The Society was regally entertained by the Oxfordshire Captains in the inaugural meeting of these two fine counties in “The Battle of the Blues” at Feldon Valley on Thursday 17th May 2012. This was Captain Hugh’s second county match, he choose what looked on paper a strong team selecting a mixture of handicaps. This was matched by Pete Walton the Oxfordshire match manager with each four in the main having matched handicaps. So it was down to skill and playing ability on the day and not subject to banditry as may have been seen previously.
Captain Hugh with Mike Wood came home winners by 2 & 1.
The ever generous David Orwell and Maurice Palmer went down 2 down David conceding a tricky two inch putt.
Vice-Captain Phil Black teamed up with match manager John Bufton and played Iain Forbes Oxfordshire’s Vice Captain and his partner Bruce Butcher. On the back foot from the start the Cambridge pair were four down after nine but did make a recovery to stand all square on the 16th tee. They promptly went to sleep and lost the next two holes.
Committee member Tony Jenkins and the big hitting “lefty” Stuart Watson stopped the rot with a well-earned half.
David Creek and John Papworth lost 2 & 1, having shown early promise.
Steve Lang and David Steer met Pete Walton the Oxfordshire match manager and their society president Jim Brown, Cambridgeshire coming in second best.
Gordon Lamb and Lyn Griffiths got a well-earned half against a very experienced pair of Chris Spearing and Brian Maddison. Lyn again got the wrong post code on his ball off the tee but was able to re-direct it back on to the right green much to the dismay of his opposition.
Bringing up the rear were Malcom Coe and Glenn Grint who got across the finishing line 1 up against Mike Abbotts and Tom Soulsby in a tight encounter.
The final result went in favour of Oxfordshire 5 -3, we look forward to entertaining our new friends from Oxfordshire Captains at Gog Magog next year and returning the tables on them – of course in the best possible taste.
