SARAH BLACKMAN CROWNED CASTLETOWN CLUB CHAMPION

Island 72-hole Strokeplay champion Sarah Blackman added the Castletown Club Championship title to her collection. The ladies premier medal competition took place last Wednesday in challenging conditions at the Links. Gross scores broadly correlated to competitors’ handicaps and some of the card corrupting highlights included 10’s on the Road Hole, and a valiant 14, plus a nauseating N/R, on the ‘gully-ball’ 18th.

There was only one aberration for Blackman who won by an impressive 19 strokes. Her gritty gross 85 included eight pars, nine bogeys and a slippery seven on the ‘dogleg’ 4th.

Playing off (4), Blackman has shaved 15 strokes from her handicap index in the past year. Much of this impressive improvement is attributed to invaluable golf lessons with PGA Advanced Coach Steve Hamer. Certainly, the investment seems to have paid dividends.

Due to the gale-force wind, nobody else broke 100. Second-placed Jane Holt’s 104 was over-influenced by taking ten percent of her shots on just one hole, when ‘off-roading’ on the 5th. Two 8’s and three 7’s didn’t help either.

Lady captain, Belinda Pilling came third, a pair of pars outweighed by three somewhat extravagant holes. Never-the-less, her nett 81 was the best of the day. Rather than present the prize to herself, it will be held over for the Captain v Vice-Captain team challenge in November.

On the previous Sunday, Stephen Berry dropped three late shots but still carded luscious level par. Bingo: his ‘Winnie the Pooh – 42’ Stableford points taking the Ramsey Crookall-sponsored series prize. Despite a sloppy six on the Road Hole there was also ‘Time for Fun’ for Mark Haywood close behind on 41. Enough for some ‘Christmas Cake’, Martin Kennaugh came in third on 38.

Storm Amy shut the course on Saturday (3rd October), so the J. Carter Trophy had to be postponed for the second time. Weather permitting it will now take place on Saturday 18th October.  Similarly, this coming Saturday, it is hoped that the rescheduled Steve Keegan Memorial Trophy competition will get underway. Lady members are reminded that this has been designated as an open competition and that they are most welcome to participate.

MALCOLM LAMBERT

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