Vale I V Glamorganshire I’s

Glamorganshire Golf Clubs First Team travelled away to The Vale of Glamorgan Golf Club and came away with a fantastic half, that see’s the First Team back on level points for the season.
With Club Champion Matt Mullooly away Glamorganshire’s strength in-depth was tested, and Harry Rigby made his return to the first Team after a 2 year absence, playing with Nick Grimmitt. They got off to a solid start all square through 9 holes, playing against Zach Gould the Vale’s talisman and rising Welsh talent.
Jordan Price-Davies and Chris Payne followed and they had their hands full from the outset going 3 down early on.
Stalwarts Simon Curle and Brian Rigby were last to fire, and they started with clear intent rolling out 6 straight pars to go 1up.
With Harry Rigby and Nick Grimmitt heading into the par five 18th hole 1 up it looked like a dream start, but a final hole birdie from the Vale was enough to snatch a half in this crucial game.
Jordan Price-Davies and Chris Payne had battled back from 3 down to all square only to slip 1 down playing the 17th hole, where a solid iron into the heart of the green was enough for the Vale to secure the first clear point.
Simon Curle and Brian Rigby battled to the par five 18th hole all square, where Simon Curle launched a bomb of a drive over 300 yards down the fairway, only for Brian Rigby to rip his iron approach to 15 inches and secure a hugely important halved match for the Glamorganshire boys.
With last weeks loss away to Neath and a half at home and away with the Vale, the First Team have got their Premier League season back on track in the defence of their title.
Next week see’s the first Team travel away to Pyle & Kenfig, with 5 of the 6 first Team away warm weather training in Arizona.

Glamorganshire I V Vale I

Glamorganshire Golf Clubs Premier League Champions played The Vale in the first game of the season, only managing a half at home.
With an early start to the season the howling windy conditions resembled a November night, and the first pairing of Club Champion Matt Mullooly and Nick Grimmitt were clearly cold promptly going 2 down.
Second out, Jordan Price-Davies and Chris Payne also started badly and found themselves at 2 down through 5 holes, with the anchor pair of Simon Curle and Brian Rigby suffering much the same at 2 down also.
Matt Mullooly and Nick Grimmitt faced a 10 foot putt on the 9th with the Vale only 3 foot away, with the game in the balance, Matt’s superb holed putt was enough to make the Vale miss and you could sense the turn in this game, which clearly showed as Matt & Nick won the next 3 holes.
Jordan Price-Davies and Chris Payne had wrestled back their bad start with a great run of 7 pars in the tough conditions, and they got their noses in front at 1 up.
Simon Curle and Brian Rigby woke up following a superb bunker shot by Brian Rigby on the 10th that Simon converted, which they followed with a great birdie down the 11th to go all square.
Playing the last 12 holes in 2 under par Matt and Nick wrapped up a superb win up on the 15th green, however, both of Glamorganshire’s remaining pairs had lost holes to leave both matches on the course all square.
Chris Payne faced 200 yards into the wind at the troublesome 18th hole, where he slammed a superb iron into the heart of the green, but a superb chip from short right by the Vale was enough to scrape them a vital half.
Simon Curle and Brian Rigby lost the 17th hole leaving them 1 down playing the 18th, where the Vale hit a superb pressure iron to the middle of the green which was enough to claim the last game and salvage a half from the jaws of defeat.
Glamorganshire’s First Team know they should have put this game away by 3 – nil, but it’s not the first time they’ve faced an indifferent result and pulled through . Next week see’s the First team travel away to Neath who’ll be looking to avenge last years home defeat.

The maestro sand saver

Men V Juniors

Premier League Champions take on the juniors

Glamorganshire’s Premier League Champions and Second Team took on the challenge of Martin Price’s feisty junior squad, and came away with a 4:1 victory.
With the golf season starting to awaken with the advent of the Masters, this Sunday afternoon clash was eagerly anticipated by Martin’s junior team looking for some big scalps, and a few of them were not disappointed.
Simon Curle and Brian Rigby’s relationship survived the winter layoff and they took on Dan Barnett and Ashley Jones, immediately struggling to deal with the talent on display from their junior opponents, and they limped to the halfway stage at 1 up.
First Team Captain Simon Hall played with Nick Grimmitt, who clearly had made the most of his winter layoff bulking up for the season ahead. They got off to a flawless start at 1 under par through 9 holes but were only 1 up against the gritty Luke Blatchford and Dan Reid (Spud).
Daily Mail supremeo partners Chris Payne and Jordan Price-Davies looked to blow away Josh Hole and John Greenslade, but they were totally upstaged at every turn and went 2 down.
The 2nd Team boys Glyn Mitchell and Gavin (Chopper) Davies took on Harry Roberts and Myles Harding, and they played solidly holding the junior pair at 2 down.
Dean Bezant and Dave Gooding played Alex Dodds and Ross Denson, but they struggled to hold an in form second team pair who raced to 4 up.
Upfront Simon Curle and Brian Rigby had found some form and they squeezed to a 2 & 1 win, Simon Hall & Nick Grimmitt had gone from 3 up to 1 down, but a majestic 4 iron on the 18th from Nick Grimmitt was enough for a winning point.
However, Daily Mail supremeo partners Chris Payne and Jordan Price-Davies trudged over the hill with a 3 & 2 stuffing under their belts from a delighted Greenslade and Hole.
The second Team boys rounded off with 2 wins to give the Men’s Team a 4: 1 win overall, in what was a great experience for the Clubs junior prospects.
The First Team get underway on May 8th when Glamorganshire take on the Vale at home.

2008 Premier League Champions

Pyling on the pressure

Glamorganshire Golf Club First Team won the Premier League title for the fist time in 26 years beating Pyle and Kenfig by 2 ½ : ½ at the Penarth links.

With winner takes all and so much at stake for both teams in this the last game of the season it was no surprise to see a big home crowd that was soon in a very festive spirit as Matt Mullooly and Martin Price got the match underway with a superb birdie at the first hole.

Simon Curle and Brian Rigby went out second, with Simon Curle being the only playing member of this first team from 26 years ago, and they were playing Pyle’s most experienced pair and it showed after 5 pars apiece the match was all square.

Chris Payne and Jordan Price-Davies anchored the side and they got off to a roaring start with birdies at the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th that whipped up the crowd and the noise could be heard a few holes in front.

Upfront, Matt Mullooly and Martin Price were still hitting fairways and greens putting the Pyle pairing under immense pressure, but a poor drive up the 9^th cost them that hole and a superb tee shot to the 10^th by the Pyle pairing to 6 foot turned the tide. However, as has been so often the case this season as the pressure increases so does his performance and Mat Mullooly promptly knocked his tee shot inside the Pyle ball, where Martin Price cleaned up a very tricky birdie putt to go 3 up and you could sense that that game was all but over.

Simon Curle and Brian Rigby had to watch in agony as they faced going 2 down through 10 holes, but the Pyle pair missed their 4 foot chance. With a half down the 11^th Simon Curle opted for the power play at the 12^th booming his drive just short of the 340 yard hole, which flummoxed the Pyle Captain and they walked on to the 13th tee all square.

Chris Payne & Jordan Price-Davies had let their lead 3 up lead slip to only 1up, and following a comedy of errors on the 11^th hole Chris and Jordan lost that hole when Pyle were 3 off the Tee, and for the first time you could sense the crowd getting anxious.

However, luckily for Glamorganshire the anxiety did not last too long as Matt Mullooly and Martin Price kept up the intensity with 5 text book pars in a row, and they claimed the first scalp of the night by 4 & 3 that left Glamorganshire needing 1 more point for victory.

Simon Curle and Brian Rigby pared Glamorganshire’s equivalent amen corner and they were 1up playing the15th hole. With the pin right on the front of the 15^th green any approach shot long of the flag was dead, so Simon Curle’s iron 3-foot short of the green was a clever shot, only to be surpassed by Pyle’s sublime approach shot to 6 foot.

With the whole crowd now following this game it was a great time for Brian Rigby to chip in for a birdie that sent the crowd wild, but they were soon silenced by Pyle’s Dai Phillips as he coolly holed his birdie putt for the half, which was unbelievable as those who know Glamorganshire seldom see 2 birdies a year at the 15^th hole let alone 2 in one night.

Pyle kept up the momentum where Dai Phillips ripped the stick out at the 16^th hole for another birdie to level the match.

Word came forward that Chris and Jordan had just got their noses back in front playing the 14^th and so it was still all to play for.

Simon Curle’s iron too the 17^th green rolled just off the green, but the Pyle pair were long of the green in 3 following a poor drive, and when Brian Rigby lipped his chip out it looked all over, but Ian Booth of Pyle and Kenfig holed an unbelievable pressure putt from off the green that totally stunned the gallery and they moved to the 18^th all square.

With a strong wind into the player’s faces and the Clubhouse ready to welcome any pulled shots, it was no wonder both players hit short of the green. Pyle’s chip finished 4 feet away and Brian Rigby faced a tricky bunker shot that he knocked to the same length.

With nearly 100 people looking on at the relish of these 4 footers, it was Chris Payne and Jordan Price-Davies who came striding over the hill having won their game on the 16^th hole and with it the Premier League Title. Honourably both the 4 foot putts were conceded and it was only a matter of minutes until the first champagne cork popped and a fantastic club celebration began, reward for a season that saw 9 players pull together as a team and create far more than the sum of their individual parts losing only one game all season and beating the best South Wales has to offer.

Glamorganshire First Team 2008: Nick Grimmitt, Matt Mullooly, Brian Rigby, Simon Curle, Chris Payne, Jordan Price-Davies, Martin Price, Matt Stroud, Jay Morris.

Matt Mullooly	20
Nick Grimmitt	19
Simon Curle	13
Matt Stroud	13
Dean Bezant	12
Chris Payne	10
Brian Rigby	10
Jay Morris	9
Gordan Price-Davies	8
Dave Gooding	6
Martin Van De Brom	5
Porky	4
Paul Mantle	3
Harry Rigby	3
Phil Grainger	2
Pat Rickard	2
Martin Price	2
Andy Barnett	0
Simon Hall	0

Rhondda II’s V Glamorganshire II’s

Glamorganshire Golf Club Second Team scaled up to Rhondda on a fowl night needing a win to claim the Division 4A title and was soundly beaten 3 – nil.

Simon Hall made a return playing with Harry Rigby and amazingly they went 2 up through 2 holes looking very comfortable.

Glyn Mitchell, last years star Captain played with Martin Van De Brom and they went 2 down very early.

Jay Morris and Dean Bezant were last out and they may have well been playing at Aberdare, going 5 down.

With the rain hammering down and the low cloud cover giving a maximum 50 yards visibility it did nothing to help the Glamorganshire Team and they all fell one by one to a 3 nil stuffing, handing Rhondda guaranteed promotion.

Overall the Second Teams season has been up and down, failure for the Clubs best players to play week in week out has no doubt hampered what should have been an easy promotion to Division 3A. Sadly, the age old problem of getting commitment to the Club sides is one that plagues Team Captains up and down the country in every sporting discipline.

Glamorganshire I’s V Neath I’s

Glamorganshire Golf Club First Team played Neath at the Penarth links and managed to clinch a last gasp half.

Nick Grimmitt and Matt Mullooly lead the way and you could sense their focus as they hammered the Neath pair with a superb display of putting and went 2 under par through 9 holes and 3 up.

Chris Payne and Jordan Price-Davies got off to a shaky start, two games to go in the Premier League needing a win is unchartered territory for this young pair, and they had to dig deep too stay in touch with an experienced Neath pair.

Simon Curle and Brian Rigby anchored the side and they were in a very gritty match, with the pressure forcing errors from both sides, and they were 1 down through 9 holes.

Nick Grimmitt and Matt Mullooly had steamed ahead to 5up, and all bar a few bunker wobbles they stuck Glamorganshire’s first point on the board, albeit by a narrower margin than they should have.

Chris Payne and Jordan Price-Davies bogeyed the 16^th hole to leave them 2 down with 2 holes to play, and with Simon Curle and Brian Rigby at 3 down with 3 holes to play it looked all over for Glamorganshire.

However, following a great drive from Jordan, Chris nailed his approach to the heart of the 17^th green and they marched on to the 18^th Tee 1 down and the match still alive.

Cometh the moment as they say and Chris Payne did not disappoint the large crowd as he ripped a pressure iron into the middle of the 18^th green, which forced the Neath player to crumble.

With Simon Curle and Brian Rigby losing at the 17^th hole, winning the last hole gave Chris, Jordan and Glamorganshire a half by the skin of their teeth and with it a massive showdown against Pyle & Kenfig for the Premier League Title in a winner takes all contest on the 8^th of August at the Glamorganshire course.

Performance Table Update

Nick Grimmitt	19
Matt Mullooly	18
Matt Stroud	13
Dean Bezant	12
Simon Curle	10
Jay Morris	9
Brian Rigby	9
Chris Payne	8
Gordan Price-Davies	6
Dave Gooding	6
Martin Van De Brom	5
Porky	4
Paul Mantle	3
Harry Rigby	3
Phil Grainger	2
Pat Rickard	2
Martin Price	0
Andy Barnett	0
Simon Hall	0

Glamorganshire II’s V Coed Y Mystwr II’s

Glamorganshire Second Team travelled to Coed Y Mystwr and managed to scrap out a good half that gives them an outside chance of promotion.

Matt Stroud lead the way playing with Dean “Bazooka” Bezant for the 5^th game in a row and they got off to a great start playing par golf, handling Coed Y Mystwr’s tricky little greens and they went 2up.

Jay Morris & Peter “Porky” Edmunds were second off and they got their noses in front at 1up.

Dave Gooding and Phil Grainger probably wished they’d stayed at home as the Coed Y Mystwr pairing single putted 5 of the first 6 greens and they went 5 down, from where they never recovered.

Matt Stroud & Deano Bazooka claimed their 5^th scalp in a row and put Glamorganshire’s first point on the board, with Jay Morris and Porky 2 up with 4 holes to go it was looking good for Glamorganshire.

However, 2 birdies in the last 4 holes from the Coed Y Mystwr pairing meant that Jay and Porky had to hang on for a good half in the end, that gave them a halved match overall.

Glamorganshire seconds travel away to league leaders Rhondda for the last game of the season and must win to stand any chance of promotion.