OVER 440 competitors took part in Ludlow GC’s annual Open Weekend, a popular event that has run since the club’s centenary in 1989.

There were 180 in Friday’s Texas Scramble, the same number in Saturday’s Betterball Stableford and 80 in Sunday’s Mixed Am-Am.

Historically the format in the Texas Scramble has favoured low handicap teams, so in an effort to level the playing field a 15 per cent handicap allowance was introduced, instead of 10. With just 3.4 shots separating the seven prize-winning teams, all of whom had players with handicaps ranging from nine to 21, it proved a good change.

Ludlow member teams took the top three prizes, with the winning quartet, with a net score of 51.1, being Wayne Gardner, Will Evans, Dave Fish and Jonathan Price.

In the Betterball Stableford one of the first pairings of the day, Jim Filkins and Mark Moulton, set the early pace with 44 points.

But just half an hour later Paul Western and Tony Weston, from Penn GC, returned a phenomenal score of 47.

That remained unbeaten, with their closest challengers, Ludlow’s Roger Heath and Clive Wright, returning 45. The best gross came from Wharton Park’s Wayne Boden and Ian Green, both finishing on 35 points.

The Open Mixed Am/Am, with an entry of 20 teams of four comprised of two men and two ladies, with the best men’s and ladies’ score counting on each hole, rather than any two scores. Ludlow members (and bakers) John and Pat Bown, alongside Jayne Smith and Little Lakes’ David Wood, proved just the right mix to score 80 points and top the field.

Meanwhile, President's Day at Cleobury Mortimer GC was everything Tom Straughton could have wished for, with a bumper field of nearly 90 competitors contesting the event in glorious sunshine.

There were four prizes up for grabs, a 27-hole, 18-hole, nine-hole and ladies’ trophy, and a medal format made it even more of an endurance test.

Luke Brittain found his form on the final nine to score a net 32 to take the nine-hole trophy, Graham Brittain, who shot a very steady net 66, won the 18-hole prize on countback while Sara Pain took the ladies’ trophy, one shot ahead of Amy Millward.

The trophy that everyone wanted was for 27 holes. A level net would give you an overall score of 105 and there was one man who not only played under that score, he played well under. Paul Liggins recorded a net 98 to finish seven under, a fantastic achievement off a 19 handicap.