Yorkshire’s senior men’s team won the Northern Counties Golf Union Seniors’ League following a campaign including big wins and close matches.
Yorkshire topped the table with four wins in their five matches – beating Cheshire and Northumberland emphatically in their first two games before losing narrowly away to Durham. A 12.5-5.5 win away to Lancashire followed by 13.5-4.5 victory over Cumbria on the final day of the season at Keighley saw the White Rose team secure the trophy.
Meanwhile, Northumberland finished second with eight match points and four wins, but with a lower number of game points, as Durham finished third.
“It’s a great feeling to have won the league title,” said team manager Frank Greaves. “We didn’t have a great record in the last two years, so to be back at the top of the table is fantastic. There are so many good golfers in the team and the spirit among them has been great.
“Success in these matches comes down having the right pairings and then playing good golf across the nine holes of greensomes and the 18 holes of fourballs. We’ve put processes in place which have given us consistency this season – with 15 players and nine pairings used in the five matches – and that has been very important. From there, it’s all about the players going out and doing the business, which they did brilliantly this season.
“In terms of highlights, beating Lancashire away was really important. Going to the defending champions, having lost to Durham, and getting the win was key to our season. All credit has to go to the players for getting that result.
“A big thank you must go to Gary Brown for his support this season, and to YUGC president Bruce Light, who has supported us every step of the way. A final thank you goes to the players, those who’ve been selected in the teams and all the guys in the squad who’ve played their part right throughout the season.
“We’re looking forward to Northern Counties Qualifying in September, and we’ll see what the team can do in the 36-hole strokeplay format. We’ll own our preparation and processes, and then see what comes at Carlisle.”
The Northern Counties Seniors’ Qualifying Championship is set to take place at Carlise Golf Club September 8.
For the full results click here.
