Garnett on Golf: Ball wins Suffolk senior title

The winning Bury St Edmunds senior trio (from left) Stephen Duffety (with Michael Thomas Trophy), Andy Ball (with Geoffrey Barnard Bowl) and Graham Smith. They are pictured with SGU president Colin Firmin. Photograph: TONY GARNETT (Image: Archant)

The five-handicap player made an inauspicious start to his round with a seven at the 529-yard par five third hole.

Then he settled down to produce a back nine of one under par. A birdie at the 13th and no dropped shots kept him ahead of Roger Taylor of Aldeburgh and John Whitby of Ipswich by a single shot.

Taylor took second place on count-back but Whitby dropped a shot at the last when he found a bunker to the left off the tee. He only needed a par to force a play-off.

Strangely the top two came from the 62 to 69 age bracket.

Ball will be Suffolk’s representative at the Senior Champion of Champions tournament which is to be held at Woodhall Spa on September 15 and 16.

Holder Paul Whiting of Bungay, whose handicap of one was the lowest in the field, kept dropping shots because his short game lacked accuracy.

The Woodbridge challenge was led by Alan Scovell who was one of five players with a round of 75. The others on the same score were Simon Bearman (Newton Green), Nigel Fosker (Felixstowe Ferry) and Stephen Duffety (Bury St Edmunds), all members of Suffolk’s senior county squad, and Stowmarket Golf Club manager Trevor Golton who no longer plays county golf.

Stephen Whymark was a late withdrawal because he has been unwell.

The Michael Thomas Trophy for the winning team went to Bury St Edmunds. Ball (72), Duffety (75) and Graham Smith (80) were one better than trios from Ipswich and Aldeburgh.

Two former Rushmere club captains, Peter Robinson and John Peddelty, will not forget the third hole. Robinson had a nine and Peddelty a ten.

Ball also had the lowest nett score with 72-5-67 from Scovell 75-6-69. Taylor, Whitby, Fosker, William Stevenitt (Hintlesham) and Golton all had nett 70.

The entry of 71 shows that senior golf in Suffolk is in a healthy state.

This event marked the farewell of Phil Platten as Suffolk Golf Union championship secretary.

Scores (Woodbridge unless indicated)

Age group 55 to 61:

73: J Whitby (Ipswich).

75: S Duffety (Bury St Edmunds), A Scovell, N Fosker (Felixstowe Ferry), S Bearman (Newton Green).

77: N Robson (Aldeburgh), K Brooks (Hintlesham).

78: S Crosby (Gorleston), C Veitch (Felixstowe Ferry), D Tuckwell (Ipswich), A Middle (Rushmere), A Whittaker.

79: R Palmer (Royal Worlington), T Hellyer (Hintlesham), P Whiting (Bungay).

80: G Robinson, M Parkinson (Bury St Edmunds).

81: S Fair, C Weller (Diss), M Jackson, G Seaman.

83: P Robinson (Rushmere).

84: P Moore (Bungay).

86: G Baron (Hintlesham), T Hedin (Aldeburgh), D McGregor (Bungay).

87: G Staff (Bury St Edmunds), D Hughes (Aldeburgh).

89: S Rowe (Bungay).

90: G Horsfield (Rushmere).

91: R Garrard (Rushmere).

93: C Nicol (Hintlesham).

No return: R Moore (Bungay), J Barham (Aldeburgh), P Revell (Bungay)

Age group 62 to 69:

72: A Ball (Bury St Edmunds).

73: R Taylor (Aldeburgh).

75: T Golton (Stowmarket).

78: N Hilliard (Aldeburgh).

80: G Smith (Bury St Edmunds), K Tarrant (Hintlesham).

81: D Matter (Bury St Edmunds), A Crisp (Rookery Park).

82: S Wright (Rushmere).

83: W Stevenitt (Bury St Edmunds), R Ling (Rushmere), K Saker (Thorpeness).

84: R Barton, A Garrett (Bury St Edmunds).

85: K McCredie (Stowmarket).

86: T Ewart, P Boon.

87: P Sledmere

89: J Peddelty (Rushmere), S Reeve.

90: P Cooney (Thorpeness), R Cooper (Flempton),

93: R Seaman (Felixstowe Ferry).

Retired: G Oates (Stowmarket)

Over 70:

77: P Wood (Ipswich).

79: P Platten.

80: R Richardson (Gorleston)

82: C Ginn.

83: M Allen (Felixstowe Ferry).

84: G Irvine (Ipswich).

85: T Collett (Stowmarket).

86: G Wakefield (Rushmere), M Lamb, B Ashton (Fynn Valley).

91: R Smith (Rushmere).

99: J Maloney.