Last Thursday was the occasion of the 2011 D.G.U. President’s day competition which was played at Clays golf club by permission of co-proprietors Wyn Williams and David Larvin.
The course was in truly excellent condition and each of the affiliated clubs in the Denbighshire Golfing Union sent along four representatives to compete in the competition for the President’s Trophy. The event was inaugurated by Gwyn Lewis of Ruthin Pwllglas during his tenure as County president for the 1997 -98 period and the concept is quite simple in that each club sends their captain, vice captain, president and secretary to compete in Am-Am scoring, i.e. the two best net scores per hole. If any of the formal officers of the club are unavailable then a senior member of the organization deputises instead.
With a day of weather that had not been of such quality for a fortnight, the competition started just before lunch time and finished at about 6.p.m. with all teams in the clubhouse. As well as the club teams, the Denbighshire past Captains field a team as does a select group representing county officials and a guest team selected by the president who this period of two years is Wyn Mostyn of the Plassey golf club.
The evening meal provided a backdrop for the presentation, and a draw was also held in favour of the president’s charity, the Wrexham Maelor Hospital League of Friends.
Birdie twos were obtained by Ruthin Pwllglas golf club and the County Captain’s team with the DGU team actually securing two shares as a result of their efforts.
The best score on the par three holes went to Clays golf club with a score of 28 points and the longest drive to Stuart Parkinson, the president’s son in law and guest for the day.
As is the custom at Clays, the nearest the pin competition occurs on the short fifth hole and Thursday was no exception with County Captain, Terry Dodd of Chirk placing his ball a mere 21 inches from the flagstick.
Winners of the Presidents Trophy for affiliated clubs was won by the Wrexham team of Captain, John D. Williams; Vice captain, Colin Graham; Senior Past Captain, Oscar Wyn Jones and club Secretary Manager Richard West with a total of 88 points.
Second came Ruthin Pwllglas with 84 and in third place the County Captain’s team with 83.
The card scrutineer for the event was Clay’s captain Reg Peacock and the draw realized the sum of £330 for the Hospital League of Friends.
The day previously the Wrexham golf club had hosted their midweek September medal with prizes moving away from the conventional four handicap divisions in favour of awards to the top ten net scores, regardless of divisional allegiance. The idea is simple in its concept – the prizes now go to the ten best scores regardless of handicap rather than the first three places in each division whatever they returned on their scorecards.
As a consequence, this match winner was David Furmston with 82 – 19 – 63 followed by D Glyn Williams on 75 – 11 – 64; Ian Davies with 71 – 6 – 65; Keith Baines, 77 – 11 – 66; Paul Hollingshead, 77 – 10 – 67; Wayne Jones with 80 – 13 – 67; Ryan Thomas, 85 – 18 – 67; Dewi Sides, 72 – 5 – 67; Michael Jones, 88 – 21 – 67 and Gareth O Jones with the tenth score of 80 – 12 – 68.
The par for the course remained at 70 with the competition standard scratch working out at 69.
Last Sunday the Wrexham ladies played their Golf Union of Wales medal through two divisions with the Silver division going the way of Shelagh Jones with 91 – 19 – 72 followed by runner up Pam Valentine on 78 – 5 – 73.
The Bronze division was won by Kath Norman with her score of 89 – 23 – 66 and she was followed by Mary White on an undisclosed score.
Last Tuesday a larger field played the GUW medal in conjunction with the Breakthrough Cancer Brooch. Winner of the brooch and the Silver division was Jackie Williams with 90 – 20 – 70 from Janet Brand on 86 – 14 – 72.
The Bronze division was won by Jo Davies on 92 – 22 – 70 from runner up Maureen Cox with 107 – 33 – 74.