VIVARY Park golfers are celebrating winning Division 1 of the Avalon League for an unprecedented seventh time.

A very pleased and proud Vivary captain, Pete Cridge, said: “It’s quite amazing that a club with just 100 full members can win this top division so many times against all the big clubs in the Avalon region.”

Oake Manor, Taunton & Pickeridge, Enmore, Farrington, Stockwood Vale and Burnham and Berrow all had to give second best to the all-conquering Vivary team.

Cridge added: “This year’s title came down to the last game of the season with Vivary at home to title contenders Stockwood Vale, of Bristol.

“Vivary held a six-point lead and Stockwood needed a 3-2 win away to overhaul us.”

It was nip and tuck throughout but Stockwood drew first blood with Evans/Carter beating the Vivary pair of Coleman/Newman 2 and 1.

Mark Pavey and Barry Hurford drew Vivary level with a 2 and 1 victory and Josh Martin and Kev Cridge shot an eight under betterball score to win 5 and 4.

Will Parkman and Mark Peters carried on the good work to win 5 and 4 to bring home the title to the Vivary.

Anchormen Kleighton Butland and Lee Taylor celebrated by winning 4 and 2 to put the icing on the cake.

Captain Cridge said: “The game was played in the spirit it deserved and if Vivary had not won, Stockwood would have been worthy winners, having pushed us all year.”

He would like to thank all his squad for their support and looks forward to defending the title in 2018.

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THE summer knock-out competitions at Oake Manor have been completed.

Jon Ball won the Scratch Cup with Matt Bulbeck runner-up, Simon Mankin won the Low Handicap Cup with Matt Bulbeck again runner-up, Daniel Bennett won the Mid Handicap Cup and Richard Goodman was runner-up, while Jack Fleming was the High Handicap cup winner with Paul Hickinbottom runner-up. 

The Pairs Cup was won by Clive Thorne and Chris Rudd, with Paul Hickinbottom and Mark Smith were runners up.

Bob Tye won the Friday Stableford competition scoring 39 points, Ben Cottrell was second with 38 and Mike Cottrell third with 35.

Jane Clist won the Ladies weekend Medal competition with nett 73, Kathy Salway came second with nett 75 and Kathryn Loader third with nett 76.

Daniel Bennett won the men’s Sunday Stableford competition scoring 43 points, Michael Bright was second with 42 and Bob Tye was third also 42.

Dave Free, Seniors’ Competition Secretary, won Division 1 of the Seniors ‘three clubs and a putter’ 14 hole completion scoring 29.

Peter Swann was second with 27 and Colin Brown was third, also with 27. 

Ian Hockey won Division 2 with 30, Peter Brighton was second with 27 and Trevor Cook third also 27.

Pam Akers won Division 1 of the ladies Tuesday medal with a nett 73, Kathryn Loader was second with nett 74 and Julie Parks third with nett 75. 

Division 2 was won by Karen Mackenzie with nett 72, the best score of the day, Jane King was second with nett 73 and Ros Shepherd third with nett 75.

Mike Cottrell won the men’s Wednesday Stableford with 41 points, Marc Holloway came second with 39 points and Mark Smith third with 37 points.

Pam Akers won Division 1 of the Ladies Stableford competition with 33 points, Nancy Marshall was second also 33 points and Jenny Musgrove third with 32 points. 

Ros Shepherd, Ladies vice-captain, was clear winner of Division 2 with 35, Di Tiplady came second with 32 and Sammie Westmacott was third with 31.

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LAST Saturday saw the running of the PEG Smith Open Competition at Taunton & Pickeridge Golf Club in the club’s 125th Anniversary year. 

This 36-hole competition for scratch golfers is named after a previous president of the club, Peter Smith. 

The course was in great condition with the greens reputedly ‘rolling like a snooker table’. 

The entry card was full and prizes were awarded for best gross and nett, morning and afternoon scores, as well as aggregate scores for the whole competition.

Best nett scores for each 18 holes were by Paul Lamb (71 in the morning) and Andy Ferris (70 in the afternoon), while 18-hole best gross scores came in from Josh Freeman (71 in the morning) and Matt Kippen (69 in the afternoon). 

When all cards were in, the nett competition was won by Paul Lamb (140), runner-up Andy Ferris (144) and third Josh Butterfield (145). 

However, the trophy competition was for the best gross score. 

In third place was Josh Freeman (144), second Andy Ferris (144) but the winner of the PEG Smith Scratch Trophy was Matt Kippen (142). 

Thanks go to the competitors, the organisers, and the green keeping staff for preparation of the course.

Meanwhile, England golfer Tom Sloman, who progressed through the junior ranks at T&P, recently presented the prizes for the 2017 Taunton & Pickeridge Junior section 36-hole club championship. 

Mike Hooper, the T&P Junior Section organiser, said: “It was a great honour for the juniors to be presented with their prizes from Tom, a T&P member who has come through the junior section and now plays off +4. 

“He has just won the Dutch Open and also played on the European Tour in the KLM Open.”