A GREAT standard of matchplay golf throughout the season has secured a league victory for the ladies of The Worcestershire Golf Club and a league-leading slot for the club’s men.

Twenty-four local clubs battled it out all summer for the ladies’ Droitwich Inter-Club League (DICL) title.

Played as singles matchplay in four groups of six, the contest saw The Worcestershire emerge as group winners and joint top points-scorers with Gaudet Luce after the round robin stage, having won all five of their encounters.

These teams met in one of the semi finals, played on neutral territory at Burghill, with the Worcestershire progressing to the final.

The other group winners were North Worcestershire and Burghill Valley, with the former winning the other semi final at the Malvern Wells course.

In a tightly contested final at Cleobury Mortimer GC, the first two matches went to The Worcestershire, with Chris Urry (2&1) and Jackie Marks (4&2) both winning.

This was countered by North Worcestershire when Jill Piner went down to Maria Jordan 4&3 and Pat Rose lost out to Sue Forrest, one down, in a closely-fought duel.

With the title hanging in the balance, it was the Worcestershire’s Mary Horrobin who secured the DICL league title for the Malvern Wells club for the first time since 1996, comfortably winning the final game 5&4.

Team captain Jill Piner would like to thank all those who played for and supported the team during the season.

Meanwhile, The Worcestershire’s men’s ‘A’ team top their league, despite losing 4-2 in the tough final match of a successful season, at Kidderminster Golf Club.

The league comprises teams from Droitwich, Kidderminster, Sapey, Evesham, The Worcestershire and Worcester Golf and Country Club, and squads of six pairs, with handicaps of 12 and below, play better-ball matchplay fixtures, home and away.

Leading the way in their final encounter, with the only win for the Worcestershire, were team captain Andy Mc- Cabe (handicap 4) and regular partner Bill Thomas (12) by 2&1.

Hard-fought halves were secured by the pairing of Dave Marshall (1) and Steve Carter (11), and by Rich Higgs (11) and Andy Fleming (11).

Jason Allies (2) and Lee Whittall (7) lost on the 18th, while Phil Birch (6) and Tom Howells (1) lost by 3&2 and Josh Marshall (7) and Paul Wakely (11) lost by 4&3.

The Worcestershire are still favourites to win the league but face an anxious wait as Kidderminster, who are the only team who can catch them, have still to play two tough fixtures over the next month.

In regular club matches, club captain Steve Bradshaw and his 16-man squad welcomed visitors from Olton GC to a pre-match breakfast prior to play in an ever-popular fixture.

After nine holes many of the hosts’ members were down in their matches, but a valiant fightback soon unfolded to ensure that The Worcestershire finished the season with a 6-2 victory.

From three down early on, Bradshaw and partner Barry Schofield secured a half on the final hole, while the steady pairing of Mike Bothma and Mike Day won 1 up.

Gary Eames and Andy Dunster won 3&1, followed by Tim Cain and Dave Flanagan with a comfortable 5&4 win.

Mike Bolton and Keith Hitchcock’s half was followed in by a very impressive 6&5 victory by Sam McLeod and Pat Mcllroy.

Chris Hardy and Terry Cox won 1 up and, whileJohn Monk and Dave Turner came back from four down to level the scores with two holes to play, they lost on the 18th, 1 down.

Of the nine club matches played this year, The Worcestershire have won six and lost three. Captain Steve Bradshaw would like to thank all who have represented the club throughout the season.

Two club teams were less successful. A ladies’ team went down at Sapey Golf Cluband playing in torrential rain in their last match of the season, a mixed team suffered a similar fate during a trip to The Herefordshire at Wormsley.

On a cool but dry day, the hosts recorded a substantial 6-2 win with the Worcestershire’s only winners being Di and Paul Meakin, and Liz Pool with Peter Hill.

However, mixed golf is in good heart at The Worcestershire and team captains Trevor and Brenda Cox would like to thank all those who participated in an enjoyable series of friendly matches against other local clubs.

In club competitions, Division Two’s Andrew Dare, playing off a handicap of 20, took the honours in the Veterans’ Stableford, ahead of Michael Smith (handicap 26) with both recording 39 stableford points.

Both players reduced their playing handicaps by two strokes, while third-placed Ewan McClelland reduced his from 22 to 21 with 37 points.

The best of a small group in Division One was Peter Sheward (16) on 33 points.

Meanwhile, Corinne Mills, April Wilding-Green and Tina Jukes won a ladies’ three-ball alliance with 82 points, well ahead of Christine Goody, Pauline Savage and Jenny Nions on 75 points and Di Wilde, Jill Piner and Ruth Scott 74. Betty Mitchell won a nine-hole individual stableford with 16 points.