The Wrexham club seems to have had an exceptionally busy period at the beginning of this month, but calm has followed as the Green Staff embark on a three to four day Course Maintenance programme of tining and top dressing greens, and verti draining elements of the course that require special attention. The optional fourth day depends largely on the weather.
The weekly, if not daily, reading of greens speed on the Stimp meter has indicated a level of well over nine for the past month, giving a speed nearly always associated with tournament golf, the notable exception being Augusta National which hosts the U.S. Masters where speeds of just under thirteen are the norm.
The Stimp meter is a simple device comprising a grooved Aluminum stick with a saucer like depression at one end. A golf ball is placed in the shallow depression and, on a suitably flat area of green, the end holding the ball is slowly raised until the ball detaches itself from the depression and rolls down the groove and on to the green. Measure from the end of the stick to the now stationary ball at the end of its roll, and that figure in feet and inches is converted into the speed reading of the green, for example a distance of ten feet gives the logical reading of ten for the Stimp meter.
Tackling the fast greens were the competitors in the Ladies Open held last week. Hosting a large field, the club provided six prizes and a Visitor’s prize as well as both front and back nine prizes.
Overall winners were D. Langley and C. Makin of Lymm Golf Club with 44 points followed by Janet Brand of Wrexham with H. Pearson of Arscott who handed in 42 points. Bea Evans and Shelagh Jones of Wrexham were in third place with 41, a score replicated by fourth placed C. Davies and Sue Lightwood of Wrexham.
The Visitor’s prize went to J. Heritage and B. Baird of Vicar’s Cross with 39 points and the front nine award went to M. Davies and M. Claister, also of Vicar’s Cross, with twenty one points
The back nine was won by J. Weaver and J. Brisbourne of Hawkestone Park with exactly the same number.
The Mens’ Wednesday medal was played last week on the 3rd of August and again printed out in long format rather than the customary divisions. Winner of the day was Brian Prandle with 75 – 12 – 63 followed by Selwyn Roberts with 85 – 20 – 65 and then Chris Davies with 79 – 14 -65. Malcolm Fennah was fourth with 85 – 20 – 65 followed by Mark Fisher on nett 66. Ian Davies recorded the lowest gross of the day with a 72 for a nett 66, with Tony McCann on 72 – 8 – 66 to complete that range of scores.
Mr. Jim Johnson was privileged to hold his second and final President’s Day at the club last Saturday in an event for both ladies and gentlemen to be played as an individual Stableford off full handicap.
Winner of the Gentlemen’s prize was Craig Jones with 44 points from second placed Phil Dodd on the better of two 42 point cards, the second attributed to Tony Brunyee and ranked on back nine holes scores.
Ladies’ winner was Wendy Hughes with 45 points and she in turn was followed by Jackie Williams on 44 and the Lady Captain, Janet Brunyee on 38.
May I take this opportunity to thank members who contributed to my charity for research into Prostate Cancer in lieu of a competition fee? Topped up very slightly, we all raised the sum of £300.00.
The evening function rather competed against the closing concert of the National Eisteddfod and the fact that the following day was the occasion of the thirty six holes Scratch and Weiner competition which does not look kindly on late nights, but the members who attended were treated to excellent entertainment by the jazz trio “Tribeca” and a disco later.
The aforementioned Scratch and Weiner cups are played over the two rounds and attract in the main the lower handicap golfers or those in the middle range. The result featured the friendly rivalry in the club between Alyn Torrence and Rod Fieldhouse, both of whom have played for the Denbighshire scratch team over the last three years or so, and have each won the County scratch championships with the other as runner up, 2010 and 2011 being the featured years.
Sunday witnessed a good start from Alyn with a one over par 71 against the 73 offered by Rod. The afternoon round saw both players submit scores of two under par 68’s which when totalled up gave Alyn the Scratch cup with 139, and Rod the runner up spot on 141.
Heinrich Weiner was a German national who worked as an engineer in the Wrexham area before the Second World War and became fascinated with the game and subsequently joined Wrexham golf club as a member. He presented the cup upon his return to his native land and suggested that it be for the best thirty six holes net prize on the day that the Scratch cup was contested.
Winner last Sunday was Paul Hollingshead with nett 62 &70 for 132 from runner up Mark Galloway who returned 70, 67 for a total of 137.