2014 - The Three Champions
The Wearside Wanderers Golf Society 2014 Champion golfer Dave Sanders is seen here with the Borders Champion Gordon Grant and the Tim Aberdeen Shield winner Paul Baker after the Finals Day presentation dinner at Wearside Golf Club.
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WW14 Round 16, DESCO Wearside 2 - Sunday 12/10/14
The final round of the 2014 Championship was at the Wanderers home course of Wearside and what a way to finish the 2014 season. Beautiful weather, a course in fantastic condition and (here comes the "Statto" bit!) after 3267 holes on 181 courses over 14 years we finally have a Hole in One in the Society courtesy of Paul Rawlinson's fantastic shot on the 14th hole at Wearside.
The day got off to a great start with an excellent bacon butty and a cuppa in the clubhouse while we all gathered, waiting for our 10:30 tee slot. First out were myself and John Ford along with two guest players, Clive & Russell who are playing in this year's Portugal trip in November. They were followed by the rest of our members in reverse Championship order until the final group consisting of Alan, Derek and the Championship leader Dave Sanders had teed off. We all know the Wearside course has had its problems in the past but now it's in the best condition I think I have ever seen, this and the great weather made the day even more enjoyable. Once the golf was finished we were joined by Tim's family for the presentation of the inaugural Tim Aberdeen Shield to the worthy winner Paul Baker. I on behalf of the whole Society would like to thank Tim's family for this generous gesture and for providing a fitting tribute to Tim's memory.
Now for the results on the day (please see the Season Review for the main Championship results). The Nearest the Pin category was played on hole 14 and as you will have read above Paul Rawlinson got as close as you can possibly get with a distance 0.00m!! The Longest Drive was played on hole 2 and was won by Paul Baker (more on that in the Season Review below). Technically speaking there were no "Two's" carded at Wearside, but Paul's Hole in One was good enough for me and I have classed it as a win, if anyone has a problem with that -- TOUGH! Third place overall on the day went to Rico Liverani with 35 points, in second was Dave Watts with 37 points and the winner with 39 points was Mark Gibbons. Congratulations to all the above.
Well folks that's the 16th and final round of the 2014 season over, I hope you have all enjoyed it and will return to start the battle for the Claret Jug all over again in March or April of 2015.
WW14 - Season Review
As 2014 started we had an early but unwelcome gathering at Durham Crematorium to say goodbye to our good friend and stalwart of our Society, Tim Aberdeen, who sadly lost his battle against cancer just after Christmas 2013. Tim's memory has been a major factor throughout the season from the Weekend Away trip to scattering his ashes on a very emotional day at Houghton in July. As a tribute we renamed our knockout competition the Tim Aberdeen Shield (formerly the Presidents Cup) and we have a new trophy kindly donated by Tim's family, more on that below. Tim may be have been taken from us but I am sure his spirit and enthusiasm for the game and life in general will live on.
This season saw our Society expand to 24 full members as we welcomed Peter Anderson, Dave Coates, Tom McDonald, Alan Welch and Mark Wilson to our band of happy hackers, plus the occasional guest players, this meant we had the highest match turnout's we have ever had. The season started at a cool and misty Tyneside way back in March and came to a climax at our home course Wearside in October, Along the way we took in six new courses, visited North Yorkshire for our weekend away for the first time and returned to a few old friends we have missed for a few years. The first of our annual competitions this year was the popular Ryder Cup style Team Challenge day in June played at Wearside, after a hard fought battle between two teams of 12 players, the winner was Paul Marshall's Chairman's Team by 10 points to 8. Hot on the heals of the Team Challenge day came our weekend away trip to fight for the Borders Championship, following a great weekend at two beautiful courses the winner and recipient of "The Claw" for 2014 was Gordon Grant. This season's Longest Drive Championship was won by Paul Baker though he required a "play-off" hole against Jim Rooks to take the category. The Nearest the Pin Championship was won by Ian Gunn with 2 round wins and the closest distance. In the past the Two's Pot was "administered" (more like demanding money with menaces!) by Tim but with his passing the Grant brothers stepped up to the plate to provide this service (with similar gusto I might add). With the increased membership the "pot" was in the region of £130 and was shared between Jim Rooks and Mark Wilson who both carded 4 two's through the season. The inaugural Tim Aberdeen Shield final was a very tight match on a wet and windy October morning at Houghton Golf Club between Jim Rooks and Paul Baker. In a match where neither player took more than a two hole lead paul Baker came out victorious on the 18th hole and was presented with the Tim Aberdeen Shield by Tim's family at Finals day. Now for the race to the Claret Jug, in third place with 349 points came Alan Welch. Second place went to Derek Griffiths with 352 points. The winner and Society Champion Golfer for 2014 scoring 359 points was Dave Sanders, congratulations and well done to all the above.
Well that's another season over, 2014 was our best supported season yet, It has at times been a bit of a logistical nightmare but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. At this point I, on behalf of the membership, would like to thank our corporate sponsors DESCO, BES, DCS Payroll and Fred Stoddart for their financial assistance through the season. Thanks to all involved with our Society and I look forward to meeting up with you all next year, lets hope for more of the same in 2015.
Ian Gunn, WWGS Competition Secretary.
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WW14 Tim Aberdeen Shield, Final Match Report
Our annual match play knockout competition took on extra significance this season as it is the first year we have played for the Tim Aberdeen shield. As you will all be aware, the shield has been generously donated to the Wanderers by Tim's family, to mark his passing in December of 2013. With the memory of Tim close at hand Jim Rooks and I met in the near deserted car park of Houghton golf club to contest the final of this year's knock-out competition.
The national press had reported that September 2014 was one of the warmest and driest on record but October of 2014 proved to be typically autumnal with persistent rain and strong winds. Given my general dislike of wet and windy conditions Jim seemed relieved that I turned up at all and we headed straight to the first tee before I could change my mind. What followed was one of the most average rounds of golf both Jim and I had ever played. Jim set the early pace going 2up after the first 3 holes. Hole 4 saw me claw one back before squaring the game on the 5th. After that the game remained tight until the 10th hole. With Jim 1up in the match I was left with a risky 190 second shot into the par 5 green. However a touch of ‘Tim's tree' midway down the fairway inspired my best and luckiest shot of the day, with the ball bounding over the gully and ending up on the green for an eagle putt. With Jim in trouble to the back of the green in 4 shots, the hole was conceded and the momentum swung just a little (to coin an overused Ryder Cup phrase).
Standing on the 18th tee the game remained all square but I hand the advantage of a shot, owing to my higher handicap (thanks for the 5 shots Jim, the result would have been very different without them). The hole was played out in bogey 5's and the game finished with me 1up on 18 with the wind and rain finally subsiding. Credit to Jim for a fiercely contested match and being so gracious in defeat.
I feel very proud to be the first Wanderer to win the Tim Aberdeen Shield. Tim was a good friend and a great golfer and although he is gone he will never be forgotten.
Paul Baker
Tim Aberdeen Shield winner 2014.
Please visit the Competition Homepage for full details and the results.
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Future dates
WW14/15 - Xmas dinner and Society meeting. Time, date and location TBC.
WW15 - Pre-season Texas Scramble. Time, date and location TBC.
Please go to the Fixtures page for full details of the 2014 season.
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And Finally --- The last golfing tip for this season
Click on the logo above for the link to the tip. There will be more hints & tips to follow during the season.
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Ian Gunn
Wearside Wanderers Golf Society Competition Secretary.