Golf - 'Heatwave' regional in countback sweat

Fine weather at the last regional final of the Accountancy Age Masters 1999, in association with NMB Heller, ensured that competitors had to play to the highest standard to stand any chance of reaching the national final later this year.

Played at The Warwickshire club, which has hosted events including the PGA European Tour and the Motor City Classic, the course provided a challenge for golfers of all abilities in the Midlands Regional Final.

In the blistering sunshine of the hottest day this year, competitors required frequent drink stops.

The problem was exacerbated by the length of the course which, at 7,375 yards, was described by one golfer as a ‘hike’.

But the hot weather meant the fairways were perfect for long driving, and the top finishers were to take best advantage of the bounce.

The Warwickshire club is set out over four nine-hole courses and the Masters was played over the North and East courses, with the eighth hole of the East proving a popular test. Golfers faced a 168-yard shot over water and four bunkers before hitting the green.

The fourth hole of the North course – with a length of 604 yards – gave the fourballs the chance to show off their driving prowess, followed by a long walk up to the green where many players, to their dismay, discovered they had found the bunkers to the left of the pin.

The day required the competition adjudicators’ involvement again, after Peter Ormerod and Bill Jackson both achieved the best stableford score of the day with 33 points. The draw was finally decided by a countback to the back three holes with Ormerod finishing first.

Mark Scarett came third with 32 points. Three other players – Andrew Baxendine, Bill Moore and Richard de Dombal – qualified and will appear in the national final at the famous Forest of Arden course in September.

The day’s longest drive competition was won by David Chapman, while the nearest-the-pin prize was taken by Paul Macildowie.

 LEADER BOARD
 MIDLANDS REGIONAL FINAL, THE WARWICKSHIRE, 8 JULY
 
 1st Overall             Peter Ormerod           (5pts back 3)
 2nd Overall             Bill Jackson            (4pts back 3)
 3rd Overall             Mark Scarett
 Qualifiers              Andrew Baxendine        (17pts back 9)
                         Bill Moore              (17pts back 9)
                         Richard de Dombal       (15pts back 9)
 Nearest pin             Paul Macildowie
 Longest Drive           David Chapman
 
                         Handicap     Points scored
 Andrew Baxendine        4            31
 Steven Baxter           11           27
 Mark Carter             11           30
 David Chapman           4            31
 Neil Crees              15           13
 Matthew Crewe           7            28
 Richard de Dombal       11           31
 Carl Gregory            18           25
 Bill Jackson            5            33
 Andrew Knuckey          4            31
 Richard Leatherland     13           25
 Paul Macildowie         9            28
 Richard McVeigh         15           26
 Peter Meredith          16           22
 Jon Miller              21           26
 Bill Moore              7            31
 Nick Newland            7            24
 Mark Nickalls           19           27
 Peter Ormerod           15           33
 Andrew Pickup           12           27
 Stephen Puckett         9            26
 Arthur Rice             20           22
 Alex Roberts            11           21
 Mark Scarett            4            32
 Michael Scawn           10           30
 Kevin Shears            21           24
 Ian Thomson             5            29
 John Tiffen             11           25
 Brian Turner            18           27
 Kevin Walker            7            25
 John Wheatley           12           28