Hillman Trophy Semi Final
A nerve-wracking win for our team!
On Sunday 24th Aug seven players hand-picked by Gavin Wheeler (or seven that were available, you decide) went to play the semi-final away at the lovely and very fancy Lambourne GC.
The Hillman Trophy is a men’s event run by the BB&O, it’s seven singles matches with the teams going out in handicap order, this format always produces tight games. The first three players for each team play between 5.5 to 9.4, we don’t have any players under 9.4 so the first three players have to play under their normal handicap. The next four players have to play between 9.5 and 20.4.
Neil Smith led the way onto the wonderful, lush golf course, they have tee box, green and fairway irrigation and most importantly their own bore hole. The next two on the course were Gavin Wheeler and David Buckle, all very close matches. With Neil getting a half we sat in the bar with the home team up 2.5 - 0.5 nervously waiting for the others. Alasdair Watson came in next with a convincing win, so now at 2.5 – 1.5. Jeremy Wood followed in with his opponent looking like he’d been hit by a bus after another convincing win, squaring the match.
After a recent eye operation Ian Cox unbelievably came in with a win giving Hinksey the lead. Then we waited and waited, with Neil starting to worry about having to play a play-off, he was already a beer down and clubs and shoes in the car but, after what felt like a life time, Christian Havery came round the corner with his cheeky little face grinning from ear to ear, giving a 2.5 – 4.5 win to Hinksey Heights, and a date in the grand finale against Newbury & Crookham on Sunday 21st September with the neutral venue yet to be decided.
To get to the final we had several other players, Andy Venney, Richard Podd, Will Durham and Steve Creamer. We beat Oxford City, North Oxford, Tadmarton Heath, Burford and now Lambourne.
Neil Smith
The Hillman Trophy is a men’s event run by the BB&O, it’s seven singles matches with the teams going out in handicap order, this format always produces tight games. The first three players for each team play between 5.5 to 9.4, we don’t have any players under 9.4 so the first three players have to play under their normal handicap. The next four players have to play between 9.5 and 20.4.
Neil Smith led the way onto the wonderful, lush golf course, they have tee box, green and fairway irrigation and most importantly their own bore hole. The next two on the course were Gavin Wheeler and David Buckle, all very close matches. With Neil getting a half we sat in the bar with the home team up 2.5 - 0.5 nervously waiting for the others. Alasdair Watson came in next with a convincing win, so now at 2.5 – 1.5. Jeremy Wood followed in with his opponent looking like he’d been hit by a bus after another convincing win, squaring the match.
After a recent eye operation Ian Cox unbelievably came in with a win giving Hinksey the lead. Then we waited and waited, with Neil starting to worry about having to play a play-off, he was already a beer down and clubs and shoes in the car but, after what felt like a life time, Christian Havery came round the corner with his cheeky little face grinning from ear to ear, giving a 2.5 – 4.5 win to Hinksey Heights, and a date in the grand finale against Newbury & Crookham on Sunday 21st September with the neutral venue yet to be decided.
To get to the final we had several other players, Andy Venney, Richard Podd, Will Durham and Steve Creamer. We beat Oxford City, North Oxford, Tadmarton Heath, Burford and now Lambourne.
Neil Smith