West of England Seniors Scratch Open - 2010

Somerset Golf Union staged the West of England Seniors Scratch Open on Tuesday 11th and Wednesday the 12th May at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club. 

Roy Smethurst and Robin Griffiths (Burnham & Berrow Captain) 

This year's weather was much more benign than in previous years but the wind was still blowing strong enough to cause the players some anxious moments. Scoring was higher than expected with local player John Whitcutt, a Welsh Seniors International, recording a seven over par 80. This was beaten by another local player John Smith, well known on the Seniors Open tour and shortly off to Bled for the Slovenia Seniors Amateur Championship, managed a creditable 79 to lead the field. He was to remain at the top of the leaderboard until the low handicappers came in at the end. Last year's champion, Bill McIntyre from Harpenden, could only manage 80 but Mike Wilde from Camberley Heath went joint top with a 79, but not for long. In the next game in Basil Griffiths from Llanymynech had a 78 but England International Roy Smethurst from Crewe went to the top of the leaderboard with a 77. In the last game out Doug Arnold, another England International from Copthorne, returned a 78 to leave the championship nicely poised with 6 players within 3 shots of the leader.

Wednesday was a bright sunny day with hardly a breath of wind and some good scores were expected. Glynn Rees from Fleetwood did not disappoint with a magnificent 69 to set the target at 151. Whitcutt had a 76 to put him in second place with a 156. Most players were shooting better scores than Tuesday but Rees emained at the top until Smethurst came in with a 74 to tie for first place. With Arnold still out on the course a threeway tie was on the cards but his 74 could only put him in third place. The playoff was to be played over holes 1, 2, 17 and 18 as required but it was to be matchplay with sudden death from the beginning. Rees hit a great drive up the left and came off the bank in a good position. Smethurst, quite deliberately in my opinion, played his tee shot down the right to give him a shot into the flag which was on the left. Rees overcooked his second shot off the back right and had to chip back. Smethurst, also long but still on the green putted up to the hole and when Rees missed his putt he finished it off on the first hole. An exciting finish to a great championship.

This year the Championship Chairman, Dennis Longden, provided all players with a luncheon voucher for a meal at the end of the competition and listening to last year's feedback had spread the prize fund with no player allowed to win more than one prize. With Marks and Spenser's vouchers for best gross and net on Tuesday and Wednesday and 3 gross and net prizes for the 36 holes ten players went home happy to have played on such a magnificent golf course and won a prize as well.

Roy Smethurst thanked the organising committee and said what a terrific course it was and it was such a pleasure to put on such fantastic greens and for certain he would be back next year.

Next year we intend to hold the championship on Tuesday the 3rd and Wednesday the 4th May with the Shankland Trophy at Parkstone on the 5th and 6th in an effort to try and attract a bigger field. If you enjoyed this year's championship please come back next year and bring along a friend, we will be very pleased to see you.

Dennis Longden

Somerset Golf Union

Championship Chairman