Yelverton Golf Club

South West Winter Foursomes Semi-Finals 2011-2012

A cold January day in 2012 staged the South West Open Winter Foursomes semi-finals match with juniors Caitlin Evans-Brand and Iain Couper pitting their skills against the adult pairing of David Turnbull and Tom Belton. This was a match of highs and lows from both sides with the junior pairing taking an early lead. Some good approach play from Iain together with some scintillating putting from Caitlin saw them take a 3-hole lead after the 8th hole. Their opponents were not taking this lying down however with wins at the 9th and 10th. Over the next few holes spectators would have been forgiven for motion sickness as the match swung too and fro. Caitlin and Iain won back another hole at the 11th while Dave and Tom clawed it straight back at the 12th to again return to 1 down. The junior pairing then turned the heat on by winning the next two holes to go 3 up with 4 to play.

At the 15th hole Iain was bunkered left of the green but an excellent escape from Caitlin gave them a chance of halving the hole. Further excellent play was to follow from both Turnbull and Belton giving them the hole and pulling the deficit back to 2 holes. Iain’s tee shot off the 16th tee found the wooded area at the end of the fairway and it took a further 2 shots to get the ball back in play. Turnbulls’s shot to the green was exceptional; the adults won the hole and reduced their opponents lead now to 1 hole. Playing some good golf Turnbull’s tee shot hit the 17th green. Uncharacteristically Caitlin put her tee shot out of bounds, while their provisional just missed the green to the left. Caitlin did well to find the putting surface with her chip but the hole was already lost and the match was now all square. Caitlin was given a shot on the 18th and the junior pairing halved the hole to steady their performance.

So onto extra holes which started with the 1st? Could the junior pairing give that final push to win through to their first South West Final?

All nerves were on edge as the tee shots were struck. Turnbull’s pitched on the green and just rolled to the back fringe. Caitlin’s tee shot hit the fairway but the ball was soon swallowed up by a bunker at the front left edge of the green. It was Iain’s honour and as he played his bunker shot everything now seemed to move in slow motion. The ball lifted out of the sand, started to climb and then just caught the lip of the bank. Hearts hit to the ground with a thud, however, Caitlin did get a stroke here so hopes still remained high! Caitlin got the ball on to the putting surface, so they had now taken a net 2 so far. Two putts from Turnbull and Belton put the pressure straight back on the juniors. Iain’s putt just missed and it was match over with a win to the adult team.

Our good wishes go to the winning pair of Turnbull and Belton for the final but also our pride to Caitlin and Iain who have performed magnificently throughout the whole competition. For juniors, who only have a limited amount of experience, to reach this stage of this South West competition is not only fantastic but gives us great encouragement for the coming future.

Well done Caitlin Evans-Brand and Iain Couper