Cyril Gray report

Team: Raven, Rainsford, Cutts, Lethbridge, Harrison, Ingle, Sanders

This is a foursome knock-out competition for over 50s, played annually at Worplesdon Golf Club, Woking, Surrey.

Trent produced an OT team comprising Chris Rainsford, Miles Raven, Graheme Sanders, David Harrison, Terry Lethbridge, Mike Ingle and Chris Cutts.

In the first round we played Whitgift, who beat us by 2 matches, with 1 match halved (Terry and Chris R.) In the first round of the Plate competition, we beat Taunton 2 matches to 1, our victors being Graheme and Mick (3/2), and Terry and Chris R. (5/4).

We went on to meet Framlingham, who beat us by 2 matches, with one halved (Terry and Chris R. again).

We are starting to struggle in this competition as we are all ageing. Would any OT golfers approaching or over 50 years of age please let us know if you would be available to represent the School in this prestigious event. It would be a great pity if we had to pull out as they would easily find a replacement school and we would never be able to get back in as a new generation of OT golfers reach 50, since there are 32 teams exactly.

The schools competing are:

Ampleforth, Whitgift, Taunton, City of London, Fettes, Berkhamstead, Rossall, Stowe, Edinburgh Academy, Dulwich, Watson’s, Glenalmond, Blundell’s, Merchiston, St Paul’s, Merchant Taylors’, St Bees, KES Birmingham, Brighton, Framlingham, Chigwell, Epsom, Wellingborough, Canford, Wrekin, Eastbourne, Liverpool, King’s Canterbury, Gresham’s, Bishop’s Stortford, Stoneyhurst and Trent.

Please contact Chris Cutts at chriscutts01@yahoo.co.uk or phone 01636 672316, or the School.

OT golfers qualify again for Grafton Morrish finals

On Sunday 17th May, a team of Trent Old Tridents successfully qualified for the finals of the Grafton Morrish Golf Tournament. This is the second successive year that an OT team has managed to qualify for this prestigious event and this achievement underlines the ongoing improvement in the standard of OT Golf. The qualifying event was again held at Fixby Hall GC near Huddersfield. High winds and heavy rain meant the conditions were particularly difficult and not conducive to good golf.

The format for the qualifying stage is foursome stableford, off scratch. After a slow start Ian Birch and Joe Tulley notched up 22 points, whilst Jon Carter and Stuart Carlisle managed to scrape together 23 points after a disappointing front nine. Chris Swallow and Greg Roberts scored a very creditable 25, giving the team an aggregate score of 70 points. On a normal day that wouldn’t have been enough, but on this occasion it secured a place in the finals, which take place from 25th – 27th September over two great courses on the North Norfolk coast, Hunstanton and Brancaster.

If you play golf and you are an OT, parent, governor or member of staff past or present, then please get involved in the society. We run various events throughout the year and represent Trent in a number of competitions including the Halford Hewitt Cup and the Cyril Grey Tournament. It is a great way of keeping in touch with friends and maintaining an association with the school.

To find out more please contact the Secretary, Jon Carter on Tel. 01246 212000

(you can find more about the Grafton Morrish by clicking on the link in the panel on the right hand side of this page)

Halford Hewitt Report – more success

Ot Team 2009

 

 

Halford Hewitt 2009 – Report by Chris Swallow OT Golf Team Captain

Trent returned to Royal St Georges for the 2009 campaign. Talented rookie Joe Tulley ( 2000 – 2005) joined a squad of Chris Swallow, Ian Birch, Nick Peplow, Jon Carter, Stuart Carlisle, John Bailey, Rob Cox, Greg Roberts, Tom Rolfe and Nile Goulding.  Sadly Ali Wakefield was unavailable due to taking a year off on a ski season.

 

Unlike the rest of the country which was basking in sunshine a cold mist engulfed the Sandwich area of Kent for most of the week, but we were pleased to remain dry.

The first round match was drawn against Felsted on the Thursday. Carter & Rolfe out first pairing struggled from the off and took a heavy defeat.

However, Birch & Tulley out at three and Peplow & Bailey out five had comfortable wins 5&4 and 4&3 respectively. Carlisle & Cox won their match 2&1 which left Swallow & Roberts who were halved in their match to walk in giving Trent a very comfortable win 3.5 -1.5.

On Friday our surprise opponents were St Pauls who had beaten a strong Liverpool team in their first round match. Carter and Goulding went out first and had a commendable win 2&1. Birch and Tulley,our strongest pair going out three, uncharacteristically found a number of the very penal bunkers and lost their game 2&1.

Carlisle & Cox had a high quality battle at two, but lost 2&1. Swallow & Roberts won their game 5&3 leaving the result in the balance and to be decided by Peplow & Bailey the fifth and anchor pair.

Sitting reasonably comfortably we were three up with four to play. Our opponents then put together a high class run of three holes paring them all with a fine up and down from the sand on the 17th. Both pairs hit quality tee shots and second shots into the green on the 18th. Bailey struck a solid putt to par the hole meaning St Pauls had to hole a 15 footer for a birdie to continue the match which to Trent ’s dismay they managed to do. Most tour professionals would be proud to finish one under on four of the toughest finishing holes on the Open rota as our opponents had just managed to do to us!!!

We were still in the game going down the 19th. Both pairs missed the green, Trent in the stronger position being just off, our opponents being in the front trap.

St Pauls splashed out giving both an opportunity to close out the game. Bailey, first to putt, managed to catch the hole and just lipped out, so when the opposition failed to hole we were down the 20th.

At this stage the tension was palpable. Some would much prefer to be playing and in the mix, others cannot even bear to watch. Either way this is argued to be the essence of the Halford Hewitt – extra holes in front of an expectant group of spectators.

Bailey hit a great drive down the middle, while our opponents hit it wide and right. However, both pairs managed to get to the green front in three strokes. St Pauls finished in regulation two strokes while Trent had three putts and lost the match 3 -2. The sense of disappointment was immense.

We took heart from one of the best Trent performances in recent years and look forward to returning with the likelihood of a stronger team again next year.

Anyone playing golf to a single figure handicap who would like to involve themselves in the squad and matches should call Chris Swallow on 07710 324047

More success at Halford Hewitt

Well done Old Trdents in beating Felsted 3 matches to 1 with 1 halved . A very close match in round 2 saw the Team lose by 3 matches to 2, with the final pair losing at the 20th !

FULL REPORT to FOLLOW

Trent pass milestone in Grafton Morrish finals

 

 

The outcome of the finals can be seen by clicking here.

A full report will be posted shortly. Trent beat Epsom in the first round, having got through the regional qualifying in May.  We lost to Cheltenham in round 2.

Cyril Gray Competition 2008 – results

Trent team: Halmshaw, Sanders, Harrison, Lethbridge, Raven, Rainsford, Cutts. Absent: Ingle

This is a knock-out competition for old boys of public schools, played annually at Worplesden Golf Club, Surrey. 32 teams of six players compete; all players are over 50 years of age. The format is foursomes, played off scratch. (No strokes given)

Trent were again fielding an enthusiastic but ageing team. In the first round we met a very strong King’s Canterbury, plate finalists in 2006, and lost 3 matches to nil. Representing Trent were David Harrison and Terry Lethbridge, Chris Rainsford and Graheme Sanders, Miles Raven and Chris Cutts.

This put us in the subsidiary plate competition, and in the first round we found ourselves playing City of London. Mike Ingle came in for Sanders, and John Halmshaw for Raven.

We managed to win by 2 matches to 1, with one halved. Harrison and Cutts won 3/2, Rainsford and Ingle won by 1 hole, Lethbridge and Halmshaw halved.

In the second round we replaced Harrison and Cutts with Raven and Sanders, but lost 2 – 0 to Ampleforth, with Rainsford and Ingle halving their match.

Once again we all enjoyed the event thoroughly, and were very pleased to have a new player in Mike Ingle. However, we are very short of players in their 50s, and would appeal to any OT golfers who would like a shot in this competition to come forward.

Please contact Chris Cutts on 01636 672316 or chriscutts01@yahoo.co.uk or on the Trent golf website http://www.trentgolf@wordpress.com

OT Golf Team qualifies for Grafton Morrish finals

          Report by Jon Carter

The Trent OT Team successfully qualified at Fixby Golf Club, Huddersfield, for the final knock out stages of the Grafton Morrish to take place the 26th – 28th September at Hunstanton and Brancaster GC. A full list of qualifiers can be found on the www.graftonmorrish.org.uk website.
The team comprised Chris Swallow and Greg Roberts (23pts), Ali Wakefield and Ian Birch (26 pts) and Stuart Carlisle and Jon Carter (28 pts). Giving an aggregate score of 77 which was enough to qualify in 5th place after count back. The unlucky team being Bradford.

Results – Halford Hewitt 2008

        Report by  Chris Swallow   OT Captain

     

Trent arrived at Royal St Georges this year with the strongest squad of players ever to represent the school at the competition. All players were category 1 golfers and included Chris SwalIow, Ian Birch, Nick Peplow, Stuart Carlisle, Jon Carter, John Bailey, Ali Wakefield, Tom Rolfe, Rob Cox and two Rookies – Greg Roberts who left Trent in 2006 and Richard Lawless who left Trent in 1984.

The weather was as kind as it can ever be and we played for five days in the glorious sunshine with very little wind on the first three days. After two very competitive practice rounds the team to play Marlborough was confirmed.

Swallow and Roberts had a tight match for the front nine trading birdies on several holes, but eased away on the back nine playing to par to win 5 & 4.

Carter and Bailey had a bright start and were 2 up early on. Having visited some of the treacherous bunkers around the turn they struggled and lost 4 & 3.

Carlisle and Rolfe were never up in the match and despite picking up a hole on the 12th lost 4 & 3.

Then the game started to tighten considerably. Birch and Wakefield, our top pairing, had a tough start and were 5 down. They proceeded to birdie the 13th,14th and the extremely tough 15th ,a 460 yard par 4 into the wind. A 20 foot put won the 16th with a par and a par was enough on the tough 17th to bring the match back to all square. Peplow and Cox having gone out first pairing were 3 down at the turn, but recovered magnificently by winning the next 5 holes on the bounce. Having lost the next 2 holes their match and the game in total were too close to call.

However, a wide tee shot on the 18th meant that Peplow and Cox bogied the last and lost to a par. This prevented them and Birch and Wakefield going down the 19th having halved the last in par. A very close game, but a loss of 1.5 – 3.5 on the card.

After the disappointment of losing in the main competition Trent were given the daunting task of playing Charterhouse, a top five school, in the plate competition.

It became clear on inspecting the opposition’s team sheet that they were intent on making their mark by putting out a very strong side. Swallow and Roberts failed to live up to their previous days performance. However strong performances from Carlisle and Carter and Birch and Wakefield meant that Trent won the game 2-1.

This could be described as one of Trent’s best performances ever at the Hewitt and a big shock to Charterhouse.

The second round against a strong Ampleforth side was another very good game. Birch and Wakefield continued their incredibly impressive run of never being beaten as a pairing at the Hewitt and won 1 up. Carter and Roberts lost their game leaving the match in the balance with Carlisle and Rolfe who went down the 18th 1 down. Ampleforth missed the green and although we hit the green we were left with a long putt which was holed in regulation. Ampleforth managed a fine up and down to win the game and the match 2-1.

The squad took heart from some strong performances against good opposition and it is clear we can now give any team in the competition a test. It now remains to put a good run together.

Any single figure handicap golfers who are interested in joining the squad should call Chris Swallow on 07710 324 047 or email on chris@creamline.co.uk

Results – Spring Meeting, Chevin, 6th April 2008

    Archie McIntyre

Winner of the Cochrane Cup

REPORT and RESULTS

Despite a terrible weather forecast (blizzards) we had a good turnout and had a pretty clear sunny day, with one or two squalls. The standard of golf was very good, and we enjoyed a hearty meal afterwards in the clubhouse.

25 golfers attended on the day, a mixture of OT’s, Governers, Staff and Parents. The format was stableford played in teams with the best two to count on each hole and an individual event.

The winners were:-

Individual winner – Archie McIntyre – Awarded the Cochrane Cup – 37 points

Individual runners up- Ali Wakefield, Rob Bowen – 36 points

Individual 3rd place – Nick Peplow, Jon Carter – 34 points

Winning Team – Rob Bowen, John Smalley, Miles Raven – Team Trophy – 74 points

Team runners up – Chris Foulds, Terry Lethbridge, Archie McIntyre – 73 points