Home advantage proves key once again as Warren Clarke claims Mid Am title
Our always popular Mens Mid Age Championship was played yesterday (Mon 13 July), played at Knebworth Golf Club, where the County offices are situated.
The event is a 36 hole strokeplay medal for male golfers aged between 35 and 54 on the day of the event.
Thankfully on the day the weather was fairly cool, by recent heatwave standards, with an overcast start and a fairly brisk north easterly wind throughout the day. Course conditions were extremely dry, as all courses in the south east are currently, but with the greens playing very nicely indeed, both smooth and a good pace.
After the morning round Andrew Davis of Bishop’s Stortford led the event with the only sub par round of 70 -1, by 1 shot from a group on 71 level par of former County Champion Tony Wilkins of Harpenden Common, fellow club mate 2024 Mid Age champion Tony Mitchell and Welwyn Garden City’s Andy Collie, in his last outing in this event before progressing to the Senior ranks next year.
In the afternoon round a best of the day gross 69 -2 enabled home player Warren Clarke to take the title, adding to his morning 72 +1 for a total of 141 -1 for the day. This would prove to be just enough to claim victory by 1 shot over both Tonty Wilkins and Tony Mitchell, who both finished on 142 level for the day, adding another level par 71 to their morning 71’s. Tony Wilkins would sneak the runners up spot by virtue of a countback on pm back 9 holes. In the handicap event Luke Sawyer of Porters Park won the nett prize with a 140 score of -2 off his playing handicap of 5 shots.
Honourable mention to another home club player Trevor Fisher, who achieved the rarest of all birds, an albatross 2 on a par 5, when he holed his 5 iron approach on the 17th hole in his afternoon round.
Our thanks to Knebworth Golf Club for their support and for allowing us access to the course for the day and to all the competitors for their continued support – it is noted that so many competitors continue to return to this event year on year.
Next years event is scheduled to be held at Old Fold Manor GC and is likely to be in the corresponding week next year, week commencing 12th July 2027.
