NGL Magazine - June 2022

Issue 13:

June 2022

Who is the next County Champion?

JACK Brown is aiming to become just the fifth player in history to win the Northamptonshire Men’s
Championship on more than three occasions when the defending champion tees it up in the 2022
tournament at Collingtree Park GC on Saturday, June 11th.
The Brampton Heath golfer claimed the title in 2013 and 2015 before making it a hat-trick of victories
12 months ago when he beat Max Hayward (Staverton Park) in a play-off at Whittlebury Park GC.
Brown is one of just two former winners of the 36-hole strokeplay event playing in this year’s competition,
alongside home club member and 2020 champion Jensen Parfitt.
Fellow Collingtree member Brandon Sanders will be the lowest handicapper as 21 out of the 45-man field,
which includes many of the County first and second team players, will be playing off scratch or better.
Joe Hyde (Overstone Park) will be looking to make Northamptonshire history by becoming the first
player to win the Men’s and Boys titles in the same year, after lifting the junior trophy at Northants
County GC last month.
In the 100th anniversary of the first County Men’s tournament, only
Charles Catlow (11), Richard Aitken (eight), Conrad Cieslewicz
(five) and Ray Kilsby (four) have won the event more than Brown.
European Tour pros Ryan Evans and Gary Boyd are amongst
the former champions, but the challenge of trying to win this
title is emphasised by the number of top golfers that couldn’t
clinch the crown despite many attempts over the years.
Northamptonshire’s first ever Walker Cup representative
Ben Jones, England internationals Adam Myers and Callum
Farr, and Simon Lilly didn’t triumph during their respective
amateur careers, while LPGA star Charley Hull also never
won the Northamptonshire Ladies Championship.

www.northantsgolf.co.uk 1

Be amazed at what we have to offer you

Northamptonshire WITH the season well under way, it has been
Golf Limited my pleasure to attend quite a few venues
and tournaments.
Our purpose is to
further the interests Two highlights were watching the Men’s
of amateur golf in first team and the Boys team in big regional
Northamptonshire and events. Their commitment and enthusiasm
to provide guidance and are a joy to behold and, despite the intense
assistance to all affiliated competition, we had some great fun.
Clubs within the County.
Next week it will be the turn of the
President & Treasurer: Northamptonshire Ladies to play in a major
Mr Jack Marr competition as they take part in the Midlands
South Region Ladies County Match Week.
Vice President &
Commercial Director: Our team, led by Claire Lindsay, will play against five other counties
Mrs Catherine Tildesley at Leamington and County GC in Warwickshire, so hopefully we can
build on our very creditable second place last year, and go one better.
Past President & Chairman:
Mrs Kathryn Stronach Alistair Heslop and his Men’s Seniors team will also be looking to
turn around their performance with good results in upcoming matches
Competitions Director: against Nottinghamshire and Norfolk. Good luck to all our teams.
Mr Marcel Aarts
Following the two-year pandemic, we are actively trying to plug the
Director of Teams: gap that developed in the progress of our junior golf.
Men’s: Mr Ryan Genner
Ladies: Mrs Claire Lindsay As a County, we are assessing how to promote and help younger
juniors at grassroots level, and we have already restarted our elite
Director of Coaching junior golf programme.
& Golf Development:
Our Girls are under the coaching of Mark Norton whilst the Boys
Mr Michael Farr benefit from the experience of former England player Adam Myers.

Director of Junior Golf: The focus is more on the craft of golf rather than the swing techniques.
Mr Asy Ho With most youngsters having their own coaches, the County tends to
concentrate on many other aspects including shot selection, distance
EG Voting Member: control and player focus, to name a few.
Mr Ken Hignett
If you know of any junior golfers who have the potential for County golf
Honorary Secretary: either contact us directly or get in touch with your local professional.
Mr John Pearson
Marcel Aarts and Chris Gore are well into the County competition
Club Services: season. Thanks to Overstone, Delapre, Cold Ashby, Northants
Mr David Davis County, Silverstone and Collingtree for hosting the events so far, and
well done to the winners. Although the Higgs Bowl champion was not
Safeguarding Officer: nearly as popular as last year’s - well, not in our house anyway :)!
Mrs Sally Bingham
Log on to www.northantsgolf.co.uk/opens. If you haven’t played in a
County event before, you will be amazed at what we have on offer.

We have events to suit all standard of golfers, covering the full spectrum
from Girls and Boys through to Men’s, Seniors and Lady Vets.

This is just a small insight into what we do at Northamptonshire Golf
Ltd. So please go to our website, or contact us directly, if you need
more information about your opportunities at County level.

Have a great year and please say hello at the County events.

NGL President - Jack Marr

2 Northamptonshire Golf Ltd

Hundred Years of County Golf in Northants - Thank You

FORMER County Men’s Team golfers Graham Bott (pictured left) and Mark Jordan are the
latest players to book their places in the NGL Centenary Medal Finals later this year after

winning their respective divisional qualifiers at Cold Ashby GC and Silverstone GC.

With Clubs across the County holding qualifying events for this special tournament,

the the the leading men, ladies and juniors in seven handicap

handicap categories will progress through to two separate Centenary

Finals this summer.

The men and lady golfers with low and medium handicaps
will compete, alongside the juniors, at Wellingborough GC on
August 28th, while the higher handicappers have their Final at
Peterborough Milton GC on September 11th.

A selection of volunteers and club officials (some pictured below), who have
helped the County Golf Union prosper over the years, were invited to take
part in a Centenary Team Competition at Northants County GC last month.

Overstone Park duo Chris Hoy and Georgina Evans combined well with Pat
Silburn (Oundle) and home club member Stephen Howitt to secure the top prize after the quartet
carded an impressive winning total of 86 points.

Home Scratch Team player Harry Oddy joined forces with Gill Snelson (Wellingborough), Julie
Ribano and David Goodrham (both Northampton) to claim second postition on countback with 82.

Peter Coles (Whittlebury Park), Wayne Lloyd (Delapre), Elisabeth Pryke and Linda Simpson (both
Wellingborough) had to be content with third place.

www.northantsgolf.co.uk 3

Trophy semi-final line-up is complete

Scratch League Hollingsworth Trophy

PETERBOROUGH Milton THE first semi-final sees Staverton Park play Peterborough Milton
made a dream start to life B at Kettering GC on Sunday, June 12th, with Farthingstone
back in the top division as they meeting Kettering in the other Hollingsworth Trophy last four tie at
beat Wellingborough 7½-½ at Peterborough Milton GC on Saturday, June 25th.
home.
Staverton go into their match in confident mood after victories in
Wellingborough also lost all four games in Group A, including edging a tight winner-takes-all
their previous outing 6-2 clash with Delapre in the final contest.
at Northants County, while
reigning champions Overstone Milton, who are aiming to become the first B team to clinch the
Park were held to a 4-4 home prestigious County event, won their final three matches to top
draw by Northampton. Group D ahead of Collingtree Park and Brampton Heath, who
endured a surprise 3-2 home loss to Overstone Park in their last
In Division 2, Collingtree outing.
Park recorded a superb 5-3
win at Kingsthorpe, while Kettering also needed a victory in their final Group B match to
Kettering made the most of guarantee a last four spot as they beat closest rivals, and defending
home advantage against champions, Northants County at home by the scoreline 4-1.
Farthingstone as they secured
a 7-1 victory. Although Farthingstone have never won the Hollingsworth
Trophy in their history, they go into their semi-final having already
Brampton Heath became the won on the Milton course this year as a 4-1 success against
first club in the third section to Peterborough’s A team helped them secure first place in Group C.
bag a win on their travels as
they edged a tight contest at Handicap League
Silverstone by a single point
in their opening match. It was STAVERTON Park and Hellidon Lakes are the joint-leaders of
a different story for Oundle as Group A after both sides recorded wins in both their opening two
they lost 6-0 away to Daventry. Handicap League fixtures.

Intermediate League Peterborough Milton are the pacesetters in Group B after picking
up three narrow victories,
ALL four games this year have including becoming the only
ended in slender victories. team to win on their travels as
they edged out Priors Hall by
After defeating Northampton the scoreline 7-3.
4½-3½ the previous weekend,
Collingtree held their nerve By contrast, Group C has
once again against Kettering at witnessed three away wins
Wellingborough GC. out of four matches, with
Kingsthorpe’s home success
Overstone Park came out on against Brampton Heath giving
top with Kingsthorpe by a single them an early advantage from
point, while Northampton got Farthingstone and Silverstone.
the better of Rushden by the
same scoreline. Overstone Park moved to the
summit of Group D with a 10-9
victory at Oundle, courtesy of
wins from Dale Burton and
Phil Gardner, pictured left (five
holes) and Peter Etheridge
and Colin White (two holes)
and Jon Ball and Dennis
Britten (three holes).

4 Northamptonshire Golf Ltd

Still all to play for in County Leagues

Ladies Cecil Leitch League Junior League

WHITTLEBURY Park’s Cecil Leitch side had few problems NORTHANTS County B used
overcoming Wellingborough B in their first Group A home game their extra shots wisely in their
as they grabbed three big individual wins in a 4-1 team success. contest at Peterborough Milton
A as they completed a superb
The race to top Group B remains in the balance at the half way 4-0 victory in Group A.
stage of the season after Kettering and Northampton traded away
wins, while Wellingborough saw their unbeaten run come to an Jack Meakin, Holly Macmain,
end with a 3-2 reverse at the Harlestone club. Oliver Golby and Oscar
Robbins (pictured above)
Home advantage continues to be crucial in Group C with no bagged the points.
team yet to enjoy a success on their travels. Overstone Park
look particularly impressive on their own course however, after Overstone Park A showed their
defeating Oundle 4-1, before whitewashing Kingsthorpe. determination to successfully
defend their title as they began
Northants County are the team to beat in Group D after completing Group B with a 4-0 away victory
a home and away double against neighbours Brampton Heath, as against Wellingborough.
well as recording a 5-0 away victory at Delapre.
Baylie Pyke and Amy Nunn got
Ladies League the ball rolling with wins on the
16th hole, Josh Bodimeade
NORTHANTS County made it two victories in two outings in the added another comfortable
Ladies League as they defeated Elton Furze 3-1 at Peterborough victory for Overstone, before
Milton GC. Emily Nunn completed the
whitewash down the last.
After a 3-1 success against Milton in April, County wasted little
time in securing another win, thanks to points from Katie Amos, Last season’s beaten finalists
Louise Harte (pictured below) and Kate James. Overstone Park B got their
season off to a winning start at
home to Delapre in Group C as
they completed a 3-1 victory.

Oliver Godwin, James Lord
and Freya Pickford were all
successful for the hosts, with
Pele Zidane replying for Delapre.

In Group D, Northants County A
recorded their most convincing
victory of the season as they
defeated Collingtree Park
3½-½ at home, courtesy of
points from Eloise Feely, Joe
Jaggard and Olivia Holyoak-
Church, plus a half from
Benjamin Bailey.

www.northantsgolf.co.uk 5

Event Diary - 2022 (enter online - www.northantsgolf.co.uk)

Date Tournament Winner/Venue

April 23rd Scratch Foursomes Championship Winners - Ray Connolly
& Jensen Parfitt
April 30th Higgs Bowl
May 13th-15th Ladies Championship Winner - Steven Austin
Boys Championship Winner - Leah Ribano
May 30th Girls Championship
May 30th Men's Championship Winner - Joe Hyde
June 11th Ladies County Match Week Winner - Leah Ribano
June 12th-15th Ladies Fourball Betterball Championship Collingtree Park GC
June 16th Leamington & County GC
July 10th Family Foursomes
July 11th Ladies Intermediate & Bronze Championship Thorpe Wood GC
July 18th Kingsthorpe GC
August 17th Senior Men's Championship
August 18th Ladies Goodyear Cup Rushden GC
August 20th Ladies Am-Am Wellingborough GC
August 28th Stableford Cup
September 11th Centenary Medal Final Lingdale GC
September 12th Centenary Medal Final Cherwell Edge GC
September 13th Whittlebury Park GC
September 29th Senior Pairs Championship Wellingborough GC
September 29th Ladies Bouverie Bowl Peterborough Milton GC
October 1st Brampton Heath GC
October 2nd Senior Ladies Championship Northants County GC
October 2nd Ladies Tazza Trophy
October 9th Izzard Trophy Silverstone GC
October 28th Silverstone GC
Champion of Champions Cold Ashby GC
KO Finals Day Wellingborough GC
Wellingborough GC
Mixed Fourball Betterball Championship Daventry GC
Am-Am Northampton GC

6 Northamptonshire Golf Ltd

Ladies Champ Ribano spearheads young Northants side

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE have selected one
of the youngest Ladies County Match Week
squads in history to take part in the Midlands
South Region tournament at Leamington and
County GC, Warwickshire from June 13-15th.

With ties against Oxfordshire, Worcestershire
and Herefordshire, Berkshire, 2021 winners
Buckinghamshire and the host county, the
majority of the Northants side are teenagers.

But, Director of Ladies Teams Claire Lindsay,
who is part of the playing squad, says the
juniors are all in the team on merit.

She said: “This year’s County Week team is one
of the youngest that Northamptonshire has put
out to represent the County, but with a reason.

“We have three NGL County Champions,
a Faldo Series Winner, a Home Nations
runner up, six club champions that have won
numerous times, an Under-21 Scottish junior
champion, course record holders and County
Girls champions.

“Every single member of this team has
definitely earned their place with fantastic
achievements. We now look forward to a
successful tournament.”

Recently crowned County Ladies champion
Leah Ribano (pictured right) is expected to
spearhead the team that also includes Baylie
Pyke, Jade Potter, Chelsey Sharp, Katie Amos,
Hattie Billson, Millie Billson, Amy Nunn, Lila
Bisset and Shannen Maguire.

Northampton’s Ribano lifted the 2022 County
Ladies champion for the first time after beating
Overstone Park’s Pyke on the 18th hole in the
final at Cold Ashby GC.

Ribano, who lost in the final in 2019, progressed through to the showpiece match after defeating
Northants County members Louise Harte and Millie Billson in the last eight and last four respectively.

Pyke beat Overstone club-mate Amy Nunn in the quarter-final before recording a semi-final victory
against Peterborough Milton’s Chelsey Sharp, who knocked out reigning champion Millie Billson in
the previous round.

Ribano and Pyke, who went into the event in great form after clinching the Faldo Series South
Championship a few weeks earlier, qualified for the knockout stages as the top two seeds with the
former carding rounds of 78 and 72 to finish two strokes ahead of her Northamptonshire team-mate.

The KO Swannell Salver, which is played for by the golfers finishing ninth to 16th in strokeplay
qualifying, went to Kettering’s Gracie Murray as she beat fellow junior Olivia Holyoak-Church
(Northants County) 3&2 in the final.

www.northantsgolf.co.uk 7

No Hyde-ing from the fact that Joe is County’s best again

JOE Hyde (Overstone Park) and Leah Ribano (Northampton)
lifted the County Boys and Girls titles respectively for the
second time after both produced consistent performances in
the 2022 event at Northants County GC.
Hyde (pictured right), who also won the crown in 2019, led
from start-to-finish as he carded scores of 71 and 73 to end up
four clear of Charlie Pearce (Peterborough Milton), with Elliott
Strickland (Northampton) a further two shots back. Harry-
James Odell (County) compiled the best 36-hole net score of
128, mainly thanks to a brilliant afternoon net 60.
It was a slightly different story for 2020 Girls champion Ribano,
who trailed home club member Eloise Feeley by five strokes
after a morning 78, before coming through with a solid closing
round of one-over-par 76.
Feeley, who bagged two eagles and four birdies in a blistering first round, finished three shots behind
in second place, while Maliha Mirza (Peterborough Milton) compiled the leading net total of 141.
Mark Hampton collected three prizes as he won the Irish Cup Singles title with 46 points in the
first round, in addition to helping his County team-mates Jack Wilson, Benjamin Bailey and Aidan
Jaggard lift the Shoe and Leather Cup and Scottish Cup.

8 Northamptonshire Golf Ltd

More chances for youngsters in NGL Junior Order of Merit

KAI Raymond (Peterborough Milton) and Lila Bisset (Northampton) carded the joint-best gross
round of 72 to win the Boys and Girls competitions respectively in the second 2022 NGL Junior Order
of Merit event as the Collingtree Park Junior Open took place in early June.

With 33 juniors competing over 18 holes, Ollie Godwin (Overstone Park) and Molly-May Baker
(Northants County) both shot net 68 to claim the respective Boys and Girls net prizes.

Delapre Park’s Seb Welch fired a magnificent tally of 25 points to win the Boys nine-hole competition,
with Sophia Vanezi (Northampton) bagging the leading Girls total of 19.

Another large field of youngsters are expected for the Junior Open at Overstone Park on Sunday,
June 12th, as well as the remaining 2022 NGL Junior Order of Merit events (listed below).

Jacob Williams (Peterborough Milton), Jadon Pham (Overstone Park), Bisset and Maliha Mirza
(Peterborough Milton) currently lead the respective Boys and Girls Gross and Net standings.

NGL Junior Championships Collingtree Park Junior Open Overstone Park Junior Open
at Northants County GC Sunday, June 12th

Northampton Junior Open Cold Ashby Junior Open Peterborough Milton Junior Open
Monday, July 25th Thursday, July 28th Monday, August 1st

Wellingborough Junior Open Northants County Junior Open Junior OOM Grand Final
Sunday, September 11th
Thursday, August 11th Monday, August 15th
at Kettering GC

www.northantsgolf.co.uk 9

Difficult month for Northamptonshire teams of all ages

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE’S Men suffered a
double disappointment in the second round of
matches in the Anglian League as the first and
second teams both lost to Suffolk.

Despite winning their opening home contest
against Lincolnshire last month, the first team
were unable to build on a solid morning pairs
session against Suffolk as they lost 9½-2½ at
Hintlesham GC.

Although wins from Jamie Milligan and Torin
Little (2&1) and Ryan Ginner and Jack Brown
(4&3) left the match evenly poised, the team
were blown away in the afternoon singles as
Mark Bazeley’s half in the penultimate tie was
the only positive.

It was a similar story for the Northamptonshire
second team at Priors Hall GC. An exceptional
5&3 pairs victory from Fraser Carnihan and Richard Dalton, plus a half from in-form teenagers
Joe Hyde and Elliot Strickland (pictured above), meant the hosts trailed by one point at the break.

Singles points from Carnihan and Dalton in the opening two ties raised hopes of a Northants victory,
but they were quickly dashed as the visitors took all the remaining six games.

Three weeks earlier, Northamptonshire saw their pursuit of a maiden victory in the Eastern Inter
Counties Foursomes tournament end for another year as they finished eighth at Seacroft GC, in
Lincolnshire.

The team sat in fifth position after a solid first day when they defeated BBO and Norfolk, but were
edged out by Suffolk and also lost to eventual champions Leicestershire and Rutland.

Heavy defeats to Bedfordshire and the host
county the following morning put paid to any
ambitions of winning the event, but the team
responded well in the afternoon matches
against Essex and Cambridgeshire, who
finished runners-up.

Northamptonshire’s Boys (pictured right)
produced a competent performance over
36 holes in the Midland Boys County Team
Championships as they finished fifth at
Wollaton Park GC.

With Mark Stockdale claiming 10th place in
the individual category on level par, the line-
up of Hyde, Strickland, Charlie Pearce, Jacob
Williams and Euan Herson compiled a team
total of 738.

At the other end of the age scale, the County Senior Men’s team lost their opening East Midland
League clash with Leicestershire and Rutland as they went down 9½-8½ at Peterborough Milton GC.

After trailing by three points following the foursomes, the hosts recorded two big wins in the afternoon
betterball, but three halves and a 3&2 loss in the remaining four ties meant they just missed out.

10 Northamptonshire Golf Ltd

Sustainability is a clear and bold vision for the future

ENGLAND Golf has published its new sustainability plan
and pledged to lead and inspire the golfing community
in vital efforts to protect and preserve the environment.

In line with the 2021-2025 ‘Course Planner’ strategy,
building for a sustainable future lies at the heart of
England Golf’s operations and has been laid out in a
clear and bold vision for the future.

Every sector of society, including the golf industry, is Northamptonshire Club Support
feeling the harmful effects of climate change, resource Officer (CSO)
scarcity and tighter regulations.
David Davis
As the national governing body for the club and amateur Contact Information:
game in this country, England Golf will take a leading role Mobile: 07702 913920
in engaging and educating golfers, clubs, counties and Email: [email protected]
stakeholders on the benefits of embracing sustainable
methods.

Emma Huggins, sustainability manager at England Golf, said: “Golf, like all industries, faces a range
of challenges but fortunately there are lots of ways to mitigate and protect against them.

“We’re already seeing many clubs, counties and individuals thinking and acting sustainably and we
want to extend this to the whole golf community across England.

“Through our inaugural sustainability plan, we will lead by example to ensure that resources, best
practice and recommended action items are available and encouraged.

“We’ve outlined 12 different focus areas for sustainability, with steps that golfers, clubs and counties
can take to become more sustainable.

“We’re looking forward to working with the English golf community to ensure that we are making
golf a leader in terms of environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic resilience.”

www.northantsgolf.co.uk 11

County professionals display their skills on the world stage

TOP Northamptonshire professional Meghan MacLaren narrowly missed out on her second Ladies
European Tour victory of the year, and fourth in her career, as she was beaten in a play-off by
Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux in the Ladies Italian Open.

The Wellingborough pro, who won the Australian Women’s Classic in April, carded six birdies in an
opening 69 at Margara GC, before dropping just one stroke in a second round 70.

Trailing by three shots going into the final day, MacLaren (pictured below) found her very best form
over the closing stretch as she birdied the 10th, 12th, 16th, 17th and 18th holes to tie for the lead.

The 28-year-old added another birdie on the first hole of the play-off, which also included Italian
amateur Alessandra Fanali, but it wasn’t quite enough for victory as Metraux snatched the top prize
with a 20-footer for eagle.

Fellow Northamptonshire
professional Charley Hull,
meanwhile, finished in
the top 20 in a major for
the 15th time in her career
as she carded scores of 75, 68, 70 and 74 to
claim 20th spot in the US Women’s Open at
Southern Pines GC.

Ben Jones (Northants County) emphasised
how well he’s made the step up from the
amateur game to the professional ranks by
finishing runner-up in the Cubefunder Shootout
event on the EuroPro Tour.

Competing over 54 holes at Harleyford GC, the
former Walker Cup player carded scores of 68,
65 and 70 to finish just one stroke behind winner
James Allan. County colleague Callum Farr grabbed
a share of 10th prize.

We will always promote golf in Northamptonshire - please join us

THANK you for taking time to read our latest Newsletter, the fourth edition of this year, all of which
we hope have helped to keep you updated on our latest news, results and provide you with dates
for competitions, golfing events and England Golf initiatives for our ever changing environment.

We continue to receive positive feedback about the communication, but should anyone have any
ideas for additional topics for inclusion or how we may develop it
further, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the board.

We are keen to keep you updated with golf news, successes and
opportunities for golf in the county.

As a non-profit organisation, we look to local businesses to support
funding of our Coaching and Training programmes, County Team
Events, Team Kit and Competitions.

Additional funding enables us to enhance our programmes and cover
greater numbers at all levels.

Do you have any questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact me at
[email protected].

12 Northamptonshire Golf Ltd