Barnard Castle Golf Club-based Ray Pipe and John Matthews won a dream trip to the US after triumphing in the final of the National Club Golfer Top 100s Matchplay.
Ray and John, who won the Northern Goler Match Play Pairs title in 2023 and 2024, beat more than 250 other pairs from around the country to win the seven-night trip – which includes two rounds at Bethpage. They will also play two rounds in Louisiana before a visit to the Kentucky Derby.
Darlington residents Ray and John began playing together at Blackwell Grange 30 years ago and joined Barnard Castle in 2020. Ray, 73, is a former catering company boss who was once a single-figure handicapper but is now off 16. John, a 63-year-old retired police officer who plays off a handicap of seven, said: “We are both competitive and help each other, we don’t give many holes away.”
The Barnard Castle duo won the final 3&2 at Alwoodley Golf Club after qualifying for the final stages in Yorkshire by winning one of eight regional divisions. In the final, they faced a team from Scunthorpe and were 1dn after nine before rallying on the back nine to complete their victory at the 16th hole.
