MENDIP SHOW ITS TEETH IN SUCCESSFUL PRO AM

By Peter Godsiff

Mendip’s attractive golf course may be just a shade over 6,000 yards in length but it always provides a stiff challenge and none of the 30 players in the pro-am sponsored by Wellsway BMW broke par on Sunday.

Professional John Goymer studied the high scores on the leaderboard and declared: “Today Mendip showed it teeth.”

The windy conditions and fast, tricky greens proved to be a tough test. Veteran head greenkeeper Richard Flower said: ”The greens may have been a fraction faster at times in the past but what made it more difficult today was the wind.”

Jon Cowgill, director of golf at nearbv Farrington, was one of four players to share top spot on one-over-par 72. After his first win for several years he said: ”The greens were excellent and they got faster as the day went and we didn’t experience one bad lie on the fairways.”

One of the other winners George Ryall (Players Club) dashed back to the West Country to become a late entry after waiting in vain to gain a place in the British Seniors Open at Turnberry. He was first reserve but no-one withdrew at the last minute. The score was also matched by Cheltenham’s Russ Berry (RB Driving Range) and Danny White (Players Club).

Alex Nicholson (Tracy Park) won his first team prize on 12-under-par 130 with the help of his father Kevin, playing off 15, Graeme Archer and Alan Parker.  Mendip trio Somerset county player George Morgan, Neil Onslow and former Paulton Rovers football manager Andrew Jones were helped by Gareth Bennett (Cirencester) into second place one shot behind.

They beat Oake Manor’s Total Triumph sponsored team of Clive Thorne, Dave Hollow and Jimmy Greenhow, led by Jon Bevan (Wessex Golf Centre), on countback.

Mendip captain Terry Russell made the presentations. He said: ”It was another excellent day at The Mendip. Everyone enjoyed it and it was heartening to hear so many favourable comments about the course and catering from the visiting professionals and amateurs.”

Goymer, who organised the day with the help of fellow professional Kevin Pitts who even persuaded his brother Tony (the St Austell pro and former West Region PGA captain) to play, said that the pro-am, would be held again next year.