From left to right: The Captain, Winners Chris Sweetnam and Steph Farrar, Runners-up Claire Fry and Colin Goudie, Lady Captain.
Blind Date
By Helen Heggarty
Chris Sweetnam and Cheshire’s Steph Farrar captured
the 46th Hoylake Open Scratch Mixed Foursomes title last August playing together for the first time when they teed it up on the Saturday morning. Sweetnam, a scratch player from Mentmore G & CC, was without his regular mixed foursomes partner, sister Lizzy, who has departed for the USA on a golf scholarship, so he entered as a singleton. Steph Farrar, from Sandiway, has played in the event many times but was hesitant to play this year after the 36 hole stroke play event at Royal Birkdale on the Friday. Persuaded to pair up with the fine Essex player by the organisers and seeded 6th, one of the organisers, Neil McBurney, rued the pairing’s creation when he and his wife drew them in the first round! Sweetnam and Farrah performed superbly over the three
wind swept days when the links proved a tough challenge for all 64 couples taking part. Their semi-final against the second seeds, Andrew Smedley from Hollinwell and Lucy Williams from Mid-Herts, a pairing of +2 combined, saw
them come back from three down with five to play to win on the last green. Their final against home player Claire Fry and her partner, Colin Goudie from Gosfield Lake, saw an equally tight finish. Two up on the 17th tee, Sweetnam & Farrah lost both subsequent holes to pars before the out of bounds took its toll on their opposition. Fry and Goudie played arguably their best golf in the morning to beat the fine Pleasington pairing of Michael Hunt and Natalie Evans, the fourth seeds. Two down after eight holes, Fry and Goudie moved up a gear and shot four under par for the next eight holes to win the game on the 16th. The event, commonly regarded as the top scratch event
of its type in the UK, attracted a fine field as always with all 16 seeds a combined of seven or less. But with the handicap limit of 18 many golfers may consider the Welcome Cocktail Party, the Saturday night dinner disco, and the Sunday barbeque undoubtedly a draw! If you might be interested in taking part ask the Club Secretary for details on 0151 632 3101.
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