
The final of the county wide 4bbb was kindly hosted by Woodbury GC and we are very grateful for their hospitality from all concerned. 64 players from around the county had spent much of the season playing through their round and area finals to be reduced to just four. Ian Jolliffe (9) & Tony Canning (6) Elfordleigh GC and DGC Captain Phil Webb (19) & Stuart Darke (18) Ilfracombe GC. This year, for the first time since the competition’s inception, awaiting the victors the new trophies purchased recently.
With the players differential in handicaps it was difficult to try and predict the outcome of the match, all of course playing on the neutral course, dare I say nothing like the combatants home courses ! Refereeing the match I was accompanied by our President Lew who chauffered me in a buggy, fortunately no rule situations arose and the match was played in excellent spirit, as one would expect.
The Ilfracombe boys started well winning the first with a 5/4 after a stumble from their opponents, continuing on with wins on the 2nd and 3rd, all being played from the white tees 6536 yards. Confidence rose even higher whereupon Phil and Stuart won the 4th, 5th & 6th, I think they both did well to apparently not reveal their obvious start to the match. Everything went right for them, despite halving the 7th & 9th, winning the difficult 8th with a conceded 5/4 saw the northern pair 7 up at the turn with a better ball score of 41 gross, this included a 20 yard birdie 2 from Stuart on the 5th !
Halving 10 in pars the Coup de Grace was administered on the 11th by Phil with a 5/4 and an 8/7 win for Ilfracombe. As was agreed by all, Ian & Tony didn’t bring their A game but nothing should distract from Phil & Stuart’s victory, they had a day we all dream of, nothing went wrong on the day putts fell, balls stayed short of ditches and a little good fortune is always welcome. I am taking this opportunity to thank all entrants for the last 3 years and look forward to 2024 to welcome new and old to the DGC 4bbb.
Malcolm Jordain


