Captains’ Updates
From Chris Lane, Men’s Captain: The buzz about Mill Green is good, the course is developing into something special and I am sure we can’t wait to get those bunkers back in play…ha ha!
And the teams continue to do good things. Since my last report, the Foxes drew 2-2 away at Arkley and won (for the first time) away to South Herts 3-1. However, having reached the final of the Foxes Knock-Out Cup last year, we succumbed in the first round on a wet Friday afternoon away at Aldwickbury losing 3.5 – 0.5. Next up are home and away matches against Essendon.
The CBL team won at home to Shendish Manor 3.5 – 2.5 and again at home to our local rivals Chesfield Downs with a great 5 – 1 win. Next matches are Chesfield away and Waterstock away.
Chris Myers and Steve Garwood continue in the Daily Mail Foursomes with a 6 & 5 win at home to Ash Valley, they now face a trip to Girton GC in Cambridge for the next round.
In the Crameri Cup, Chris and I won away at Cheshunt GC on the 19th hole, we await a home tie to Brocket Hall in the next round.
Thanks to Stuart Williams for his input in the NHS Blood & Transplant event and congratulations to all of the competition winners in the past month.
Captain’s Charity Day
I personally would like to thank all 96 of you that played in the Captain’s Charity Day and to those of you who couldn’t play for one reason or another who made donations separately to my charity. I hope you all enjoyed the format.
The Ball & Bottle Sweep was fun, I note some of you haven’t collected your prizes from the office. I did send a message on IG to those not around at the time the draw took place. Congratulations to Nearest-the-Pin winners Gary Fidler (6th) and Alan Parker (14th). Gary also won a bottle of gin in the sweep, I guess it was his day!
Due to the extension of the Covid restrictions, I will have to postpone the planned evening entertainment for Captain’s Day on July 17th , I will try to fit it in later in the year. I will email you all, probably before this newsletter is issued, as I would like to include all sections in the afternoon golf.
Still looking for paddling pools, please.
Finally, on a sad note, I am sorry that Chris Lee has left Mill Green. He has been part of the furniture for past nine years, always very helpful when it came to arranging catering for events and always took time to engage with the members. He will be missed by many of us. I wish him all the very best in his new role and for the future.
Ladies
From Carole Frater, Ladies’ Captain: I’d like to begin by sending a report for May and June from our ‘Mixed Match Organiser’, Eileen Davey.
It was great to get back to playing golf after a year-long break and an added bonus to re-engage with Mixed Match play with new and old faces.
Unfortunately, our first home match in May against Porters Park was cancelled at short notice, we do have an invite to play there next year.
Our first away fixture at Essendon didn’t experience that same fate. Our day also got off to a great start with a full English breakfast. Essendon now play a different format for their friendlies, by joining up one of their pairs to a pair from the visiting club. These two pairs play as a team. Lavinia and Chris Hale were part of the winning team with 83 points.
Mill Green welcomed Old Ford Manor to the club at the beginning of June. The visiting players found our team, as always, welcoming and friendly and stayed on afterwards on the patio for drinks in the sunshine. OFM really enjoyed themselves playing the course and there was talk individually about returning to book a tee-time one afternoon. I am glad to report that MG won 4-1 playing 4BBB. Can I also say well done to one of the OFM ladies who had a hole-in-one on the 2nd hole.
Hadley Wood came to play MG on one of the hottest days of the year. HW were also very impressed by the new clubhouse and the work that has been carried out on the course. Again, I overheard a HW player considering returning to have a private game of their own. We played the greensomes format and can report an honourable half.
I would like to personally thank all those who have played in our Mixed Friendlies so far. These matches cannot take place without your continuing goodwill and support. Our matches are friendly, relaxed events and I hope that they will continue. Can I also thank Gary, Nicola and Chris for their continuing support and a big thank you to the F&B staff involved in our home matches.
Matches
Next, I would like to thank the ladies who played at home against Mid Herts winning 2.5 to 1.5.
We have several friendly matches coming up, please look out for posters and emails giving full details. These are truly open to all lady members with a WHS handicap, and I would welcome new members to play.
Our Scratch team has been playing some away legs of their league. The opposition has obviously been rattled by our amazing home wins because they have been fielding their Triple A players. Suffice to say, MG lost 5 – 0 at Bishops Stortford, and lost 4 -1 at Essendon. Thank you to all in our Scratch team and their organiser, Karen Bond.
Debbie and Steve Barnes have won the first round of the County Mixed Greensomes KO. In this round, they had to give 11 shots, but won comfortably on the 16th. The Barnes entered this competition after reading one of the posters that were sent out in the spring.
Our Annadata team won their first round at Bishops Stortford 5&3. Thank you to all the team who played and to Anne Westcough, who was team captain for the day.
Captain’s Day
Our Lady Captain’s Day on June 8th was a very successful event in many ways. Thirty nine players went out to play an individual 18-hole Stableford competition, with their eyes on the Lady Captain’s Day Trophy.
This was won by Trish Moss, who had an outstanding score of 45 points, and, of course, a subsequent handicap adjustment! The weather was perhaps too kind because it got incredibly hot. The whole day was rounded off with 40 ladies sitting down to afternoon tea. Thank you to you all for making my day special, one which I never thought would actually take place. I saw some generous behaviour throughout the day, which made me very proud to be your Captain. I have counted the money raised on the day and, adding the money from our sock raffle and putting competition together, a contribution of £225 (plus a one Euro coin) will be made to my charity.
The Alternate Lady Captain’s Day took place on June 20th. This was a much more low-key event but just as important to me. It was won by Andrea Clark with 37 points, and hopefully a handicap adjustment.
We should also congratulate EllenHume, Zainab Jeppe and Julie Nedza on being part of and playing a valuable role in helping the Hertfordshire Golf Women’s First Team win their Regional County Match Week and Qualifying for the National Finals.