Wednesday 31st January 2024
Keep abreast of all our great comps and matches for the year ahead at www.theyorkunionofgolfclubs.co.uk and download the attached diaries to your devices
Monday 4th September 2023
Sunday 3rd September , The Oaks GC versus Sheffield Union
It was a glorious sunny day at The Oaks GC for the Mens last IDU match of the season where they were up against the formidable Sheffield Union.
Due to it being holiday season, the squad rotated again, incoming where Jimmy Batt (H) Chris Hornby (E) Josh Bristow (T) and hopes were high for a strong finish after a disappointing collapse a fortnight earlier against Harrogate Union.
Opening tee shot of the day went to The Oaks' Tom Pyman who along with partner, Nathan Wilkinson (Sandburn Hall), won their Foursomes match 3&2. the next pairing of Oaks' players Steve Lynch and Wayne Strutt didn't fair so well and lost 2 & 1. In match 3 it was another successful result for Fulford's Rob Hutton and Malton & Norton's Josh Stead with a 3 & 1 win.
Into the second half of the morning foursomes and there was no additional points from Jimmy Batt (Heworth) and Jack Boyd (M&N), George Robson (F) and Ciaran Matthews (SH) and in last match Chris Hornby (Easingwold) and Josh Bristow (Tadcaster) ... therefore York lagged behind Sheffield 4-8 at lunchtime.
Into the afternoon singles session and very strong starts where made by 5 of the first 6 matches, by the turn Pyman, Strutt, Lynch, Hutton and Stead were all up (some by 4 or 5 holes) and hopes were high that the morning deficit was going to be overturned. Of these, wins were secured by Pyman, Lynch and Hutton, with agonising defeats down the last for Strutt and Stead. Wilkinson struggled for the first time this season and suffered a rare defeat. However his commitment and performance over the season will win him the Chilton Bowl after being selected for the IDU Team Championship.
Therefore hopes rested on the back six matches and again York were nicely up and in control of their 3 matches with Hornby, Matthews and Robson pushing the score on. Batt, Bristow and Boyd battled hard but eventually lost meaning the singles match points were shared evenly and the final score was 16-20 to Sheffield.
As well as the weather and great hospitality provided by the Team at The Oaks GC , the other highlights was a brace of hole in ones from York lads, Josh Stead on the 4th and George Robson on the 15th in the afternoon singles. Captain Andy Robson was delighted to pick up the drinks bill for the pair and even more delighted not many people got wind there was one on offer!
The last IDU fixture is this coming weekend with the Team Championship at Wakefield GC. Representing York Union in the 6 man team will be Tom Pyman, Sam Norman, Nathan Wilkinson, Jamie Miller, George Robson and Matty Dolling. We wish them all well and welcome all to come and support the Team, Sunday 10th September.
Tuesday 11th July 2023
Sunday 9th July v Bradford Union at Northcliffe GC
Following on form the Mens teams success against Halifax and Huddersfield, it was an away day this time for Andy Robson's team at Northcliffe GC, against Bradford Union.
Due to the Sandburn Hall Club Championships, Robson was missing 2 regulars and injuries and family commitments for 3 others meant it was a return to the team for Ben Plaxton, Wayne Strutt, Jonny Pattenden and a triumphant Matt Dolling, if just a little tired, from winning York GC's Club Championship the previous day! The fifth player was Scarthingwell Junior, Max Hollinghurst who was making his Men's Team debut after impressing so well at the York Amateur.
Missing their regular partners, first out was Tom Pyman and George Robson who at their 5th attempt playing together for Union or when they were younger for Yorkshire Boys, managed a win ... 2&1. The less said about the next few matches the better, Fulford regulars, Tom Kelly and Sam Norman went down 4&3, as did new pairing of Dolling and Rob Hutton. It was an earlier bath for Pete Jones and Jimmy Batt, 5&4. Plaxton and Hollinghurst had a good battle in match 5 and had an early lead, but in the end were pegged back to a 2&1 defeat. The morning ended with good news as Pattenden and Strutt had a very convincing 7&6 win. So it was 8-4 to Bradford at Lunch.
The afternoon started brightly, a run of 6 birdies in 8 holes for Pyman meant he won 5&4. Robson had it all to do when his opponent, a Northcliffe Legend went 5 under through 4 holes, but by the time it got to the 17th, the match was all square. Unfortunately for Robson, a bogey on 17 meant a birdie was needed on 18, but both players took 3 on the beautiful par 3 18th and therefore lost 1 down. Dolling felt the effects of playing 36 holes for the last 3 days, and lost 5&4, but the next 3 matches went to the 18th with points to be won that could have made all the difference come the end of the day, however, both Kelly and Hutton putted out for halved matches, Norman though, won his match 1 up. Hollinghurst didn't dissapoint his watching Captain and played well for 17 holes, but got beat 2&1 by another young Bradford player. Max's time will come. York's "Tail" was full of experience and the result was going to go down to the wire ... if it wasn't for the impending thunderstorm! Jones lost 4&3, then Batt won 2&1, leaving 3 matches on the course hoping to beat the weather. Common sense prevailed as the lightening crashed around the course so the last remaining matches agreed to share the points as a resumption in play was unlikely.
Final Score was Bradford 21 - York 15
Next match is home at York GC versus East Riding