ghghgh
Golfing pals and sparring partners Dan Reidy and Andy Newman are also making a clean sweep of this season’s Sudbrook Moor trophy titles.
Between them, they have won the first three trophies of 2018. With similar mindsets and appetite for success, their valued practice time is seeing dreams fulfilled when it comes to navigating the drawn main club trophy events.
Dan has taken ownership of the recent Ace of the Year title, played in April. As crème de la crème, or winner of winners, Dan’s crackerjack 39 points stableford score was best of all 2017 competition winners who took up the invitation to become the 2018 Ace player.
A new short-lived personal best handicap ensued, with a 0.4 reduction to 7.8. However, Dan has now returned another masterpiece in the May Monthly Medal, incorporating the Ken Crowe Challenge Trophy.
Four shots under CSS, and two better than the nearest rival, Dan’s net score clinched this second title which also makes him the new top man in the monthly Sword of Achievement Order of Merit. Previous leader Simon Green sits 16 points behind in second spot after heading the field of 100 players for four months.
It is only two-and-a-half years ago that footballer Dan took up golf, with initial cards to an 18 handicap. Very rapid reductions to 13 occurred in 18 months, then to 10 after two years, and this week down to 7.0. In the Winter Eclectic, which will finish in two weeks, Dan, who was past winner in 2016, has a bit more to do to catch leaders Andy Stones, Phil Hall and Kev Turner who are two shots better. That is probably on his wish list too, to make it a hat trick of titles.
It is tough at the top but never boring for Dan’s pal and golfing enthusiast Andy Newman, who has spent the winter honing the golf swing and preparing to make another mark on the Hall of Fame. He did not have to wait long.
In the opening Trophy round of the year, the April Stableford, Andy’s very fine 41 points claimed The Slee Putter Trophy for his second time in three years.
Following such a splendid round, Andy was chuffed with his brand new handicap of 11, but with nothing holding him back in the past five qualifying competitions, he has been further reduced to 10.5.
Andy sits in 19th place in The Sword rankings, following three good scores in the four events played to now, and in the Winter Eclectic is equal sixth on the same score as Dan Reidy.
In the short six years of golf experience, Andy is also a past winner of the prestigious Ace title, back in 2015, and deserves his place in the club’s league scratch team. Without reserve, Andy puts plenty into the game and certainly is getting an abundance out.
