With outstanding scores of 5 up in each of the two rounds of the 2021 SUMMER CUP, Past Captain Gavin Furness beat a field of 75 players over the weekend of February 20 and 21 to win his third 36 Hole Trophy – by a massive 6 shots from Vice President Damon Watkins and another Past Captain Bruce Allbrook.

This year’s event was once again sponsored by PHIL JOHNSON PLUMBING AND GAS and special thanks go to Phil for his continued support of the club. Unfortunately the past winner could not make it two victories but finished a creditable 14th.

Pleasant conditions greeted players on Saturday and there were some excellent scores with eighteen players square or better.

  • Bruce Allbrook led the way with an excellent score of 6 up. Playing from the 5th Hole his last six holes included 5 plus’s and a half.

  • Gavin Furness was close behind on 5 up. Interestingly he lost three of the Par 3’s

  • Then followed by Ken Douglas and George Gelavis on 4 up and Brian Stuart on 3 up.

The eventual runner-up, Damon Watkins, was 2 up – a score that could have been much better as he was 5 up with 5 holes remaining.

  • Dual winner and defending champion Callum White did not have his best day and was back in equal 30th position with 2 down.

  • Of the other Past Champions John Venner was square and Phil Johnson and Jeff Lane 1 down

  • Edmund Hall led the Gross, 3up, with Ben Cullinan 1 behind.

The Second Round on Sunday also saw pleasant conditions for the 25 morning players but the temperature warmed up after lunch for the remaining 50.

Could Bruce Allbrook hang on or would he be overtaken by the chasing pack?

The morning players were the first to try with Ken Douglas, Brian Stuart and several players with good first round scores not making inroads – Brian ultimately finishing 7th.

Also playing in the morning, defending Champion, Callum White made up lost ground with a great score of 4 up which included 4 birdies in the space of 5 holes. He became the clubhouse leader after the completion of the morning round with 2 up.

So now it was up to the afternoon field to see what they could do.

  • Overnight Leader Bruce Allbrook started well but 3 losses in 5 holes saw him fall back to 2 up overall, a score he mainatined to the end and was ultimately beaten on a countback for second with a final score of 4 up.

  • George Gelavis started shakily losing his first two holes. He righted the ship only to lose three out of his last 4 holes. This proved costly and put him back in 4th position.

  • Damon Watkins playing alongside Gavin Furness started slowly and any chances he had of making up the 4 shot difference were thwarted when he was 2 down after his first 4 holes. At the end he steadied and came in 2 up for an overall total of 4 up which was good enough to run second.

  • Callum White, in his title defence, ultimately finished 5th. Of the rest of the former champions John Venner finished 11th with square and Phil Johnson and Jeff Lane equal 13th a further shot back.

  • The Best Gross was a close run thing with Edmund Hall, 3u p holding off the fast finishing Ben Cullinan, 2 up. Ben also finished 6th overall off his scratch handicap.

  • Other good second round scores came from Hugo Mcchesney, Craig Nelson and Jack Morris – all 3 up. Each of these ran in the top ten overall.

That leaves the Winner.

Gavin Furness has won the 2021 Summer Cup with two outstanding rounds of golf. His two scores of 5 up streaked the field and it could easily be said – “Daylight Second” but in this case it was “Damon Second.”

After “graciously??” accepting Vice Captain Campbell Thompson’s remarks and generous “gift” on Wednesday night, Furness, playing on his newly acquired playing handicap of 10, joined his three “more credentialled” 9 Handicap playing partners on Saturday, out to prove that-;

  • He was better than a 10 handicapper.

  • He was better than them.

  • In particular to politely make the Vice Captain eat his words.

Well he comfortably succeeded on the first two counts (we await the Vice Captains’s response) and his new playing Handicap of 8 will in fact not increase for at least the next 6 rounds. NOTE-Damon Watkins also reduced his playing handicap to 8 whilst the Vice Captain is struggling to stay in single figures.

When this “roving reporter” congratulated the Winner and asked how many 36 Hole Trophy events he had won he “humbly” responded “That’s three. I need the Autumn Cup for the 4 Seasons”

We will wait for the 2021 Autumn Cup and also to see whether he can win a second Summer Cup in 2022.

That aside it really was an outstanding performance and one which will be hard to emulate in the future, and one which Gavin and his playing partners will never forget.

Thanks once again to Phil Johnson Plumbing and Gas for continuing their support and also to the course staff for the presentation of the course, the house staff , John in the kitchen and the Pro Shop staff for making the weekend a success.

CONGRATULATIONS GAVIN – A FANTASTIC VICTORY

Summer Cup 2021 Results