Result – Draw  4 - 4

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Sixteen of our number met up at Bedford & County Golf Club at Clapham, north of Bedford, on a warm, muggy morning for their first inter county match for 18 months. At stake the winning of the trophy inaugurated in 2018 by a Mr Barry Page and currently held by our hosts.  Sadly, we only just failed in our objective, the match being halved.

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Many of our players suffered some traumatic experiences in travelling to the venue with multiple roadworks and traffic congestion causing some to arrive midway through a delayed pre-match lunch. Our match manager allegedly having difficulty in getting out of Gloucestershire and blaming a Satnav malfunction!

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Bedfordshire had their own administrative problems in that The Captain of the home club, Leo Conroy, failed to arrive as his attendance had not been confirmed so my opposite number Mike Davies had to make the welcoming speech and his playing partner was recruited from the ranks. Leo did eventually answer the call and played in the final match with Dave Hawkins, the home Match Manager from Bristol whose father was a member of Tracey Park, against our pair also from Tracey Park who knew his Dad! What a coincidence…. 

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Most matches were closely fought affairs. We recorded 4 wins by narrow margins, one loss by one down but three relatively heavy defeats.  I was lucky to play with Trevor Stewart against Mike Davies, who struggled with his game, and Martyn Latch, off 23, who didn’t. We managed to prevail 2&1 as both Mike & Martyn (surprisingly) drove OB on 17th. Clive Fluck & John Dymock and Brendan Nunan & Phil Payne also won their matches 2 & 1. Final pair Alan Parker & Phil Porter winning 3&2. Dereck Buttler & Theo White, Ian Smith & Pat White and Clive Whitson & Richard Salter all lost by big margins. Joe Hoyle & Mike Slatter only losing 1 down.

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We were very well looked after by the catering & bar staff with good service and excellent food. The course was in good condition but quite hilly in parts with trees in rather difficult positions. The par 3 16th for instance being guarded by a stand of tall pines! (Martyn had a 2 with a shot!) In my speech I mentioned Henry Longhurst who, as Martyn informed me, turned out to have been a member of this golf club. Yet another example of what a small world we live in!

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I asked Leo to pass on our thanks to the members and management for facilitating our event and the chef for his excellent steak & mushroom pie.

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Sam Collins.

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