The first day of the new year brings a change to the club officials at Greetham Valley. We say goodbye and thank you to Jim Wheeler and Eileen Pare and welcome new Captains Trevor Smith and Sheila Douty. Last year Jim and Eileen had the Evergreen Care Trust as their charity for the year; for 2013, Trevor and Sheila have gone to the other end of the spectrum. This year they will be supporting the Premature Baby Department in Neo Natal at the Peterborough Hospital, they got the fund off to a good start with four hundred pounds from a raffle on the day. Trevor and Sheila praised the work done by Jim and Eileen in 2012 and promised to keep up the same high standards.

Before the new Captains could take over the reins, the highly pressurised drive in on the tenth took place. This is not a hole for the faint hearted as participants have to get over a lake, a ditch and a large and “inviting” chunk of rough, all in front of a happy band of members cheering them on, fortunately the four managed it with ease. After that the members took part in a nine hole combined pairs stableford competition. 2013 Vice Captains Shaun Denholm and Bev Dolman took the honours on the front nine with thirty three points. Greetham Valley Secretary Dennis Millington and partner Chris Harper were second with thirty.

The back nine was not as straightforward, two teams came in with thirty four points and had to be separated on count back. Matt Williams and Michael Fish had the better final three holes and took the win, Matt’s father in law Glenn Sharpe and Graham Smith were second. 

Neil Harris will take over as first team captain and Alan Bennett will carry on in charge of the second team. Bev Dolman will captain the mixed team and Shaun Denholm the B team. Jackie Friend will become Ladies’ League Captain, Neil Sellars will look after the C team and Rod Wells the Seniors. Sam Ewing takes over as Junior Captain.

Round twelve of the Winter Order of Merit started in fog but after just a couple of holes the sun shone through to give perfect golfing conditions. The competitors took advantage of it and the scoring was noticeably better than in the wet conditions of late. Fred Aspin playing off thirteen shot the best score of the day, forty three to take first place, he lost two shots and will play off eleven next week. Fred who has been in the doldrums over the past few weeks with his putting had help from Greetham Valley Pro Jim Hetherington who quickly put him back on the right track. Steff Dutton was second with forty one points and is docked one shot, he will play off five in the next round; Graham Smith took third spot with forty and was docked point five to take him to three. Fred played with George Grant, Graham Smith and Paul Jenkinson. The quartet all hit the green on the very difficult par three fourteenth and almost came off with the perfect score: Fred, George and Paul all birdied it and Graham parred it.  

Overall leader Adam Clegg now playing off two didn’t have a very good day but still leads the competition with one hundred and fifty two points, Ian Copley is only four points behind him in second. Paul Jenkinson has crept quietly up the table each week and is now in third, less than four points behind Ian. Dave Copley dropped to fourth this week, he has one hundred and forty one points. The ever dependable Graham Smith moves up a position into fifth just eight points behind. Fred Aspin is this week’s biggest mover, he moves from twenty third place up to seventh.

Week ten of the Winter Order of Merit held just before Christmas was a bit of a wash out. Everybody started but due to torrential rain and high winds affecting Rutland and beyond, organiser Neil Harris decided to make it a nine hole roll up instead. With no points on offer this meant that the Copley brothers, Ian and Dave still led the table over Christmas.

Week eleven was also very windy but at least everybody started in dry conditions. When the rain did arrive the lead group had only four holes of it, the last group however had it as a companion from hole seven. With the worst of the weather to contend with it was surprising that the top three came from this group. Nine handicapper Paul Jenkinson, ten handicapper Peter Bagshaw and Adam “Bassett” Clegg off four all had nineteen points on the front nine and after fifteen they were still tied. Paul who had been playing very steady golf up to then had his first bad hole when he double bogied the sixteenth to drop behind the other two. Adam had a good par save but Peter excelled by chipping in for a birdie to take the lead in the group. Peter ended up in the fifteen foot deep green side bunker on the seventeenth with his second shot and managed to get a five out of it, Adam parred it so for the pair of them it was all down to the last hole. The pair parred that too but Paul did one better, he birdied it.

Paul came third overall with thirty six points and was docked point five. Peter and Adam came in with thirty eight and were separated on count back, Peter took second place and lost a shot off his handicap. Adam took the win and lost two shots, he will play off two in week twelve, he also became the tenth winner of the series so far.  

The top twenty have all had shots taken off them apart from Wayne Terrett who is climbing steadily up the leader board and sits in eighth place. Adam, who won last year’s competition, moves up from fourth place to lead the series with a hundred and fifty one. Last week’s leader Ian Copley dropped into second place only four points behind, Dave Copley is now third and sits a further seven points behind. Paul Jenkinson with a hundred and twenty eight moves into fourth and Paul Clegg who didn’t play due to family commitments, drops a place to fifth some twenty nine points behind his son Adam. The biggest jump of the week came from Peter Bagshaw who moves from twenty third to seventh. 

In the following pack eighteen points covers sixth to twentieth position so anybody who can string two or three good weeks together can change the face of the overall table completely.

Air Ambulance Lottery co-ordinator Shaun Denholm and Lincolnshire Ladies’ Secretary Bev Dolman have been announced as Greetham Valley Golf Club’s Vice Captains for 2013. As well as their normal duties, Shaun will also run the B team taking over from Jim Wheeler and Bev will take care of the mixed team run this year by Sheila Douty. They were very happy to have been asked to take up the positions but said that it has been quite hard to keep it a secret from friends and other interested parties. They are excited about working for the club alongside the 2013 Captains, Trevor Smith and Sheila Douty. Picture shows the 2013 Captains Trevor Smith and Sheila Douty, 2012 Captains Jim Wheeler and Eileen Pare alongside Peter Macdonald Pearce, 2012 Seniors’ Captain and the new Vice Captains for next year Shaun Denholm and Bev Dolman. 

Greetham Valley’s Winter Order of Merit has had a different winner every week so far and week nine was no exception. Paul Clegg and Ian Copley both came in with forty one points and had to be separated on count back. Paul took the win and the fifty points, he was also docked two shots and next week will play off four. For Ian it was bittersweet, this is the third time that he has lost out on first place but he drops only one shot and will play off ten next week. George Grant was third with fifty points and looses point five off his handicap.

The top of the order of merit table looks like a family affair at the moment. Ian has overtaken his brother Dave to lead overall with a hundred and forty two points, long time leader Dave is eleven points behind. Paul Clegg’s win has seen him jump from sixteenth to third with a hundred and twenty points just eleven points ahead of last years winner, his son Adam. Paul Jenkinson has been playing a very steady game and without winning has moved up from tenth to fifth place with ninety eight points.

Organiser Neil Harris said that it has never been this open where a top three place can shoot somebody up the table so quickly.

Eight handicapper Neil Lowndes won division one of the seniors medal with a net seventy two shooting the lowest gross along the way. David Wallace was second on count back from Malcolm Barnes, they both had a net seventy three. Ian Kellam won division two with a net seventy two on count back from Peter Wood and Tony King was third with seventy three.

The great and the good gathered at Greetham Valley for the end of year Prize Presentation Night. First thing on the agenda was to hand over a cheque to the Evergreen Care Trust who have been this year’s Captains’ Charity. 2012 Club Captains Jim Wheeler and Eileen Pare said that they were proud of the efforts of the membership, who had raised £2354 for the trust. Suzi Wheatley representing Evergreen said that this would go a long way to helping some of the over five hundred people a week that they support in the Stamford and Bourne area. Suzi went on to say that they totally rely upon gestures like this as they get no lottery or government funding.

Colin Easson Motors have been sponsoring a competition since the inception of Greetham Valley; Roly Easson said that his family and staff  look forward to their competition day at Greetham Valley every year. This year Susan Ker won for the Ladies, James Horwood took the Men’s prize and Jordan Burdall won the junior competition in his last year as a junior.  James Ablett who started playing a year ago was also a multiple winner, he won the Rabbits Trophy, the Colin Easson Cup for the best net score in the 19 to 28 Club Championship and the Hinch Cup for the best gross. He is looking forward to getting his handicap cut to eighteen so that he can play in the 0-18 Club Championship.    

Sue Ker who has only been playing for three years also won the Ladies’ Medal Winners Trophy. Sue has had a fantastic year, dropping four shots off her handicap, winning the previously mentioned Colin Easson Motors competitionas well as a medal and the Dryden Salver. She also represented the club in the County Jubilee Trophy.

As well as the win in the Colin Easson Motors competition, Jordan Burdall also won Herridge Cup and the Clark Shield for the best gross and net in the Junior Club Championship. Jordan was also named as the Junior Golfer of the Year. This is presented to the Junior for not only a great performance throughout the year but for their general demeanour, cheerfulness, co-operation and respect for fellow members. Jordan started the year off with a handicap of two and now plays off scratch.   

Going from one end of the spectrum to the other, Neil Harris won the Seniors’ Golfer of the Year trophy as well as the Seniors’ Doubles with Bob King; Neil also won a medal.

Fraser Denholm had a large drop in handicap from thirteen to six, Fraser won the Gents’ Anniversary Trophy. Christine Edwards won  the Ladies Anniversary Trophy. 

Cathy Steele, who only took up the game seriously in April, won the Rosemary Thomas Cup which is presented to the most improved Lady Golfer. Cathy also won two medals, the Ladies’ Invitation and has dropped six shots off her handicap.

Senior club member Peter Giblett saw his handicap drop from thirteen to ten and was awarded the Stuart Dodd Trophy for the most improved golfer of the year. Peter also won the Stan Holden Trophy, the Veterans’ Cup and two medals.

County players Emma Tipping and Sophie Beardsall were big winners again this year. Emma won the Pat Holloway Trophy, a medal and the Hodgkinson Cup for the Ladies Knockout Singles and was third in the Colin Easson Motors competition. Sophie was crowned Ladies’ Champion for the eighth year in succession and won the Waycot Bowl. She also won three medals and with considerable help from partner Sally Bowker, won the Greetham Cup for the Ladies’ Doubles. Both Emma and Sophie represented the County and the Greetham Scratch team with great success this year.

Alan Bennet and Christine Edwards won the Martins Mixed Foursomes early in the year, Alan with Adam Clegg was also successful in the Men’sTudor Springs Foursomes, Adam also took home a medal. Not to be outdone Adam’s father Paul Clegg won the division one singles and was presented with the Rutland Shield, Bill Skinner won division two.  

In the Seniors Singles, John Taylor won the Brian Hockey Trophy for division one, Peter Morris won division two and the Mike Churchill Trophy.

The Club Winter League starts in just a few day’s time and the 2011/2012 winners Iain Bain and Dave Morgan will be trying to get off to a good start. The Stimson Trophy is for family members only, Gary and Steven Graham were this year’s winners.

Prizes were presented to winners of individual competitions such as the Gill Christie Memorial Trophy which was won by Beryl Crosland, Beryl also won a medal. Trevor Smith won the Cunningham Cup for the best net score in the Club Championship as well as the President’s Putter for winning the championship. Ladies Vice Captain Sheila Douty won the Lady Landover Trophy and a medal. Shaun Greetham won the Moore Stephens Trophy in the Men’s competition and Angela Wheeler won it for the Ladies. The Limestone Trophy was presented to Andrew Queen. 

Mr Bob and Mrs Barbara Ford, both former Club Captains, sponsor the Former Captains’ competitions; Greetham Valley Secretary Dennis Millington won the Bob Ford and Jackie Friend the Barbara Ford Trophy. The Chris Southwell Memorial Salver was awarded to Graham Smith and  James Cure won the Sturgess Volvo Trophy. Jo Morris hasn’t been playing for very long but she was still good enough to win the Ladies’ Bunny Cup and to take the longest drive in the Colin Easson Motors competition. Eve Mills won the Meadows World Travel Charity Trophy and Geoff Williams the President’s charity Day Trophy.

In Doubles competitions, Lincolnshire Ladies’ Secretary Bev Dolman and partner Jackie Bayley won the Ladies’ Limestone Trophy. The Dickinson Mixed Trophy was won by Juniors’ Captain Ryan Tarrant and Jackie Friend. Leon Wych and Gary Ferrar were the winners of the Pairs Knockout and were presented with the Begy Trophy.

Other winners were: 
Gents Medals: Matt Williams, Steve Lesiakowski, Carl Causbrook and Robin Bell.

Ladies Medals: Leslie Young, Gilly Grant and Rita Knapp.

Seniors Medals: David Aldred (twice), Derek Palmer, Colin Avery, John Dowding, Dennis Cleggett, Dick Thirlwell, Alan Hodgkinson, Les Dickinson and Trevor Davis.  

The Ladies Scratch Team captained by Gilly Grant were congratulated on winning the scratch league for the second year in succession.   

A great prize presentation night was had by all and Captains Jim Wheeler and Eileen Pare paid tribute to the hard work of Dennis Millington who was helped on the night by President Martin Boughton and Wayne Terrett. A great round of applause was also given for the hard working Greetham Valley green staff led by course manager Adi Porter, without whom none of these competitions would be able to be played at the level they are.  

Well done to all.