The Swindlers vs. The Ladies

2023

The second Swindlers vs. The Ladies match took place during the afternoon of Thursday 31 August with twelve players from each team..

Unfortunately, as the day was overcast and miserable no team photo was taken this year! Unlike last year the teams were selected so that husbands and wives did not play against each other!

Match 1.

Karen Shanks & Barbara Owen vs. Colin Reardon & Nick Hayward

We had a wonderfully close match against Karen and Barbara until the back 9. The ladies darted into a 2-hole lead winning the 1st and 2nd but were brought back to all square on the 4th.

Nick and Colin went into the back-9 one up and never lost the lead winning the match 3 & 2.

We're both looking forward to next year's match when hopefully we can finally win one!

(Colin)

Match 2.

Fiona Browning & Debs Sparham vs. Tim Lloyd & Trevor Vincent

We had a lovely match with Tim and Trevor. It was neck and neck throughout 16 holes with ladies taking the initial lead and then the boys pulling back to all square, then the Boys would take the lead and the girls pulled back. All square on the 16th and I happened to say it would be nice if we could finish the match here with it all square - the boys smiled and of course we continued...

With an opportunity for both ladies to putt to win the 17th, only one was needed, so girls now comfortable going into the 18th knowing they couldn't lose. All four had their drives on the 18th and it was down to Fiona Browning - the only player with a shot on the 18th - if she putted in, then the girls halved the hole and won the match. If she missed, then the boys won the hole and the match would have been all square.

Under huge pressure, Fiona putted into the hole for the half and the match. It could not have been closer.

Many thanks to Tim and Trevor for such enjoyable company and a great game.

We are both looking forward to this event next year!

(Debs)

Match 3.

Sue Vincent & Joanne Fawthrop vs. Paul Sims & Bryn Owen

I will never forget Joanne’s fist pump after making a 5 foot putt to keep the match alive on 17 and Sue’s outrage at not getting a shot on 18, after getting shots on the previous 17 holes! Up until then it had been very convivial…

(Bryn)

Match 4.

Jan West & Pat Hilton vs. John Machin & Tim Horan

Pat and Jan were very gracious in their victory over Tim. A real shame that Tim’s drive on the 17th (when he was just dormie 2 down) bounced into the “fairway bush” and he had to play a brilliant single handed reverse shot out in order to liberate it. It was clear from Tim’s magnificent par on the 18th that he was keeping his powder dry until the very last holes in order to seal a draw. I thoroughly enjoyed spectating. Well done Tim, who from now on known will be known as “broad shoulders”.

(John)

Match 5.

Carol Hudson & Tricia Moon vs. Scott Browning & Simon Lloyd

We had a terrific tussle against Tricia and Carol. There was never more than one hole in it and we were never up, just one down or halving.

We thought that we could have gone ahead at the turn but Carol nailed the most superb downhill putt for a birdie on the 9th. The battle continued with the ladies letting us off the hook a little on 14th.

We went in to the 18th dormie one down and managed to win that to halve the match. The ladies were wonderful company and it was a fabulous match.

(Simon)

Simon had been firing his tee shots long and straight all day so why on the 17th did his tee shot take off vertically 60 feet in the air only to come down 10 feet left straight into the laurels! Much to Simon's horror as he continued to shake his head all the way down the 17th fairway wondering how this could happen.

Not to be outdone and dormie for Carol and Tricia at the 18th. Simon thundered his tee shot to 12 feet from the pin! It was getting very tense as Carol who putted extremely all day well knocked in a 10 footer for par needing Simon to sink a birdie putt to halve the match. Which he did magnificently and then to our surprise Simon hooted and hollered running towards me for a hug. The girls and I looked at one and other and said we did not know he was taking it that seriously. Great birdie putt Simon for the half and thank you Carol and Trisha for a fantastic afternoon's golf.

(Scott)

Scott had played very well all day in an extremely tense game with Carol and Trisha, never more than a hole in it. Putts up to 2 feet being given until the 14th when after that hole …. they weren’t. Scott drove left on 14th (you may have heard him as he chastised his ball!!). I followed him further left. We got to the green and Scott sank a monster 20 foot plus putt, looked at me, pumped his fist and said ‘down in 4’. Carol (with a little twinkle in her eye) said ‘ I think you’ll find that’s a 5 Scott’. Scott was heartbroken but he had halved the hole.

(Simon)

Match 6.

Sue Price & Lily Carter vs. Roger Keen & Iain Maxwell

Iain and I should have taken the dog doing a poo on the first fairway as an omen and just conceded the match there and then but we battled on against Lily and Sue who both played really well, we tried several comebacks but only managed to get back to two down.

(Roger)

 

Final results:

Ladies	Swindlers	Result
Karen Shanks & Barbara Owen	Colin Reardon & Nick Hayward	Swindlers win 3 & 1
Debs Sparham & Fiona Browning	Trevor Vincent & Tim Lloyd	Ladies win 1 up
Sue Vincent & Joanne Fawthrop	Paul Sims & Bryn Owen	Swindlers win 1 up
Jan West & Pat Hilton	John Machin & Tim Horan	Ladies win 3 & 1
Carol Hudson & Tricia Moon	Scott Browning & Simon Lloyd	Match Halved
Sue Price & Lily Carter	Roger Keen & Iain Maxwell	Ladies win 2 & 1
	Ladies Win	3.5 to 2.5

Congratulations to the Ladies on another fine win. Next year we'll try harder!