SONNING GC celebrated their annual ‘Drive-In’ to mark the beginning of Richard Ginn’s year as club captain on Sunday.

He hit a good drive in front of many members who came down to support their new skipper.

The club also welcomed new lady captain Dorothy Forbes along with continuing junior captain Jack Green.

The day featured a competition comprising 144 members making up 72 foursome pairings playing in a shotgun start. With a cold easterly wind and little run on the ball, the course was bearing its teeth to the waiting golfers, and this was evident by the scores.

The winning team comprised Peter and Sarah Davidson who scored an excellent 36 points in the conditions, one clear of Martin Christopher and Craig Adams.

The runners-up edged out the bronze medal-winning pair of Michael Harrison and Steve Kent on count-back.

  • THE first weekend stableford of the year at Caversham Heath saw some high scores with all the top five players in Division One recording 40 points or more.

Stuart Webb (10hcp) came out on top with a tremendous 45 points (halves of 22 and 23), including nine pars and three four-pointers.

Runner-up was Gary King (9hcp) with 44 points (halves of 23 and 21), including 12 pars and three birdies, while third was Andrew Parker (6hcp) with 43 points (halves of 19 and 24). He made nine pars, three birdies and an eagle on the par 5 11th hole.

The top three in Division Two also recorded 40 points or more with John Purnell (14hcp) topping the pile with 41 (halves of 23 and 18).

Second was Duncan Mee (17hcp), on countback from Neil McAllister (18hcp), both with 40 points. Mee’s total included a nil return.

The Division Three winner was Simon Reynell Taylor (19hcp) with 42 points. He went out in 24 points, scored seven pars and one birdie and also had two nil returns.

Second place went to Toby Joyce (21hcp) with 39 points and third was Andy Ward (28hcp), on countback from Stuart Taylor (23hcp), both with 37. Ward had a double bogey on his last hole while Taylor had three nil returns, including one on the last.

Twos were recorded by Darren Bonney and Rob Winstanley (both on the 8th hole) and by Stuart Webb (17th).