The progress of our Boys team in recent years has been significant. Inaugural Northern Counties League winners and back-to-back Four Counties Junior Tournament winners were very satisfying pre-cursors to winning our first Northern Counties Boys Qualifying for 25 years. This took us to Elsham Golf Club in North Lincolnshire for the English Boys County Finals, the pinnacle of boys county golf which we last won in 1998 at Delamere Forest.
Our team that qualified us for the finals was depleted with the loss of three key players due to returning to college in the US and a holiday. This gave an opportunity to three of our highly promising younger players, and one that they grasped
Four teams qualified for the finals from the England Golf regions: ourselves, Cambridgeshire, Wiltshire and Hertfordshire. The format is round-robin matches over 3 days consisting of 3 morning foursomes and six singles in the afternoon. Each team has seven players to allow for rotation in what is a gruelling event.
We began our quest for the title against Cambridgeshire. A 3-nil foursomes lead set us up for a commanding 7.5 – 1.5 win.
The only casualty on day one was our van which decided to pack up right in the entrance to the club car park. Having failed to get it going and discovering that without engine power an electric handbrake remains on, we enlisted two greenkeepers to assist. The van was unceremoniously dragged out of the way with a tractor!
Things were not so simple on day two against Wiltshire. With afternoon storms forecast, England Golf sensibly switched the sessions so we played the 6 singles matches in the morning. We came up against a determined and skilful team who held us to to a score of 3 each at lunch. The afternoon, however, was storm-free and saw Cheshire winning the foursomes 3-nil to secure a 6-3 win.
With ourselves and Hertfordshire meeting on the third day with two wins apiece, it set the scene for a shoot-out to decide the title. We had to win the match to claim the title because Herts had secured one more game point and a draw would therefore have given them the title on countback.
The opening foursome saw team Captain Cole Self and Spencer Davies taking on Hawkins and Rennie. Cole and Spencer were three under par after six holes but found themselves three down! Their opponents were six under after six including two eagles. Incredible golf. Despite this Cole and Spencer took the match to the 17th.
At lunch we found ourselves trailing 2-1, Maxi Moore and Matty Griffiths securing our sole point, and therefore needing to win at least the first singles match to have a realistic chance of securing the trophy. Spencer led the way and was soon ahead, as was Cole, giving much encouragement to the Cheshire supporters and the other 4 players who battled through some heavy showers mid-round. Herts were commanding games 3 and 4 with some tremendous scoring, so our youngsters at the back of the field were required to win to back up points secured in the first two singles. They did not disappoint. James Clark, just 14 years old, played magnificent golf which included a run of birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie and he closed out a 6&4 win with a sublime chip.
Meanwhile, Ellis Courtnell was well up in his match with some quite superb golf. Coming to the 15th dormie 4 up, and with his opponent stone dead for a par 4, he faced a 65 foot shot from just off the edge of the green.
99.9% of golfers would have taken out the putter. Not Ellis. He nonchalantly hit a beautiful low chip with a lob wedge across the slick green which trickled down to a few inches from the hole to send the assembled Cheshire players, officials and supporters into raptures.
The quality of golf displayed by all four teams was truly exceptional. On a course with probably the best inland greens we’ve seen in many years, we were treated to golf of the highest quality
Our team’s great camaraderie and will to win was evident from day one, and the performances of our youngest players, Ellis Courtnell, James Clark and Josh Hockenhull-Wood were particularly impressive. They have golfing maturity way beyond their years. And weapons-grade levels of confidence!
This success was particularly sweet for our coaches, Peter Barber and John Heggarty who have worked tirelessly with the team over a number of years. Their immense knowledge, commitment and belief in our young players was fully rewarded by this fantastic win.
We must mention Andrew Henshall, boys team manager for several years, who due to illness was unable to attend and witness the team’s success first hand. We can only hope that this fabulous success will boost his recovery.
England Golf’s management of the event was impeccable and Elsham Golf Club proved to be wonderful hosts who made everyone feel very welcome.
A brilliant and thoroughly deserved win for Cheshire that will be remembered for many years. Everyone who has been involved with Cheshire Golf, past and present, can be rightly proud of this success.
Several of our team move into the adult ranks in the coming months but despite this the future for junior golf in Cheshire is bright. Very bright.
The team:
Cole Self (Ringway) Captain
Spencer Davies (Wallasey)
Matty Griffiths (Lymm)
Maxi Moore (Sandiway)
James Clark (Sandiway)
Ellis Courtnell (Ringway)
Josh Hockenhull-Wood (Prestbury)
Copy & images: Cheshire Golf except where shown
