18 Sep 2007 - Essex Golf Cup 2007 Report

 

Essex  Golf Cup 2007

 

Result and Report 

 

Congratulations to Mark Davies and Mickey Simmonds 

 

8 teams gathered for the inaugural Essex Golf Cup on Tuesday 4th September 2007 at the South Essex Golf Centre. The competition was played in fine weather - in stark contrast to most of the summer! - and the back nine was played in glorious sunshine, although a steady breeze meant players didn't entirely have things their own way.  

 

The day got off to a magnificent start when Luther Blacklock, our special guest for the day (Senior Professional from Woburn , world renowned teacher and inventor of the Explanor), treated our golfers to a 30 minute clinic. Luther then joined the players out on the course for the whole round.  

 

Mark Davies and Mickey Simmonds, winners of last years National Christian Golf Cup, were given the honour of hitting the opening drives of the competition and rose to the occasion with two super shots. The standard of play was high and after 9 holes John Powell and Mike Lane ( Rayleigh Baptist Church ) were tied for the lead with Neil Salter and Carl McDowell ( Leigh Road Baptist Church ) on 24 points. The other six teams were all close behind. Mark Davies recorded an eagle at the 10th to draw Molesey Community Church level at the top and he and his playing partner followed this with a string of birdies and pars.  

 

Although the father and son team of Ken and Oliver McMahon (Church from Scratch) couldn’t keep pace with the leaders, Oliver deservedly landed both the longest drive and nearest the pin prizes, the latter shot finishing just 12 inches from the hole on the par 3 seventeenth. A birdie at the same hole for Mickey Simmonds gave Molesey an unassailable lead that saw them crowned the first Essex Golf Cup winners.  

 

The Christian Golf Society is very pleased to announce that earlier this year Mark Blythe, from Molesey Community Church offered us the opportunity to take over the running of the National Christian Golf Cup. Mark and his Church instigated this competition some 8 years ago and it is an absolute privilege to take this forwards. As the Essex Golf Cup is our only event of this nature this year we agreed to effectively combine the Essex and National Golf Cups into one event for this year and therefore Mark and Mickey retained the National Christian Golf Cup title the won last year. They were worthy winners with some fantastic golf.  

 

To cap what had already been an excellent day, after dinner Luther shared some of his story with a captivating talk.