York Union of Golf Clubs
IDU Men's Team Championship Report
After a Covid impacted year off, the Yorkshire Inter-District Men's Team Championship returned for 2021 at East Riding's Hornsea Golf Club and a fair weekends weather greeted the young York team for Saturday's practice and again, the very early start on Sunday morning.
5.30am alarm calls on Sunday morning was not ideal for the team of Thomas Pyman, Harry Lee, George Robson, Thomas Kelly, James Cass and Marcus Brigham, but nonetheless the team set about their rounds with optimism for a good day's golf. The combined players handicaps was on paper the favourites for the day at -15, compared with -10 for Sheffield, the largest Union and for the opening 9 holes, York's team played to it.
With Team Captain Andy Robson and President Mike Ward roving the course to support the players, the team at one point was on aggregate a couple under par, with Harry Lee and George Robson both 4 under and the rest no more than 2 over each. A mysterious lost ball greenside on the stroke one 14th for George though led to a setback with a quadruple bogey 8 and the tough back few holes into the northerly wind meant the team finished 12 over with returns of Pyman-75, Lee-71, Robson-72, Kelly-74, Cass-78 and Brigham-75.
This morning total was still more than satisfactory at 444 and put York 3rd, 8 shots behind Sheffield and 10 behind the locals from East Riding. Give the team target was to better level 75's across the board and go under 450, the team were more than happy and hopeful of maintaining a challenge in the afternoon.
The afternoon round proved trickier under grey clouds and heavier, colder winds and scoring was harder. However, the lads started the scoreable front nine well, most around level par and at worst 3 over. With team spread over a 2 hour start time and 9 holes of the course, it was difficult to understand where the team stood in relation to the other Districts.
Harry Lee got to 4 under in the afternoon, which was most welcome as Messrs Kelly and Cass were struggling on the back nine, but then both Harry and George found water on the 11th and 13th respectively and the challenge was fading. Once competed, the team players ventured back out onto the course and supported those remaining on 17 and 18 and it was apparent then, it was going down to wire between Sheffield and East Riding. Both teams scores were exceptional given the format and Sheffield just pipped East Riding by 3 shots with 878, to 881. Congratulations to Sheffield who collected the Trophy and to East Riding also, who collected their Trophy at dinner for winning the IDU League.
With afternoon scores of Pyman-73, Lee-72, Robson-75, Kelly-79, Cass-84, Brigham-75 York finished 4th on 902 and it was clear that this young side can improve and have every chance of breaking into the winners circle at some point.
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