-up with 75.
Apart from the Champions, Cath and Paul, who had nett 71.5, other good nett scores came from Jamie Wehr and Richard Clarke (75.5), Rhonda Moore and Shane Maloney (76.5).
Special thanks to the sponsors, Veni Tang and Gary Hing for their support of this year’s Mixed Foursomes Championship.
Congratulations to the course staff for the presentation of the course on the day. It ceratinly has come on in the last 6 months.The house staff and pro shop staff also contributed to a successful day.
The next Sunday Mixed event on the calendar is The Players’ Challenge (sponsored by Mara Pritchard and Paul Jenkins) scheduled to be played on Sunday July 2 – Individual Stableford from the Red/YellowTees – with the defending champion Jeff Hamdorf looking forward to the day.
Finally congratulations to our 2023 Champions –
CATH BELLEMORE AND PAUL BASTER
From – Greg Fitzhardinge
