In The Swing: Davis takes advantage of Timmins' slip-up

Round one was held on Saturday and Nick Timmins (9) continued his run of good form with an excellent round of net 67 to take the overnight lead.

He handed in a very tidy card that was highlighted with a birdie at the 10th and another at the last to establish a two shot cushion.

Rich Davis (5) was his closest rival on net 69, he also carded two birdies and in a show of good ball control also notched up 12 pars.

Others who were still in the hunt for round two included the dangerous Simon Boddy (1) on net 71 plus Michael Dugdale (13) and Tony McGregor (6), both of whom finished the first round on net 72.

Sunday did not start well for the overnight leader, as Timmins struggled early on and made three double bogies before a birdie two at the seventh got him back on track.

However, the damage had been done and despite playing well for the rest of the round, he could only finish on net 73 for a total of 140 and that proved to be one shot too many.

Davis seized his opportunity to eclipse Timmins when he put together a very competent and composed display, that included three birdies, to post a net 70 that gave him a winning aggregate of 139.

Third place went to Dugdale 72 + 71 = 143, Simon Monsey (7) was fourth on 73 + 71 = 144 & in fifth spot was Joe Earnshaw (6) 75 + 70, 145.

After a testing day on Saturday Tony Chapman (13) waltzed round the course on Sunday to post net 66, the best net score of the competition but his first day net 80 left him back in sixth place on 146.

North Cliff also ran a Sunday Medal competition for those members not playing in the 36 hole event.

A bit less stressful than the Championship this competition was won by a relaxed Dave Gardiner (10), who put in a fine back nine to record a net 69.

The club captain Barry Poynter (12) took second place with a net 71 and Sam Pickering (22) was third on net 73.

They just edged out Rowan Evans (13) and Robin Myers (7), who also finished on net 73 but lost out on the countback.

Cliff go joint top of table

The East Riding Union of Golf Clubs scratch leagues are now about to stage their final games of the season and what a finish it is going to be.

The new league format introduced this year has proved to be highly successful and has produced some very competitive play.

North Cliff, who are currently in Division Two, are now locked with Hessle B at the top of the division both on 22 points.

Hessle B won their last home match 3-1 against the KP Club, while North Cliff drew 2-2 at home to Beverley B to set up a nailbiting the finish to the season.

The decisive ties see Hessle B at Brough and North Cliff at home to KP Club.

Divisions One and Two have even more tense finishes in prospect, Hornsea A and Hull are tied on 22 points for the lead in Division One and the former have to travel to Hull for the final match.

Division Three leaders Boothferry currently hold a one shot lead over Hornsea B and the two of them meet at Boothferry for their final encounter.

In the above North Cliff versus Beverley result the individual scores were as follows: S Boddy (NC) lost to M Peacock (Bev) by 3&1, T Duck beat I Goldie 4&3, R Davis lost to D Norton, who was 1 up, and D Butterfield continued his season long winning streak by beating A Moss 4&3.

Venner shows his class

Dave Venner (9) showed his class on Wednesday to take first place in Division One of the South Cliff mid-week July Medal competition.

After a good start with two gross pars, Venner came unstuck at the third with a double bogey, but that just spurred him on and the remainder of his day went well.

He romped through the back nine in just one-over-par gross to post the winning score of net 67.

Another player on top form was Phil Dickens (2), who handed in a net 69 with no less than five birdies on his card to take second place.

One shot further back on net 70 came Shaun Smith (2) after another excellent round, with three birdies on the front nine but then possibly the putter went cold as he finished with eight straight gross pars.

In Division Two the top spot went to Duncan Woodward-Hay (18) with a net score of 67.

A couple of early setbacks did not fluster Woodward-Hay and thereafter he played some steady golf.

In contrast Martin Cappleman (18) made a great start with an eagle two at the second hole but after a very good front nine lost his way coming back and had to settle for second place on net 68.

Third place was claimed by John Gibson (22) after he finished on net 70.