Men's & Ladies' Scratch Knock-out Finals

Harrogate's Ruth Skaife picked up her fifth scratch knockout title at Ilkley GC on Sunday, beating Bedale's Sue Mayman 4&3 in a fantastic final. Despite playing some excellent determined golf over 36 holes, Mayman, playing in her first final, was eventually overhauled by veteran Skaife on a day which also saw a double success for Harrogate as Tim Moorhouse beat Kevin Ward of Bedale to win the men's event 3&2.

The ladies' match, watched by supporters from both Bedale and Harrogate Golf Clubs, were seeing some excellent play from both players. With grit and determination Sue held on to go to the halfway point trailing by only one hole after resisting some excellent golf from Skaife. In the afternoon both players changed their caddies, but even this did not affect the quality of play.

It was not until the turn that Sue started to feel the pressure from Harrogate's four-time title winner.

Sue, playing in her first final after a year representing Yorkshire senior ladies, found the sustained pressure from Ruth hard to match.

By the time the match got to the 15th, Ruth was already three up with her tee shot short of the pin with an uphill putt and Sue finding herself in a greenside bunker in a near unplayable lie unable to make any impression and Ruth winning the hole and the match by 4&3.

Before the men's final could be decided the semi-finals needed to be played over 18 holes.

First out was Buckley against Moorhouse, both players from Harrogate Golf Club, followed by Jonathan Honeysett from Pannal against Ward. It was not until the tenth that Moorhouse went ahead and with Buckley unable to find the top form of recent weeks, Moorhouse took the match 3&2.

In the second semi, Ward took command of the match by the halfway point, with Honeysett unable to capitalize on some truly excellent approach shots.

The 13th saw Honeyset pull one hole back to a deficit of three, but with Ward his usual composed self held on to his lead to win the match by 3&2 to set up a thrilling final against Moorhouse.

The men's final got off to a shaky start with both players pulling their tee shots into unplayable lies and both managing a five to half the hole. The second gave Moorhouse the opportunity to go one up when he had a 30-foot putt for birdie, which he duly holed.

The third saw both players miss the green on the right after seeing Moorhouse's putt go in on the last Ward played and excellent chip to hole out for a birdie and win the hole, match all square.

Moorhouse managed to open up a slight lead after chipping in on the eighth after a poor tee shot to go two up. Drama struck again on the 15th with Ward in a greenside bunker and with no shot directly to the pin. With Moorhouse missing the target on the right played his second to see it roll back down to his feet, after managing his find the green in three, only to leave his putt short and come off with the hole halved.

The 16th saw Ward find the rough. Ward in a difficult position could not find the green with his second while Moorhouse found the target.

Alas for Kevin it was not going to be his day as the hole was conceded after missing a putt, Tim won the match by 3&2 to take the title.

Bedale Golf Club

A pro-am tournament organised by NE and NW PGA, Bedale hosted this event and was lucky with the weather after heavy rain put a questionmark over the event.

The winning team with a score of 122 were J Sickling, M Edmundson and T Joblin with professional S Cairns. Runners-up with a score of 125 were J Beer, S Anderson and D Beardsworth with progressional D Skeffington. In third place with 126 came N Slater, G Pearson and W Stalley with professional A Bateman. In the professional competition a score of 70 was returned by J Harrison (Matfen Hall), S McKenna (City of Newcastle) and G Bell (Eaglescliffe).

Ladies Invitation Day

A fine weather start was spoiled by heavy rain in the afternoon though good scoring was returned by members and guests in this stableford competition.

Leading scores: 41 points J Sanderson and J Thornton; 40 J Robinson and H Smyth and D Bainbridge and J Guidry, card countback required; 39 G Petrie and R Paige; 38 M Taylor and M Mitchell. Nearest the pin 9th hole H Smythe; 12th hole J Robinson; 16th hole S Mayman.

Seniors medal

The last qualifying white tee medal took place last Friday with following leading scores: 72 John Archer (11); 75 Stan Suggitt (10); 76 Brian Knapton (12); 77 Brian Comerford (19).

Seniors outing

A very hot day at Knaresborough golf club for the elderly golfers which left some rather exhausted after 26 holes played as a Texas Scramble in the morning and an 18-hole stableford in the afternoon on a course in beautiful condition. The Texas Scramble winners were Les Kitching, George Tocher and Tony Howard. With runners-up Bill Coom, Bill Beaton and Dave Bown. The afternoon stableford winners were 37 points Trevor Robotham; 36 John Carr; 32 Les Kitching; 31 Peter Taylor and Alec Crow.

Dales Alliance

Richmond golf club hosted the first round of this series which finished in spring with Catterick Garrison in the lead and Thirsk and Northallerton runners-up with Bedale propping up the bottom of the table.

Scores: Richmond 203 points; Bedale 202; Crook 201; Thirsk and Northallerton 200; Blackwell Grange 193 and Catterick Garrison 189. Individual prizewinners were 45 points M Fuller and I Morris (Bedale), also D Hanlin and C Dobson (Crook); 44 L Richardson and N Fox (Thirsk and Northallerton); 43 R Gent and M Temple (Blackwell Grange).

The overall position after the first round when the spring totals are included are 1333 points Thirsk and Northallerton 1324 Catterick Garrison; 1310 Crook; 1295 Richmond; 1292 Bedale; 1288 Blackwell Grange.