Match Reports
CARDIFF GOLF WIN BUSA LEAGUE8th February 2006
Gair Rhydd
Cardiff University golf 1sts won the BUSA 1A division after beating Aberystwyth in a season ending decider last Wednesday. Cardiff claimed the title by thumping the West Wales side 5-1 on their home turf. The team of six now head for the BUSA Championship Trophy where they will compete against the best sides in England and Scotland.
Mid-way through the season Cardiff led the league comfortably but with disappointing performances against Bournemouth, Swansea and Glamorgan the team needed a strong finish to capture the BUSA 1A title. The response was formidable with impressive home wins against Plymouth and Bournemouth, leaving a show-down match against UW Aberystwyth.
The match was played at Borth G.C, a typical seaside links that demands sweet striking and straight hitting. Weather conditions made scoring very difficult, with up to 40 mph winds howling across the open links. Comfortably claiming Cardiff's first point was Ryan Greaney. After nine holes, the post- graduate student held a one hole advantage and when turning for home, he finished the dual off with ease. Ryan won five holes on the trot and secured a 6/5 victory. James Millard holed an undulating 25-foot putt on the 15th hole and joined the Cardiff charge with an impressive 4/3 win.
Unfortunately Cardiff couldn't maintain their momentum as Elliot Shaw lost his match 4/3, leaving the match narrowly in Cardiff's favour. Billy Hemstock was gifted victory when his playing opponent pulled his approach to the 16th into the water hazard. Hemstock's opponent then three putted the 17th hole surrendering the point to Cardiff.
Although they were one point ahead of UW Aberystwyth in the league, a draw was not enough for Cardiff to claim the title. So competitive is the 1A division, that Swansea could snatch victory if they won their last two games. This meant only victory would secure the number one spot for the Cardiff team.
Cardiff's anchorman Dave Thomas playing at number six was all-square after nine. But with a strong back nine which included birdies on the 11th, 13th and finally the 16th hole, he claimed his game 3/2. On the 16th hole, Thomas unleashed a powerful drive which flew an amazing 290 yards and rolled onto the par four green leaving him a two-putt birdie. Team captain, Chris Orr made the win even more emphatic when he won the last hole and his match 2 up.
Cardiff now face either Reading or Royal Holloway in a play-off match which will decide who gets promoted to the BUSA Premier League.
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Dirty plays his approach to the 18th
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CARDIFF PUTT ABER IN PLACE
Cardiff Golf 1sts comfortably beat UW Aberystwyth on Wednesday despite a disappointing start which left Cardiff two down after the first two matches.
Playing at their home course, Radyr G.C. in perfect golfing conditions was contrast to their last game where players struggled to grip clubs due to torrential rain. The course showed little sign of the heavy rain which had kept it closed for the last two weeks.
Led by Elliot Shaw, the Cardiff team took an early blow with Shaw narrowly loosing his match on the eighteenth green. UW Aberystwyth seemed to take control of the match by winning the second game convincingly with a 5/4 score line. This left the third match crucial to the outcome of the fixture and fortunately for Cardiff, James Millard back from suspension, cruised to a 4/2 victory.
It was the manner in which Millard closed out the match which delighted his team mates. Millard neatly hit the 17th green in regulation with a crisply struck 7iron before rolling a 10ft putt into the heart of the cup, for birdie. It showed how far he has developed as a player within a year. During the 2004/5 campaign he was shunned and labelled a 'gas-man'. However unbeaten so far this year he's surely the favourite for Player of the Year.
The match continued in Cardiff's favour with Richard Union making the step up from the second team, with a crushing 4/3 win. The match was now in the balance leaving the fate of the Cardiff team up to the team captains Chris Orr and Dave Thomas. Orr joined the Cardiff charge to victory with an impressive 4/3 win. Orr had already birdied four holes through fourteen holes and on the fifteenth he nonchalantly added another to ensure his win.
Cardiff now with their nose in front depended on Thomas to bring home the goods. Purposely playing at number six because he enjoys pressure, Thomas violently hooked his iron shot on the seventeenth hole only to find his ball in the rough 'sat up like a coconut'. He swept his ball greenside and completed a 2/1 win.
Cardiff having played all three welsh opponents are due to play Bournemouth and Plymouth in rearranged fixtures in the next coming weeks. Cardiff will go top of the league if they can get three points from those games.
CARDIFF LEFT SWINGING IN THE RAIN
Cardiff golf 2nds unbeaten run comes to an end with a narrow defeat at the hands of an impressive Bournemouth squad, in extreme weather conditions yesterday.On the back of conclusive wins against Southampton and Plymouth, Cardiff approached this fixture high in confidence. Cardiff competing in BUSA Western 2A conference was hoping for another win to cement their position at the top of the table. The match was held at Bournemouth's home course Idlewood, a relatively new and undeveloped parkland course. Severely water logged, players had to negotiate large puddles, fierce wind and torrential rain.
Dan Brown, Cardiff team captain was all-square playing the fifteenth hole but was unable to grip the club at all due to the conditions. After reaching the green in seven strokes, he gleefully accepted the proposition of a half from his playing opponent. Cardiff was propelled on by a striking win from Darshan Chandaria who demolished his opponent 8/6. In fact things looked up for Cardiff momentarily after Craig Alliss won by an impressive 6/5 winning score line. Unfortunately the rain caught up with Cardiff with the fourth match going in Bournemouth's favour, leaving the score 2.5-1.5 to Cardiff. Bournemouth's familiarity with the closing holes proved to be the deciding factor in this rain effected fixture. Cardiff lost the last two games 2/1 and 5/4 with some excellent play from Bournemouth, who recorded birdies on the last two holes in both games.
Bournemouth 3rds consisted entirely of players studying Golf Management and playing off handicaps of 5 and below. The first team's fixture against Plymouth University, due to be held at Radyr G.C was unsurprisingly cancelled following the extreme wet weather front which hit Cardiff on Tuesday evening.
BUCK FCUKED
2004/5Buckinghamshire Chilterns Vs Cardiff
Another dramatic ending to this weeks match saw Cardiff golf lose another game by merely half a point to Buckinghamshire Chilterns, highlighting the slight divide between success and failure in the highly competitive Premier League.
Reversing their order of play in the last two weeks, Cardiff decided to go on all out attack this week, against a reputable Buckinghamshire Chilterns side. The game was staged at Bucks home course, Hazelmere, a course which took its toll physically on players as many holes were set on a hillside. Even though it was clear that when the course was first established founders made little attempt at course design, there were however, little complaints with its condition as the greens offered an excellent roll for the time of year.
Missing one of their key players, David Thomas through groin injury, the away side saw Nick Surname make his debut. Unfortunately for Nick, his introduction to the Premier league was not going to be easy as he was pitted against their star female player Fanny Butcher. Their match was fiercely fought and at the half way stage Butcher was only 1up. Throughout the field, in fact, things were tight after 9 holes as all matches were well fought. James Millard the villain of last week transformed himself into a hero as he won convincingly by 5/4 after birdying the first 5 holes on the inward nine. Obviously pleased, Millard offered the opposing supporters a Happy Gilmore esq. 'bull dance' in which he held his putter between his legs while exclaiming, 'giddy up….I'm riding the bull'.
The lead was short lived however as Alun Davies and Nick Surname both lost by 2/1 and 4/3 respectively. Cardiff was still optimistic of a win as Billy Hemstock won his match 3/1. Unfortunately for Cardiff, Joinour Union lost 4/2 meaning Cardiff needed to win the last match for a draw and their first point. Rob Skornia in the last match made a routine four up the last but could only manage a half for the team as his opponent made an eagle two. Cardiff as a result lost 3.5/ 2.5.
