Leicestershire & Rutland Golf Union
The Leicestershire & Rutland Golf Union competes in the Eastern Inter Counties Foursomes on an annual basis. Held at Seacroft Golf Club, Skegness, the tournament involves 9 counties playing 72 holes of foursomes over a weekend.
The 2013 tournament took place over the weekend Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th May and the L&RGU competed against Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire and Warwickshire.
The team selected to represent the L&RGU at the Eastern Inter Counties Foursomes was:
Ashley Mason (Glen Gorse) Chris Webb (Birstall) David Gibson (Cosby) Jack Mayfield (Kilworth Springs) James Billingham (Cosby) Kevin Dandy (Longcliffe) Kieran Foster (Melton Mowbray) Martin Anderson (Kibworth) Scott Wormleighton (Birstall) Steve Sansome (Birstall)
Weather conditions for the weekend were pretty good with a strong wind affecting play on the Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, but with warm sunshine prevailing on the Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.
Saturday Morning - off the 11th tee against Northamptonshire & Bedfordshire
The opening series of matches gave the L&RGU team the opportunity to avenge the Anglian League defeat against Northamptonshire at The Luffenham Heath the previous week and to score points against a Bedfordshire side that significantly impacted upon our 2012 campaign. Starting at the par five 11th hole the L&RGU made a tentative opening to the Eastern Counties Foursomes. Through 10 holes the L&RGU were down in 7 games, level in 2 and up in just 1 and low tally of points seemed likely. However, the top two pairings of Ashley Mason & David Gibson and Martin Anderson & Steve Sansome turned their games around to each claim maximum points whilst two other victories were secured to give the L&RGU a 6 point session - a good start in blustery conditions which left us in second place, 2 points behind Cambridgeshire.
Ashley Mason & David Gibson: Won 1 up against Bedfordshire, Won 1 up against Northamptonshire
Steve Sansome & Martin Anderson: Won 1up against Bedfordshire, Won 1 up against Northamptonshire
Chris Webb & Scott Wormleighton: Lost 2&1 to Bedfordshire, Lost 2&1 to Northamptonshire
Jack Mayfield & Kevin Dandy: Won 3&2 against Bedfordshire, Lost 2&1 to Northamptonshire
Kieran Foster & James Billingham: Lost 3&2 to Bedfordshire, Won 2&1 against Northamptonshire
L&RGU 6 points
Saturday Afternoon - off the 1st tee against Cambridgeshire & Essex
The golf on Saturday afternoon was incredible - David Gibson and Ashley Mason were all square in both of their matches after 7 holes, shot 3 under for the remaining 11 holes and ended up losing one match 2&1 and halving their other game. Steve Sansome and Martin Anderson made 5 birdies and 3 bogies in their round and lost both of their matches 1 down. Chris Webb and Scott Wormleighton managed to grab a half point out of their game with Essex but no further points were collected, leaving L&RGU with just 1 for the session. Cambridgeshire claimed 5 from the L&RGU and 4 from Essex to give an outstanding 9 for the afternoon and command of the event after 2 rounds.
Ashley Mason & David Gibson: Lost 2&1 to Cambridgeshire, Halved with Essex
Steve Sansome & Martin Anderson: Lost 1 down to Cambridgeshire, Lost 1 down to Essex
Kieran Foster & James Billingham: Lost 3&2 to Cambridgeshire, Lost 2&1 to Essex
Kevin Dandy & Jack Mayfield: Lost 4&2 down to Cambridgeshire, Lost 3&2 down to Essex
Chris Webb & Scott Wormleighton: Lost 1 down to Cambridgeshire, Halved with Essex
L&RGU 1 point, 7 in total for the day, and in 7th place after two rounds
Sunday Morning - off the 1st tee against Lincolnshire & Norfolk
Despite the results the previous afternoon the L&RGU were in determined mood against old rivals Lincolnshire and a Norfolk side handily placed after teh first two rounds. In lovely warm weather the L&RGU got off to a good start with plenty of birdies flying around! In the Sansome/Anderson match the 3 pairs made a total of 19 birdies in the 18 holes, whilst Jack Mayfield & Kevin Dandy made 4 birdies in 6 holes from the 7th to turn scores of 2 down and all square to 2 up and 4 up. The L&RGU gleaned 5.5 points from the session - halving the game against Lincolnshire and beating Norfolk 3-2. Still in 7th place, the L&RGU didn't look like ending up with the dreaded wooden spoon though.
Ashley Mason & David Gibson: Won 1up against Lincolnshire, Won 2&1 up against Norfolk
Steve Sansome & Martin Anderson: Halved with Lincolnshire, Won 4&3 up against Norfolk
Chris Webb & Scott Wormleighton: Lost 1 down to Lincolnshire, Lost 1 down to Norfolk
Jack Mayfield & Kevin Dandy: Won 4&2 against Lincolnshire, Won 5&4 against Norfolk
Kieran Foster & James Billingham: Lost 3&2 to Lincolnshire, Lost 2down to Norfolk
L&RGU 5.5 points, 12.5 in total and in 7th place after 3 rounds
Sunday Afternoon - off the 6th tee against Suffolk and Warwickshire
Another fantastic afternoon of golf, this time almost all from the L&RGU. All 5 pairs scored at least 1 point with Mason/Gibson, Wormleighton/Webb and Foster/Billingham claiming maximums. The Mason/Gibson and Wormleighton/Webb games saw incredible scoring with both pairs covering their first 9 holes in the equivalent of 30 shots - Wormleighton & Webb made an eagle 3 for the second consecutive round at the par 5 ninth whilst Mason/Gibson easily birdied all 3 par fives. Foster & Billingham were all square playing their final hole (the par 4 5th) and a putt from 25 feet by an ecstatic Billingham confirmed an 8th point from the afternoon for the L&RGU. The excellent afternoon saw the team rocket up the leaderboard to 4th place in 20.5 points. The event was won by Cambridgeshire on 28 points, a fantastic score, with Lincolnshire finishing runners up and Northamptonshire third. Bedfordshire claimed the wooden spoon.
Ashley Mason & David Gibson: Won 6&5 against Suffolk, Won 6&5 against Warwickshire
Steve Sansome & Martin Anderson: Won 5&4 against Suffolk, Lost 1 down to Warwickshire
Chris Webb & Scott Wormleighton: Won 3&2 against Suffolk, Won 8&6 against Warwickshire
Jack Mayfield & Kevin Dandy: Lost 4&3 to Suffolk, Won 1 up against Warwickshire
Kieran Foster & James Billingham: Won 1 up against Suffolk, Won 3&2 against Warwickshire
L&RGU 8 points, 20.5 for the tournament and 4th place overall
Final Standings
| County | Saturday AM | Saturday PM | Sunday AM | Sunday PM | Total | Place |
| Cambridgeshire | 8 | 9 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 28 | 1 |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 6 | 6.5 | 9.5 | 25 | 2 |
| Northamptonshire | 5.5 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 24.5 | 3 |
| Leicestershire & Rutland | 6 | 1 | 5.5 | 8 | 20.5 | 4 |
| Essex | 5.5 | 5 | 8 | 1.5 | 20 | 5 |
| Norfolk | 4.5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 17.5 | 6 |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 7 | 2.5 | 2 | 16.5 | 7 |
| Suffolk | 4 | 0 | 5.5 | 5 | 14.5 | 8 |
| Bedfordshire | 3.5 | 2 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 13.5 | 9 |
Finally
Enormous thanks go to all of the players for their efforts over the weekend - hugely appreciated and thanks for turning around the weekend with a very good performance on Sunday - we were the second highest scoring team on day 2 (behind Lincolnshire). Thanks too go to all of the Officers and supporters for their help over the weekend; lots of other counties commented on how impressed they were with the show of 'red' around the course in all of the matches we played.
The quality of the golf gets better and better each year at Seacroft and I wish the team that represents the L&RGU in 2014 the very best of luck in trying to regain the title we last won over 10 years ago.
Stuart Marriott
Captain, Leicestershire & Rutland Golf Union
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