Haywards Heath Golf Club
Tuesday 21st May 2024
Senior Section Sign Up - Monday May 20
Brian Watt, armed with a new set of wedges, scrambled his way to a well-deserved victory in Monday’s Seniors Sign Up.
Brian’s 36 Stableford Points was too good for the rest of the 18-strong field, although Dave Gough (34 points), Bruce Munro and Clive Driver (both with 33) ran him close.
Brian, a consistent performer who regularly finishes with 30-plus points, last won a Sign Up in September, 2020 (although he missed more than six months following hip surgery) - and looked in danger of just missing out again.
With four to play, he was three points adrift of Dave but 10 points in those final holes saw him home.
“I was scrambling all day, starting with a punched 6 iron from under the trees that made the green on the 1st to an up-and-down for another par on the last,” Brian said.
Back in the groove
“I’ve just bought some new Titleist wedges, with a lot of help from the guys in the pro shop, and they’ve made all the difference.
”The quality of contact is better - you can hear the click - they’re more forgiving… and it’s nice to have some grooves again!”
Dave, meanwhile, saw his hopes sink in the sand on the 15th. He found the front bunker and then - “I was too greedy” - took three to get out.
But his runner-up place was an impressive return after missing six weeks with a left hand tendon problem which led to him having a cortisone injection and using a padded glove and jumbo grips to alleviate the discomfort.
Tuesday 14th May 2024
Senior Section Sign Up - Mon May 13
Sometimes it takes a moment or two of brilliance to win a competition. At other times, it’s all about rolling up one’s sleeves.
John Dawson had to do both on Monday to clinch his first Sign-Up win in just over a year.
John posted two pars and 8 Stableford points in his final three holes to finish on 38, three clear of John Stratton and six ahead of Doug Fisher.
But his victory was thrown into doubt at the 16th when he couldn’t find his ball after a pulled approach.
“There were two or three drill holes full of very muddy water to the left of the green,” he said. “So I knelt down by the largest one, rolled up my sleeve, felt around a bit… and came out with three balls - including my own!
“I had a good score going so it had to be done.”
Drive for dough, putt for dough
John subsequently chipped on to two feet for a 3-point par and repeated the feat on 17 with a superb up-and-down from the bunker.
His best came at the 5th, a good drive followed by a 60-yard pitch and a knee-shaking 6ft downhill putt for birdie.
”My driving was good today - I’ve been working on it for a while - and I holed out well,” John added. “I’ve probably had six different putting strokes in the last six months. So it’s nice to end my lean spell.”
John’s score was his best since October 2022. His last Sign-Up win came in April 2023.
Derek hits comeback trail
Monday’s competition also featured Derek Taylor, returning to Sign-Up golf after almost 8 months out and posting a creditable 29 points.
Having had a left hip replaced nine years ago, Derek completed the set in February following a fine 2023 season which saw him lift five Senior Section trophies.
”I came back from my surgery and rehab to discover that, under the new WHS calculation, I get one less shot!” he said.
“But the operation was a big success - I was originally diagnosed with sciatica - and I’m now pain-free, if still a bit stiff, especially when rotating in the backswing. It’s just great to be back.”
Friday 10th May 2024
Seniors Monthly Mug competition - Thursday May 9
Martyn Taylor returned from holiday to post his best score in two years while claiming the May edition of the Seniors Monthly Mug competition.
Martyn led the field from the very first hole to win with 38 Stableford points, seeing off March winner John Blackwell (31), and April winner Tony Jones (28).
“I’d just come back from a lovely holiday - the last time I played at Haywards Heath was the previous Monthly Mug - and the four-week lay-off seemed to help,” he said.
”I birdied the first - my wedge approach to around 8 or 10 feet, leaving an uphill putt, was probably the best shot of the round! - and then kept on hitting fairways.
“That was the secret - as well as the encouragement from my playing partners, Steve (Young) and Dave (Bradford).”
Martyn, playing off 17.5, had just got back from completing the North Coast 500 - a scenic 516-mile drive around the north coast of Scotland.
He has been playing at Haywards Heath for over 20 years. At his best, he commanded a handicap of 7.6 “ but I could hit the ball a lot further back then!”
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