Chris Boughton's Golf Column: Nicki clears her referee’s examination
Flempton Golf Club are very pleased to report that golf member Nicki McMahon has just passed her R&A Level 3 Referee’s exam with merit.
Nicki said: “England Golf sponsored me to attend a Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar (TARS) which is held once a year in St Andrews.
“You must have a very good knowledge of the rules before you go, as part of the course is the R&A’s top-level exam. Delegates came from 44 different countries and it was amazing to hear their experiences of refereeing at all levels of the game.”
The four-day course included lectures, discussions, role-play and practical sessions on running golf tournaments and refereeing.
Nicki reflected: “The most nerve-wracking parts were the written exam and the role-play sessions where the instructors pretend to be players and you must give them a ruling.”
She confessed: “It’s quite daunting giving a ruling in front of 20 rules experts even though you’re just pretending.
“However, one of the course highlights was a dinner held in the R&A clubhouse with its oil paintings, trophies and clubs used by past champions on display.”
She has been officiating at Suffolk Golf Union and England Golf events since 2015 and will continue to gain valuable experience with guidance from mentor, Mike Rees.
Having passed the Level 3 exam, she has now completed all 3 levels of the R&A’s Rules Education Programme.
Nicki added: “I am delighted to now be eligible to officiate at the highest-level tournaments.”
One day, Nicki hopes to referee at The Open.
Thetford Golf Club
Gareth Mills & Dean Scott did their bes,t but could not overhaul long-time leaders Tony Brooks & Ross Sanford in the final round of Thetford Golf Club’s Winter League.
The format is the best four scores from six rounds of competition and Mills & Scott knew their final score would count,whereas the leaders were trying to improve on 41pts.
Left-handers Mills & Scott started the day on 108pts and a sparkling 45pts took them to within one point of the leaders. They had six birdies in all, five of them from Mills over the last nine holes.
But just to make sure, Brooks & Sandford extended their winning total to 155 by returning 42pts themselves.
In the overall standings John Ward & Peter Croker finished third with 150, followed by Barry Allen & Andrew Bremner with 148.
Leading Winter League overall scores: 155 Brooks & Sanford; 153 Scott & Mills; 150 Ward & Croker; 148 Allen & Bremner; 147 Chamberlain & How and Elers & Forbes; 142 Bentley & Stelling, Ian Farnham & Andrew Horsburgh and Mark Henfield & Paul Pearce; 141 Phil Beer & Kevin Cooke; 140 Steve Campbell & Maurice Anderson and Harben & Taylor.
Darren Ward, who joined Thetford in October, made home advantage count as he combined with Great Yarmouth & Caister pro Alex Holmes to win the February Thetford Winter ProAm.
Holmes, who had the best score at the January ProAm with 70, went round in 71 this time but with some good integration his five-handicap partner trimmed eight shots off that total for a nett 63.
“I used my shots well,” admitted Ward, who chipped in for a birdie three at the Stroke Index 1 9th and holed a long putt for another nett eagle at the SI 2 14th. The pair won the ProAm by three strokes from Sam Forgan & Matt Lockwood from Stowmarket, followed by Jamie Abbott & James Tyler (Ipswich) and Paul & Alan Maddy (Gog Magog), both with 67s.
Paul Maddy had the best pro score with 68, one ahead of Forgan with Abbott on 70.
“I always enjoy coming here and I always have a great day at Thetford. I particularly enjoy it when I can partner my dad,” said Maddy.
The AmAm was won with another impressive score, Paul Tuite & Doug Bottomley from Girton combined for a nett 64, one better than Alan Dickinson & Kevin Hayes (Saffron Walden) and two ahead of David Skilton & Steve Jarvis (Gog Magog).
Alan Maddy, President of the Thetford Winter ProAms, opened the prize-giving by saying: “We were so lucky with the weather compared to the forecast.” All those present agreed.
Minh Le, a 14-handicapper, had the first hole-in-one of his career at the 16th at Thetford.
Minh was playing in the Midweek Stableford on Wednesday, February 19, when his seven-iron tee shot disappeared from view onto the bowl of the green.
“We knew it was on-line and when I couldn’t see it on the green I thought it could be in the hole. And it was!”
Minh, who has been a Thetford member for 12 years, was playing with Wayne Prigg and Jim Wren.
The Suffolk Golf Club
After four rounds of the Midweek Order of Merit League at The Suffolk, Steve Jackson shares the lead with Graham Chapman, with both on 20 points. Jackson has an unbeaten record so far – played two, won two, including his win last Wednesday with 36 Stableford points.
John Dale was one point back in second place and James Edgar finished in third spot. Edgar is joint third with Ivan Snelling in the league.
Despite the weather forecast there was a good turnout for Wednesday’s competition but most of the golfers were safely in the clubhouse before the heavy rain and strong winds arrived.
