HUNDREDS of golfers turned up to Falmouth Golf Club last week as it hosted its festival week, writes Chris Beer.

Monday saw, a two-ball better-ball off three-quarter handicap competition for the Trefula House Cup, sponsored by Tre-Care Ltd.

It was to everyone’s credit that they took part on the day and almost all managed to complete the 18 holes despite the dire conditions.

The top prize went club captain Tony Drew and his partner Barry Lawrence, who returned a very creditable 41 points, just pipping Gerry Storey and John Gresson with the same score, on count back.

Tuesday heralded a return to blue skies for the seniors three-ball better-ball competition, with two scores to count, once again off three-quarter handicap, sponsored by Blue Fin Insurance Services.

There was a large entry of 120 golfers, almost half of which were visitors travelling from all over Cornwall and Devon. Gerry Storey managed to go one better than the previous day as on this occasion he won the event with his partners Ray Hudson and John Ratcliffe, returning a fine 84 points. This was three clear of two teams with 81, Killiow Golf Club’s J Bacon, D Richards, and M Williams, just pushing the home team of Chris Beer, Keith Bennetts and Brian Craig into third on count back.

Wednesday was the ladies’ day and once again there was a big turn out for the three-ball better-ball team event, sponsored by club stalwart Angela Cortis - proprietor of March Hare Ladies Fashions, Church Street, Falmouth. Winners on the day were the home team of Kally Hutchings, Wendy Plummer, and Angela Hunter who came in with a very respectable 84 points, two clear of Lena Holland, Lynne Dickinson, and Pauline Clifton with 82.

Thursday saw the West Region Pro-Am take place, sponsored by Harland Accountants, with 23 professionals linked with three amateurs apiece, competing against one another individually, and in a team event.

Killiow’s Richard Sadler was the leading professional on the day returning a sensational five under par course-record-equalling 66, with Hayle’s Chris Benians taking second with a 68, and Mike Watson from the Wessex Golf Centre taking third with a 69.

The team event was won by Newquay’s Wayne Graham who teamed up with home golfers Brian Craig, John Gresson and John Ratcliffe to return a better-ball score of 17 under par. Chris Benians again took second place with his team of home club golfers Des Britton, Graham Buck and Peter Richardson, who returned a 14-under-par total.

Friday saw perhaps the most popular event of the week, a Texas scramble sponsored by St Austell Brewery, which attracted a capacity entry of 40 teams of four golfers from all over the county. Conditions were once again very good with only a stiff breeze to trouble competitors. The event, played off a tenth of combined handicap, produced some remarkable scores and this year was no exception with the winners, the team of Brian Shovlin, Malcolm Coulls, Glyn Churcher and Marik Churcher returning a remarkable 55.1 net, with ten birdies.

Filling second place was another local team, Colin Ross, Louis Gifford, Alan Miller, and C Martin with 56.0, whilst third place was taken by Colin and Dan Sleeman with Killiow’s M Noble and P Pople who returned 56.3.

There was another capacity field on Saturday for the four-ball team Stableford with three scores to count, sponsored by Clydesdale Bank.

Friday’s stiff breeze had however strengthened to a strong almost gale force north westerly, and with the course well and truly dried out from Monday’s rain, good scores proved very hard to come by for most of the entrants. There is always an exception and on this occasion it was the ‘dream team’ of four low handicap golfers who meet yearly for festival week, and who finally managed to pull off a worthy win. Falmouth’s Paul Collins and Steve Robbins teamed up with old friends Zac Annear (The Park G.C) and Gareth Holt (Oakhampton) and returned a three-under-par 111 points, which in the conditions proved too good for the opposition.

The in form Gerry Storey, with Dave Terris, Gary Muchan and Ben Short did their best to spoil the party with a level par 108 to finish in second. Sunday saw the final event of the week a mixed greensome for the Pennance Cups, sponsored by Rowan Dartington. Once again the early starters had perhaps the best of conditions as they escaped an hour’s rain, which affected most those teeing off later in the day. The competition was won by the husband and wife pairing of Neville and Barbara Brown who returned a fine 42 points, two clear of president Mark Bawden and his wife Caroline with 40.

At the presentation in the evening Steve Burrows, director of the golf club, thanked all the sponsors and a host of people for their assistance during the week and over the year in general. Not least the greenkeeping staff for their work in producing a course to an excellent standard despite the dire conditions earlier in the year, the bar and catering staff for all their hard work, Nick Rogers the professional for his efforts during the week, and last but not least Stan Collier, the starter for the week, and Wyn Woolcock the recorder, who had worked many hours ensuring the events went smoothly. Steve finally presented a gift to the club steward Jane Cole recognising her efforts over the past three years, as she is moving on to pastures new.

Results - Monday - Two Ball Better Ball - 1st Tony Drew & Barry Lawrence 41pts, 2nd Gerry Storey & John Gresson 41pts, 3rd Nick Morley & Anthony Trembath 40 pts, 4th Adrian Smith & Harry Redfearn ( West Cornwall) 39 pts,5th Mark Butland & Andy Acosta 38 pts.. Longest Drive John Bishop, Nearest Pin Keith Bennetts.

Tuesday - Seniors 3 Ball Better Ball - 1st Gerry Storey, Ray Hudson, John Ratclffe 84 pts, 2nd J Bacon, D Richards, M Williams ( Killiow) 81pts, 3rd Chris Beer, Keith Bennetts and Brian Craig 81pts, 4th Arthur Allen, Fred Goodman, Melvyn Kemp 80pts . Best visitors R Best,M Willcocks,and D Instance (Staddon Heights) 79 pts. Nearest Pin J Smale ( Whitsand Bay), Longest drive Colin Ross.

Wednesday - Ladies 3 Ball Better Ball- 1st: Kally Hutchings, Wendy Plummer, Angela Hunter 84pts.2nd Lena Holland, Lynne Dickinson, Pauline Clifton 82pts 3rd Yvonne Ratcliffe, Brenda Arch, Julia Sleeman 81pts, 4th Ann Nash, Jane Stedman, Anne Stevenson 80pts, 5th Jeanne White, Ann Butland, Shelaugh Dunstan 79pts, 6th Jenny Dunstan, Jenny Storey, Mary Bennetts 77pts.Nearest Pin prizes won by Jill Simmons ( Mullion), Jane Barrington & Lynne Dickinson. Longest drives won by Jeanne White and Jane Pearson ( Mullion). Twos pool scooped by Jane Barrington and putting competition 1st Barbara Roker, 2nd Pam Annear, 3rd Pauline Clifton Thursday - West Region Pro - Am - Professionals 1st Richard Sadler 66, 2nd Chris Benians 68, 3rd Mike Watson 69, 4th Paul Hendrikson 70, 5th Paul Turpin 71. Team Event - 1st Wayne Graham, John Gresson, Brian Craig & John Ratcliffe 17 under, 2nd Chris Benians Des Britton, Graham Buck & Peter Richardson 14 under, 3rd Richard Sadler, Mark Bawden, Ian Veale & Tony Edge 13 under, 4th Chris Ramsden, Tony Ramsden, Terry Philp, & Caroline Bawden 12 under.

Friday - Texas Scramble - 1st Brian Shovlin, Malcolm Coulls, Glyn Churcher, Marik Churcher 55.1, 2nd Colin Ross, Louis Gifford, Alan Miller, C Martin, 56.0, 3rd Colin Sleeman, Dan Sleeman,M Noble, P Pople, 56.3, 4th Dave Holland,Steve Briers, Ian Churcher, and Richie Perrin 57.0, Ladies Winners Val Graham, Audrey Pitt, Ann Nash, Frankie Allsop 65.6. Nearest Pin Prizes won by Gill Norris, and Jeremy Knight ( Trevose G C ).Longest drives won by Gill Norris and Dave Saget ( Carlyon Bay ) Saturday - 4 Ball Better Ball- 1st Paul Collins, Steve Robbins, Zac Annear, Gareth Holt 111 pts, 2nd Gerry Storey, Ben Short, Dave Terris, Gary Muchan, 108 pts.3rd Harry Keene, James Shepherd, Bruce Gilbert, Richard Harris, 106 pts. 4th Neville Brown, Alan Goldsmith, John Bishop,John Trevithick 104 pts.Longest drive prizes won by Jeanne White and Rik Shaw, Nearest pin won by Dan Briers.

Sunday - Mixed Greensome - 1st Neville & Barbara Brown 42pts, 2nd Mark & Caroline Bawden 40pts, Ken & Kathy wells 39pts, 4th Mark & Ann Butland 39 pts.Best visitor J Sheehan & L Booker 36pts, Front nine Ken & Brenda Arch, Back 9 Nick Morely & Sheila Gowers, Longest drives Colin Sleeman & Deena Lawden (Truro), Nearest pin Val Graham and Debbie Hunt.