Hillman Trophy First Round Win for Stoke Park

The Hillman Trophy 2018 campaign commenced on Saturday 21st April with a home match versus the Downshire Golf Club. The Hillman is the most prestigious club competition for 6 plus golfers in the three county BB&O golf association, with over 100 clubs participating. A team of 7 competes in singles, with two handicap categories ( 6-9 and 10-20). Four points for a win.

In one of the most tense encounters in recent memory, the Stoke park team prevailed with a 4 - 3 result. Here is how the drama unfolded.

First out for Stoke was Mattar, the "number one" pick in this competition for over a decade. Three down with three to play, he managed to halve the match, which proved to be crucial as the match unfolded. Next out was non playing captain Anderson, standing in for a late call off but who might as well have remained non playing given his contribution, losing on the 17th. The last of the single handicap players, Hancock, suffered unbelievable bad luck after recovering from three down at the turn to a position of all square on the 18th tee, against an opponent playing beyond handicap rationality. Said opponent duck hooks drive left, racing towards the gym, hits the skinny poplar tree, careers forward back on the fairway, nine iron in. Duly delivers a second point to the Downshire.

Two and a half points to a half point in favour of the visitors, with four matches live, getting edgy.

Fourth out was vice captain Whelan, making his Hillman debut. His recent warm weather conditioning contributed to an impressive rooky win. Next out was Drouin, another debutant, selected for his distinct Franco German Wenger match play temperament. Expected to bore his opponent to defeat, he duly delivered, another point for the home team.

Two and a half points each, with two matches still live.

Flip to the last match, involving the in form Speed, hitting fairways with metronomic regularity and game managing his match versus a much younger opponent to a position of three up with three to play. The jungle drums convey this to team management. All attention now turns to game six, Speedo has done the business. We have three and a half points, a half will do. Sixth out is the third rookie, Webb. After being three down after eleven, Webb is all square on the 18th with he and his opponent both greenside in two. Webb in bunker, opponent behind green in tough new grass. Webb leaves third in bunker, just gets fourth on green, 40 feet. Horreur - lose this point and Mattar, still alcohol free in the clubhouse, has to play sudden death for the match. 

Opponent fluffs chip, puts the next one 20 feet past. Two puts each, Stoke wins. Webb leaves his putt 12 feet short. Opponent drills his putt right into the centre of the hole, but too fast - pops up, spins, a centimetre to the side. Webb, with the weight of the expectant gallery upon him, steps up and nails the 12 footer for a half and the match.

An explosion of unseemly emotion from the red shirts in the gallery ensues. Yezza! A truly memorable finish. But that is not the truth of the matter, there is a final twist in this tale. For despite the magnificent efforts of Webb, under extreme pressure, he didn't deliver the match. Speed did.

As the Stoke team were trying not to annoy their opponents the lawn with their suppressed delight at the ostensible win, Speed stood on the 18th tee, now only one up with one to play. Nobody was watching or checking if the match was still live. No one, including Speed, was aware that a loss of that hole would mean an overall tied match and Mattar, no longer alcohol free, having to play sudden death to decide the outcome.

Speed won the 18th.

The Stoke Park team: Patrick Mattar, Bryan Anderson, Chris Hancock, Steve Whelan, Jerome Drouin, Adam Webb, Paul Speed

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