Winner: David Steel - 35 points.
Runner Up: Colin Oates - 34 points.
Third Place: Pete Schofield - 31 points.
Wooden Spoon: Mike Stockford
Guest Winner: Edward Gould
Nearest the pin: Pete Schofield
Nearest the pin in 2: Andy Pohler
Greetings everyone. We all arrived to a foggy venue wondering if we will be able to start at the due times and complete all the rounds before daylight failed. We did – just.
We held a two minute silence at 11 o ’clock in Remembrance.
Dunstable Downs is certainly going through some course changes and was still in excellent condition. A little foggy as we started but then the sun made an appearance. Very lucky. The staff made us most welcome and the meal was an ideal end to the day.
Another great day of golf and banter. 17 members and 1 guest were in attendance. The day started with the traditional coffee and bacon roll on arrival, which enabled us to mingle, chat and exchange stories.
The course was best described as “interesting” and the membership generally felt that it needed more time to mature. It would also be helpful if the various GPS systems were updated to show the correct hole number and distances. Nonetheless, some good scores were posted and an enjoyable afternoon of golf was had by all.
This was followed by an excellent meal of Steak and Ale pie and bread and butter pudding with custard. Coffee was also served.
Prizegiving followed and the evening was capped off by Alan Horn acting as fines master. Every fine was graciously accepted by those present. We also auctioned the usual two bottles of Jeff’s Finest Wines. The amount raised for charity at this meeting was £210.
The results for the day were as follows:
Winner: Paul Jones– 40 points – cut 2 shots
Runner Up: Henry Richardson – 39 points – cut 2 shots
Third Place: Martin Lavansch – 38 points – cut 1 shot
Wooden Spoon: David Steel but as he won it last meeting, he was not allowed to win it at this meeting, therefore, Alan
Horn – 30 points – 1 shot added
Guest Winner: - Roger Stockwell – 24 points
Nearest the pin: Paul Jones – 4’
Nearest the pin in 2: Bernard Henry 10’
A sad note to end. Many of us will remember Henry’s friend Lynn, who joined us at the bowls evenings at Kempston. Sadly, Lynn passed away recently after a short illness suffering from cancer. Our condolences to Henry and Lynn’s family.
Another great day of golf and banter. 14 members and 1 guest were in attendance.
The day started with the traditional coffee and bacon roll on arrival, which enabled us to mingle, chat and exchange
stories.
We then took to the course in the form of 1 x 2 ball, 3 x 3 ball and 1 x 4 ball. The course was in great condition. The
greens were very tough and I think the greenkeeper had decided to make the pin positions as tough as possible.
However, there were some good scores posted and a lot of the usual banter before, during and after the golf. A very enjoyable meal of ham, egg and huge chips was served in the clubhouse. The secretary apologized for rushing some members from the changing room and promised to leave more time between golf and dinner at the next meeting. Fortunately, they all rushed out of the changing room fully clothed!
Dinner was followed by the prize giving and the tradition of Fines Master, in aid of our Charity account. Every fine was graciously accepted by those present. We also auctioned the usual two bottles of Jeff’s Finest Wines. This resulted in us raising £154.
The results for the day were as follows:
Winner: Peter Schofield – 33 points – cut 2 shots
Runner Up: Colin Oates – 32 points – cut 1 shot
Third Place: Jeff Wood – 30 points – cut 1 shot
Wooden Spoon: David Steel – 19 points – 1 shot added
Guest Winner: - Rob Sifton – 27 points
Nearest the pin: Tom Inskip (it was Peter Schofield but our rules state that you can only win one of the NTP prizes.)
Nearest the pin in 2: Peter Schofield – with and eagle 2, scoring 5 points!
A very enjoyable day of golf, in good weather, was had by all!
Winner: Bob Broomhall – 39 points – cut 3 shots
Runner Up: Paul Jones – 38 points – cut 2 shots
Third Place: Andrew Stevenson – 36 points – cut 1 shot
Wooden Spoon: Pete Sayers – 20 points
Guest Winner: - Roger Stockwell – 35 points
Nearest the pin: Andy Pohler
Nearest the pin in 2: Colin Oates
Another great day of golf and banter. 18 members and 2 guests were in attendance. The weather was kind to us, a fantastic sum was raised for our charity and everyone had an enjoyable day.
The day started with the traditional coffee and bacon roll on arrival, which enabled us to view the course from the wonderful patio at Knebworth Golf Club. The anticipation of a lovely course to play was very much in evidence.
We then took to the course in the form of 4 x 3 balls and 2 x 4 balls. The course was in great condition and there were some good scores posted and a lot of the usual banter before, during and after the golf.
A very enjoyable meal of the traditional Knebworth fish and chips was served in the clubhouse. We were very pleased to welcome our President, George Clarke who joined us for dinner. George is a fine example as someone who has battled against adversity for some years now but is always happy and smiling when you meet him.
Dinner was followed by the prize giving and the tradition of Fines Master, in aid of our Charity account and every fine was graciously accepted by those present. We also auctioned the generous gift from Bernard, Graham and Mike Rayer (Director of rugby at Bedford Blues). The final bid was £150 from Paul Jones who narrowly outbid David Steel to win the auction. However, Bernard, Graham and Mike generously agreed to add a second lot of the prize and David was happy to bid £150 for that one too. This, added to the revenue from the fines master and absent members, resulted in us raising an incredible £558 for our Charity, Children with Cancer UK. That is the highest amount we have ever raised at a single meeting. What a fantastic result!
Winner: Richard Sharpe – 35 points on countback
Runner Up: Jeff Wood – 35 points
Third Place: Andy Pohler – 32 points
Wooden Spoon: Michael Lennox – 20 points
Guest Winner: Mark Westwell – 39 points
Boddington Cup Pairs Winners: Jeff Wood and Mike Webb – 67 points.
Nearest the pin: Bob Broomhall
Captain's Day was a great success. 17 members and two guests were in attendance. The weather was kind to us, a fantastic sum was raised for our Charity and everyone had an enjoyable day.
The day started with the traditional coffee and bacon roll on arrival, after which, we held a 4 hole putting competition in aid of our Charity. This was won by Andy Pohler with a very commendable score of 7 putts.
We then headed out onto the course with five sets of three balls and one four ball. The course was in great condition apart from the 15th green which had been vandalised by some mindless individuals the evening before. This did not
distract from the day in any way whatsoever. There were some good scores posted and a lot of the usual banter before, during and after the golf.
A very enjoyable meal was served in the clubhouse, followed by a cheese and biscuit course which had been generously arranged and paid for by our Captain, Bob.
Dinner was followed by the tradition of Fines Master, in aid of our Charity account and every fine was graciously accepted by those present. This, added to the revenue from the putting competition and some generous donations
from members and friends of members resulted in us raising an incredible £485 for our Charity, Children with Cancer UK. What a fantastic result!
I am pleased to say that it was agreed that we should send a second donation of £1000 to
the Charity forthwith and this has already been sent, received and gratefully acknowledged.
Winner | Andrew Stevenson
Runner Up | John Simpson
Nearest the Pin in 2 | Jeff Wood
Wooden Spoon | Ray Beckman
A substantial bacon roll and a coffee on arrival gave members the opportunity to catch up with other members and enjoy the food in the sunshine on the patio.
The weather forecast for the day was good and it turned out to be correct and delivered us fabulous conditions for a round of golf.
Mid Herts Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the country and with a golf course designed by five times Open Champion James Braid, Mid Herts offered a true golfing test and experience for all of us. It has a Slope rating of 136.
The 18 hole course offers a classic heathland terrain with rippled fairways, fescue grasses and quick greens that are protected with traditional grassy hollows. It was in great condition. Combine this with a relaxed and friendly clubhouse and excellent catering facilities, Mid Herts provided us with a great day all round.
One of the highlights of the day was A HOLE IN ONE which was achieved by Richard Sharpe, on the 16th hole, a 161 yard par 3. Well done Richard! Fortunately for Richard he only had to buy 17 drinks!
There were some good scorecards submitted and the winner was Andrew Stevenson with 32 points, closely followed by John Simpson with 31 points, who, on countback, just pipped our Captain, Bob Broomhall also on 31 points. Nearest the pin was not won as no one was able to hit the green but nearest the pin in two was won by Jeff Wood. Ray Beckman gained the wooden spoon. Well done all!
Prizegiving was held after dinner and we were able to return to some banter with our fines master for the day, Andrew Stevenson. The Captain’s Charity (Children with Cancer UK) benefitted greatly from the members’ generosity once again and the amount collected was £207. Thank you everyone for your generosity. After some convivial banter, members retired for the day.
The handicap secretary will be making the necessary adjustments to handicaps in preparation for our next meeting which is at Bedford and County Golf Club on Thursday 15th July.
Winner | Pete Schofield
Runner Up | Andrew Stevenson
Nearest the Pin | Ray Beckman
Wooden Spoon | Mike Stockford
16 members and 2 guests played on the day. A bacon roll and a coffee on arrival gave members the opportunity to catch up with other members and guests.
The weather forecast for the day was rain and strong winds. However, on the day, the wind materialised but the rain was intermittent and light. Most members agreed that we had been lucky with the weather. The conditions made the golf challenging.
St Neots Golf Club, Cambridgeshire’s first established Golf Club, was founded on 26th October 1890 when a group of golfers were given permission to play on the common. The first annual subscription was just a mere ten shillings. A new nine-hole golf course was designed and built on its current site by the legendary Harry Vardon in 1912, a former winner of six Open Championships and a founder member of the Professional Golfers Association. In 1962 The Club purchased land north of the River Kym, and four years later an additional nine holes were created. The full 18 holes were brought into use in 1966, making this course a modern but mature 18-hole parkland course. It is situated at the junction of the Rivers Kym and Great Ouse combining both water and charming tree lined features in a harmonious and natural way.
The course was in great condition all round. It has many mature trees and was lush with greenery. There were some good scorecards submitted and the winner was Pete Schofield with 33 points, closely followed by Andrew Stevenson with 32 points. The winning guest was Derek Freeman with 21 points. Ray Beckman won nearest the pin and Mike Stockford gained the wooden spoon. Well done all!
Prizegiving was held after dinner and we were able to return to some banter with our finesmaster for the day, Alan Horn. The Captain’s Charity (Children with Cancer UK) benefitted greatly from the members’ generosity once again and a Society record was made for the amount collected at a meeting (£400). Thank you everyone for your generosity. After some convivial banter, members retired for the day.
The handicap secretary will be making the necessary adjustments to handicaps in preparation for our next meeting which is at Mid Herts Golf Club on Wednesday 23rd June.
Winner | David Steel
Runner Up | Clive Haywood
Longest Drive | Tom Inskip
Nearest the Pin | Richard Sharpe
Wooden Spoon | Andrew Stevenson
After our scheduled meeting in March, at Wellingborough, was cancelled due to Covid 19 restrictions, we finally got our 2021 season under way on a gorgeous sunny day at Verulam. 21 members were booked and 19 were able to play on the day.
The club had a nice marquee set up and a bacon roll and a coffee on arrival gave members the opportunity to catch up with other members in person as compared to being on a Zoom screen.
The Verulam club was formed in 1905 and the services of the great golf course designer James Braid were commissioned for the lay-out of the course containing seventy acres of fairways. The formal opening of the new course was on 27th April 1912 when Samuel Ryder was Captain. An inaugural match was played between James Braid and the then Open Champion, Harry Vardon, who won with a score of 74.
The course was in great condition all round. On the practice green, there was lots of discussion about the "borrow" on the putting surface and this turned out to be reflected on the course with even the shortest of putts proving to be difficult for some. Handicaps were used as per last year and there were some good scorecards submitted and the winner was decided on countback. Well played to David and Clive. Longest drive was, apparently, "a long one" and the nearest the pin was measured as 6" from it!
Prizegiving was held before dinner. It was not the usual presentational ceremony due to Covid restrictions, but it was enjoyable, nonetheless. The Captain's Charity (Children with Cancer UK) benefitted greatly from the members' generosity, once again. The Society had already donated £1,000 to them this year, prior to today's meeting. Dinner was enjoyed in the marquee and after some convivial banter, members retired for the day.
The handicap secretary will be making the necessary adjustments to handicaps in preparation for our next meeting which is at St. Neots Golf Club on Thursday 20th May. Finally, it was with great pleasure that we all welcomed our newest member, Pete Schofield, to the Society. We hope that Pete will have a long and happy association with us.
Hi Bob,
It was so lovely to chat to you this evening and thank you so much for your fantastic support, what a wonderful amount to already have raised in support of Children with Cancer UK, we really cannot thank you and the rest of LEGS enough! As promised, please find outlined below our paying in details, including your supporter number which I'd appreciate if it could be used as a reference so we know it has come from yourself.
Thank you so much for your continued support, I hope you all have a fab time this evening in your quiz.
Kind regards
Clair
Gentlemen,
I am pleased to tell you that tonight's quiz was another great success. The golf quiz was won by me and the Woody's World of Motoring (UK) quiz was won by Andrew Stephenson. The sum of £244 was raised from the participants and from donations from members who were not able to attend.
The Charity position so far this year is as follows:-
November meeting £ 285.00
Quiz contributions before this evening £ 901.00
Amount raised this evening £ 244.00
Total raised to date £1186.00
Given the difficulties that most charities are currently facing, It was decided that the sum of £1000 from this amount should be immediately donated to the Captain's charity, Children with Cancer UK. Jeff will be making that payment tomorrow and Andy will be displaying on the website a letter we received from the charity with regard to our fundraising efforts.
Captain Bob has asked me to thank all members for their great generosity in making this possible. It is a fantastic amount to be raised by a golf society who have only played one round of golf in the current year!
Finally, I am delighted to confirm that our meeting at Verulam on 21st April will take place. I am just waiting for final confirmation about numbers and timing so that I can hopefully send you an invite next week. Just as a heads up, the club have indicated that they MAY have to restrict our numbers and in that case, we will have to use a "first come first served" booking procedure. I really do hope that is not the case but, when you receive my invitation, It may be best to book as soon as you can thereafter.
With best wishes,
David Steel
Secretary
Note received by our Secretary from Bob Davy re 2021 membership:
David, Unfortunately I have now moved to Lancashire so it will be a little inconvenience to travel for fixtures in the future.
It was always a great pleasure to play with LEGS but my participation must now end.
All the best for the future.
Bob Davy
I have of course, reciprocated our good wishes to Bob.
Download a copy of the letter received from the Stroke Association >>
Winner | Andy Pohler
Runner Up | David Steel
Third | Mike Webb
Wooden Spoon | Pete Sayers
The October LEGS game was played at a new venue for LEGS. Old Fold Manor GC is in Barnet and is the most southerly game of this LEGS season. Social distancing is still quite correctly the order of the day with NHS app sign in and table service. There was a warm welcome both in the club house and the pro shop for the 17 LEGS members who played the course. The course is a classic Harry Colt design which was welcomed by Andy Pohler who commented on the first tee that he always admired the bunkering of his courses. His enthusiasm was less marked after visiting a number of the aforementioned hazards. The club professional greeted me with the news that the course was playing long because of recent heavy rain and that the greens were tricky. The first part of the course lived up to his predictions and Andrew Stevenson commented at the 11th that he had grown 6” due to the mud on his shoes. The recent change in EU legislation, stopping the use of chemicals to suppress worms, has certainly given greenkeepers a challenge as worm casts were very evident. We were fortunate to play in a dry spell between showers. The ground improved as we reached the second half of the course and the care that has been put into the greens was apparent throughout the course. I think it is fair to say that all the players found the greens challenging! Fast, true but with numerous varying borrows. The overall comments I had on the course was that it was hard but interesting and well worth another visit. Old Fold Manor is Ray Beckman’s new club. Our thanks to him for introducing us and helping arrange the day.
We had all just returned to the club house for pre-ordered sandwiches when the heavens opened. Much better to look out at the downpour than to have to struggle into waterproofs at the end of a round! Andrew took photos of all the cards before producing the final results. In a consistent 3rd place, for the second month in a row, albeit on countback, was Mike Webb with 28 points. Only one point separated the top pair. David Steel on 32 was just pipped by Andy Pohler on 33. Well played to all three. Clive Haywood demonstrated his attachment to the wooden spoon by leaving it at home. He attempted to conceal this omission by retaining the trophy but failed by a significant margin. This resulted in the evening's only fining! The prize was claimed by Pete “that was the worst round of my life” Sayers.
Provisional accounts show that the generosity of LEGS members have raised almost £1900 for The Stroke Association, the Captains charity. A significant sum came from the LEGS quizzes run by Andrew. Many thanks to him and to the rest of you for your contributions. David Steel raised the possibility of LEGS Zoom quizzes over the winter period. Andrew offered to host if anyone will produce a quiz.
There was a discussion about the impact of the World Handicapping System (WHS) will have on our society. It was agreed that we would continue our current system for the November season to give consistency for the 2020 season. This will give the winter to consider how the WHS is working generally and give us a chance to understand it.
I was only informed verbally at the game that the Bedfordshire GC has decided not to host societies since July. Despite having had our deposit for a year and it being only 4 weeks until our booked game they have not had the courtesy to contact LEGS to advise that we need to make alternative arrangements for our November game. This is most disappointing behaviour. Bob, Mike Webb and I are exploring alternative venues. When we have secured a venue that is able to host a game and appropriate catering you will be informed. It was decided that the traditional secret Santa gifts should be avoided due to potential virus spreading. The tradition of putting a £10 donation in an envelope to start the incoming Captain’s charity will also have to change. It is proposed that any donations are included with membership subs for the 2021 season. I hope that season will see a return to normality and allow good use of the new design of LEGS ties that started our year.
I look forward to a good turnout at our November game and my last as Captain. Thanks to all for your support.
Tom Inskip
Winner | Bernard Henry
Runner Up | Stephen Long
Third | Mike Webb
Wooden Spoon | Clive Haywood
The September LEGS game was played under cloudless skies with a moderate breeze in what looks to be the last day of summer. Bob, our secretary, had taken the meteorologically inspired step of arranging the game on a Tuesday for the first time in my time with LEGS. Congratulations to him. The course is currently played on 9 greens with 18 tees. A further 9 holes have been constructed and the members will soon be starting to play on this expanded course before it is fully opened next year. This meant we took our last chance to play the established layout. We have a warm welcome from the club and staff. The dining room was laid out with 6 tables to allow the 6 three balls to maintain social distancing both for our welcome coffee and for dinner. There are obvious difficulties in managing safe distancing at all times, but it seemed that sensible steps were being taken.
I did appreciate the welcome I received from the club after a prolonged absence in France and then 2 weeks quarantine that ended 11 hours before the game. My general positivity about the day continued onto the course, landing my tee shot on the par 3 1st green and making par. Normal service was resumed when I put my next tee shot in the pond! After that, the less said the better but I did appreciate the company and support of my playing partners Richard Ebbs and Martin Lavansch. The course generally was in good condition despite the lack of rakes in bunkers etc. The fairways were firm and the greens true, if faster than some appreciated. The chance to play the same greens twice did mean that many cards showed an improvement in the second time around.
After the round we were able to have a drink on the terrace and watch the following groups tackle the 18th before dining on ham, eggs, and excellent chips. Prize giving revealed that Bernard Henry was continuing his winning ways from Greetham Valley with an excellent 40 points. This left him 4 points clear of Stephen Long on 36 and 5 from Mike Webb on 35. Congratulations to all 3. The political correctness of the change from the Tit to a wooden spoon was challenged by Clive Haywood when he became the worthy winner of this award.
The generosity of society members to my charity fund in aid of the Stroke Association continues to astound me. There were generous donations to the fund from members who were unable to play as well as from those playing. Fines have not been reintroduced as it cannot work with a system of social distancing, but your donations are more that making up for this change in practice. The evening finished with an auction of 3 wines and a polo shirt. The total raised for the charity was the fantastic total of £296.50 from all these sources. Your generosity is really appreciated. I'm glad to report that I have had a thank you note from the Stroke Association for our interim donation of £500 which is really welcomed.
Our next game is at a new venue for LEGS – Old Fold Manor GC in Barnet. This will be on Wednesday 14th October. Bob and Ray have been discussing catering with the club. We will be welcomed with coffee/tea and bacon baps. Individual orders can then be given for sandwiches which will be made ready for our return. The rules on managing the coronavirus pandemic seem to change rapidly. This current plan should give us a safe way to enjoy a game of golf and drive home refueled. We will, of course, take note of any change in guidance and keep members informed. This game is only 3 weeks away. Please book in as soon as you know you can play. We need to ensure that sufficient tee times are booked. Bob will advise the cost of the October match once this has been confirmed following the rearranged catering. Jeff will then then advise all those who are still in credit so he can balance the books at the end of our financial year.
Tom Inskip 22nd September 2020
Winner | Bernard Henry
Runner Up | John Simpson
Third | Richard Sharpe and Graham Shennan
So I think the title of this short report should be - ‘What a difference a year makes!’ and no I am not talking about the Covid19 differences, but the massive difference in weather conditions that 11 of us enjoyed playing the Greetham Lakes Course this year. Last year only 5 hardy souls persevered and completed the course although none of us that did actually saw much of the course due to the torrential rain.
Following a socially distanced bacon bap and coffee we ventured out onto the course to be welcome by some gentle breeze and at times sunshine and with the course this year in excellent condition and despite it’s length forgiving you if you were straight in your drives, some very good scores were carded.
Everyone enjoyed the course and it was nice to actually see various parts of it in the dry. The game was originally going to not attract handicap changes, but the way that Bernard Henry played, managing to return 40 points playing off 23 resulted in all present (apart from Bernard of course) voting to include this game in the handicap system so that ‘El Bandito Bernardo’ was cut 2 shots ! A fitting reward for taking home the LEGS Away trophy that last year’s winner Henry Richardson presented him with.
John Simpson came a close runner-up with 38 points whilst Richard Sharpe and Graham Shennan tied for third place even on count back. With Mike Webb unfortunately bringing up the rear of the group it meant that each and every prize was one by the LEGS Biddenham contingent. Perhaps geography needs to be built into the handicap systems new algorithm to make sure this doesn’t happen again!
Following the prize giving, Jeff auctioned two bottles of wines in aid of the Captain’s charity and Graham and Alan donated a total of £45 for the two excellent wines (so Jeff said) towards the charity.
All agreed that Greetham Valley is an excellent venue and we were quite disappointed not to be able to play the Valley course as well this year, but perhaps next year when Covid19 will be more under control.
Our next outing is at Mount Pleasant in Lower Stondon, but please note that this is on TUESDAY 22nd September, an unusual day for a LEGS game.
Winner | John Simpson
Runner Up | Alan Horn
Third | Andy Pohler
Wooden Spoon | Richard Sharpe
So Covid19 impacts the LEGS 2020 Golf season in yet another way with our esteemed Captain kept from returning from his South of France Estate due to the quarantine rules that have been put in place. His dedication at keeping the nasty virus from us by staying in the sunshine while we suffered in the rain should be warmly applauded and commended!
I say suffered, but I don’t really mean it as those 15 hardy souls that braved the first 10 holes at Knebworth thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and a huge thank you has to be said to Colin Oates for arranging everything and also the whole team at Knebworth for welcoming us so warmly and being so flexible as we kept changing our day’s logistics.
The course was in excellent condition as it always seems to be and despite some heavy rain the day before the greens were true and there was very little water on the course. The very heavy rain that had been forecast stayed away long enough for us to enjoy the first 10 holes before finishing with an excellent meal of Fish and Chips.
Despite offering the now Government approved scoring method of just estimating your score before going out to play, as based on the examinations' methodology, it was decided to use the cards that Colin Oates had lovingly prepared, even if this meant some pretty soggy paper at the end. Scoring on the course was generally good with the first 5 players returning all carding scores of 17 points with count-back on the last 3 holes having to be used to separate them. And then John Simpson returned with a truly excellent 20 points to stand as outright leader and winner of the day. This won him the trophy, a decent bottle of wine and a one shot handicap cut.
Based on count-back Alan Horn came second (-1 shots) with Andy Pohler in third (0 shots cut).The W ooden spoon was won by new member Richard Sharpe on his first outing with us. We hope that this won’t put him off returning especially as his handicap is increased by 1 shot. A complex algorithm was built to establish the handicap changes which were amended to reflect the number of holes played, weather conditions, postcodes of the members and any other factors that could be thought of.
Following the meal on the request of our Captain there were no fines, but we did auction 3 bottles of wine from Jeff’s extensive Chapel Cellar and this raised a further £50 for the Captain’s charity.
Our next outing is a ‘casual' golf game on the 10th September at Greetham Valley with the next ‘formal’ LEGS game being at Mount Pleasant on September 22nd.
Looking forward to seeing you all again soon.
- Bacon Baps/Tea/Coffee Available at 11.00/11.30
- Please respect the club's rules re social distancing
- There will be no fines - by order of our Captain
- An auction of the finest Grand Cru Jeffrey can find will follow
- The superb Fish & Chip dinner served after the golf
- At the club's request in tables of 2/4
A few housekeeping notes for Wednesday;
LEGS is the 1st post lockdown Society to visit Knebworth – I hope you enjoy the day which is expected to be damp but not thundery. Fingers crossed……
The 2020 LEGS season finally started with Captain’s Day on 17th July at Bedford and County Golf Club. An impressive turnout of 23 players, including one guest, were greeted by a still, sunny day and a course in great condition. Paul Davy who was not able to play due to his duties as deputy course manager at B&C had been up early to iron the greens to their maximum speed and then drove past on his massive lawnmower as the groups were starting their rounds. We need to thank him and his team for their work in presenting the course in such great shape.
The coronavirus is the reason for the delayed start to our season and the necessary restrictions to provide infection control were for the most part followed. Searching head down in the rough for a ball can mean it is easy to bump into a fellow player also diligently searching for the 3-minute limit. The restrictions are there to protect us as individuals and the ability of golf clubs to operate. Please continue to follow the current rules even if they are frustrating. The club was not providing catering due to Covid but fortunately Marco at the Captain’s Cabin was able to offer refreshment of a welcome ice cream or bacon bap. The Captain also provided a glass of Prosecco to toast the success of LEGS. His score deteriorated after the break! I regret that this refreshment may have also contributed to a slow round. 4hrs 23 minutes for a 4 ball does not help the reputation of societies among club members. Golf has benefitted from the lockdown. There are a lot of clubs whose memberships are almost filled, and they are not sure how they will find tee times for societies. To protect our bookings, we need to be aware of our pace of play and follow the practice of playing Ready Golf.
The society was able to gather outside after the round on the terrace above the 18th green and just about maintain social distancing. After a time for an enjoyable chance to renew acquaintances a shortened prizegiving took place. First prize, with an admirable 38 points went to Paul Jones. His first time in the LEGS winner’s enclosure. Runner up was Stephen Long with 36 points and Colin Oates came third with 35 points. The new ‘Last LEGS’ wooden spoon was awarded to Pete Sayer. This award has been made and presented to the club by our secretary Bob Broomhall. Our thanks to him
The Captain’s Day traditionally proceeds without fines but with other ways of obtaining donations towards the Captain’s charity. This year our options were limited due to pandemic restrictions, which also explains the absence of nearest the pin competitions. I am deeply touched by the generosity of the membership who paid a reduced match fee to reflect the lack of catering which included a charitable donation. In addition to this many members increased their fee to the usual £50. This generated a profit of £320 for the Stroke Association on the day and was increased by a further £80 by donations from members who were unable to play. This is most generous and much appreciated. Andrew Stevenson had run a series of quizzes for LEGS members during lockdown. This has raised a fantastic sum of £600 for the charity. Thank you to him for all his work and to the members for their generosity.
I hope you all enjoyed the day as much as I did, and I look forward to seeing many of you at Knebworth on August 19th.
Tom Inskip
Winner | Jeff Wood
Runner Up | Ron Knox
Third | John Simpson
Nearest The Pin | Bernard Henry
Nearest The Pin in 2 | Ron Knox & Bernard Henry
Tit | Bob Davy
Guest Prize | Linsey Garret
Gentlemen, thank you for a great turnout - 17 players. And may I say a very pleasant day weather-wise and the course as usual in splendid condition. The welcome as always second to none, even including our insurance package. For those of a wayward disposition (Tom "3 lost balls" Inskip). Thank you for your generosity - £220.00 goes towards our new captain's chosen charity The Stroke Association.
Captain | Bob Broomhall
Secretary | David Steel
Charity | Children with Cancer UK
View details of winners and losers >>
Captain | Tom Inskip
Secretary | Bob Broomhall
Charity | The Stroke Association
View details of winners and losers >>
Captain | Alan Horn
Secretary | Tom Inskip
Charity | MIND
View details of winners and losers >>
Captain | Colin Oates
Secretary | Alan Horn
Charity | Macmillan Cancer Support
View details of winners and losers >>
Captain | Andrew Stevenson
Secretary | Colin Oates
Charity | British Heart Foundation & MS Society
View details of winners and losers >>
Captain | Ian McLuskie
Secretary | Andrew Stevenson
Charity | Help for Heroes
View details of winners and losers >>
Captain | Andy Pohler
Secretary | Ian McLuskie
Charity | British Heart Foundation
View details of winners and losers >>
The History of LEGS is not in itself particularly startling, but what has surprised those who set it up and the inaugural members is the success it has enjoyed over the years. The initial meetings were held in a variety of licensed premises in and around Luton between April and September 1986. Nobody can remember why it was important to always drink whilst discussing such an important issue. The people involved were, in alphabetical order - George Clarke, Harry Critchley, Alan Hughes, Colin Roberts and Mike Webb. At first it was thought LEGS should stand for “Luton’s Eccentric Golf Society”. It was then decided that some clubs may not take us seriously and accept bookings. So we became executives, which probably contravened the Trades Description Acts of that time for most of us.
George was then the area manager of the Woolwich Building Society, so he had plenty of time on his hands to get LEGS started.
Harry was the manager of Bank of Scotland Luton branch, so he had as much if not more time to kill than George.
Colin was the manager of Legal and General and was always looking for things to do to fill his day.
Alan was a hard working self employed Insurance Broker, who enjoyed doing as much of his business on the golf course as he could.
Mike was a self employed commercial surveyor looking for any excuse to do anything but act for his clients.
A list of potential members was compiled - mostly from the immediate Luton area. Colin Roberts, offered to host the inaugural meeting at his offices on the 22nd October 1986. Legal and General provided a superb buffet and the scene was set. At the meeting, George became secretary, Harry - treasurer, Alan - vice captain, Colin - co-ordinator and Mike - captain. A full year’s program was agreed and booked for 1987 with the first meeting held at Dunstable Downs on March 24th.
History written by founding member Mike Webb
The aim of LEGS was to provide an opportunity for people to meet, play golf at various venues throughout the year and raise money for charity. It was decided that each captain would chose the charity for that year. This continues today. We are delighted to say that funds for various local and national causes have reached some £65,000. It is important for members and their guests to understand that we are foremost a golf society based on fellowship which raises money for charity. We are not a fund raising group who play golf.
All four founders agreed to each provide a trophy. George - the booby prize, Harry – the winner, Colin – the runner up, Alan – Nearest the pin, Mike – longest drive. Unfortunately all seem to have gone missing.
Captain Jeff Wood decided new trophies should be introduced during his tenure in 2014. Members were invited in pairs to sponsor a trophy for each of the month’s that we play. This was fully supported and now complete.
2021 Bob Broomhall
2020 Tom Inskip
2019 Alan Horn
2018 Colin Oates
2017 Andrew Stevenson
2016 Ian McLuskie
2015 Andy Pohler
2014 Jeff Wood
2013 Richard Ebbs
2012 Andrew Stevenson
2011 Martin Lavansch
2010 Ken McCarthy
2009 Ken McCarthy
2008 Henry Richardson
2007 Howard Smith
2006 Neil Curtis
2005 Ivor Harris
2004 Dickie Bird
2003 Mike Stockford
2002 Derek Jones
2001 Brian de la Salle
2000 Gerry van Lottum
1999 Ivor Harris
1998 David Steel
1997 Alan Horn
1996 Mark Hewitson
1995 Ray Berresford
1994 Bill Clayburn
1993 Paul Davies
1992 David Yallop
1991 Gordon Pritchard
1990 Nick Sheridan
1989 Mike Beatty
1988 Peter Ball
1987 Mike Webb
