2020 Gyves&Gardner

Gyves & Gardner Trophies 

13th September 2020

The Gyves and Gardner was named after Robert ( Bobby) Gyves and George Gardner who were regular playing partners in the 70s/80s. Curiously they never won a Board pairs comp together with Gyves’ solitary Board Comp win coming courtesy of a Summer Knockout victory back in 1982 whilst  Gardner won 3 Board Comps in his Alty career claiming victories in the Tommy Barlow (78) and Seniors (82) with his final success in the now defunct Golf Foundation in 1985 .

This competition is unique in that it is extremely unlikely to be won on countback given that it gives a pair half of their combined handicap usually giving a finishing score with a decimal point involved . Today 23 pairs challenged to win the trophies ... 

The contenders 🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️🏌️‍♂️

Club Champion David Royle (74/9/65) and his father Neil sensationally net eagled the final hole to snatch the trophies from the grasp of long-time leaders Howard Johnson and Brian Price . The duo started sluggishly dropping a shot at the opening hole but regrouped spectacularly with 4 strokes gained over the next three holes by way of net gains at 2 and 3 (birdie) then a magnificent net eagle 3 on the 4th hole to get to -3 ... they maintained momentum by playing 5,6,8 and 9 to regulation with a net birdie on 7 helping them to a gross 35 which translated to -4 and in a share for the lead as they reached the turn . Inexplicably , David & Neil faltered by dropping shots at the benign 10th and 11th but crucially regrouped to play the Amen Corner holes superbly , with no strokes dropped to handicap and gains on 12 and 15 to leave them one behind the leaders with just three holes to play . They played 16 and 17 in regulation but still found themselves in second place one shot behind . They summoned up a truly grandstand finish and spectacularly net eagled the final hole to snatch the trophies at the last gasp .

Neil Royle extended his record (as the winning-most pairs Board Competition member yet to win an individual) to 10 wins and was winning his second G&G whilst son David extended his overall Board Competition total to 5 and it was also his second G&G victory , each of them winning previously with different family members .

Howard Johnson & Brian Price (86/20/66) were an improbable yet imaginative new pairing who dovetailed soooo well today . Johnson of the booming drive , languid swing and top notch short-game coupled with Price , now operating as a 31 handicapper but recently showing form and always with the ability to produce quality passages of play . The quirky duo began their round well , playing 1 and 3 to regulation but sensationally taking them just 3 strokes to complete the difficult second fo a net eagle that catapulted them to the top of the leaderboard .  Although they were to succumb to their first net bogey on 4 they bounced back with consecutive net birdies on 6,7 and 8 then playing 9 to regulation to get to the turn in a magnificent -4 and in a joint share of the lead . Momentum was consolidated courtesy of consecutive gains on 10 and 11 and their Amen Corner adventure began with a solid net par 7 to remain at -6 and now established in a three stroke lead .Could they maintain it for a famous victory ?
A quite superb net birdie 3 on 13 extended their lead and thus put them at the heady heights of -7 ... sadly but inevitably the tariff of difficulty on the AC holes was too much as they suffered back to back net bogeys to fall back to -5 with their lead now cut to just one as the Championship holes beckoned . A crucial net birdie 3 on the benign 16th gave them definite hope but another lapse on 17 saw them complete a net bogey 6 which restricted them to a slender one-stroke lead as they stood on the final tee . 5 strokes later they had completed a regulation finish which cruelly proved to be one stroke shy of what would’ve been a famous victory . Nevertheless a superb showing for this pairing whom this observer believes would be well advised to think about partnering each other again in the future given their titanic efforts here .


Ged Grogan & Glen Rothwell (73/6.7/66.3) had already prevailed in a Board Competition pairs event earlier this season so had justifiably high expectations of a strong showing here . A rollercoaster front 9 saw a sloppy net bogey 5 start for this quality pairing with further reverses on 4 and 6 tempered by gains on 2,5 and a supreme net eagle on 7 which got them to the turn at -1 , 3 strokes off the lead . The duo consolidated their momentum with a burst of five pars which included net birdies on 12 and 14 as they finished strongly with crucial consecutive net birdies on 16 and 17 finishing on -4.7 and a very creditable 3rd place finish .

4th placed local chums David Doughty & Andy Mills (84/14.8/69.2) produced a solid performance today with a promising front 9 highlighted with a magnificent net eagle 3 on 2 and further gains on 2 and 4 tempered with dropped shots on 3,6 and 9 placing them 3 strokes off the lead but could they change gear and take closer order ? Sadly , although they maintained their position playing holes 10-15 in regulation they had dropped further down the leaderboard to 4 strokes behind ... the Championship holes beckoned and the chums responded superbly with back to back gains on 16 and 17 before an unfortunate reverse on the final hole that meant a still admirable net 69.2 finish ... an encouraging performance .

Gordon Boardman & Bernie Wood (81/11.4/69.6) are currently enjoying a slight resurgence as a pair ( your observer and his golfing partner suffered a humiliating 6&5 defeat just a week earlier and other pairs have been summarily dispatched by the lifelong local chums ) . Gordon is to be complimented as he has shown remarkable patience with the undoubted frailties of his partners game as he gradually recovers  ... today the pair started superbly with net birdies at the opening couple of holes .Reverses on 3 and an unfortunate net DB on 5 meant that the duo reached the turn at virtual parity thus 4 strokes back . Sadly , further reverses on the benign 10th and 11th took the chums firmly out of contention ... but how would they perform the Amen Corner holes ? The truth is that the pair rolled back the years playing 12 in regulation then a stunning run of net birdies on 13,14 and 15 put them within 3 strokes of the lead . Momentum was stalled on the Championship holes but to their credit the pair played the final three holes to handicap and a final score of net 69.6 gave them a very encouraging 5th place finish as BW continues to recover from his recent arthroplasty and to painstakingly recover the rudiments of that classic swing that has graced the course for over half a decade whilst Gordon has maintained his own ball-striking prowess and has a trophy in the cupboard this season evidencing his resurgence .

Defending Champion Watch ...

Andrew Window & Ian Cheetham (98/21.8/76.2) were both ‘chuffed to bits’ with victory in this event last year . The duo were suitably motivated to try to defend their greensomes crown and were fittingly in the final group today . Their front 9 was rollercoaster with reverses on 1 ,4 and 7 tempered with welcome gains on 3,5 and 8 leaving them in a good position just 3 strokes off the lead . The duo immediately took closer order courtesy of net birdies on 10 and 11 then opened up their Amen Corner campaign playing 12 in regulation. A sloppy net bogey 5  on 13 was just a temporary blip as they regrouped superbly with a net birdie 5 on 14  This left the quirky pair still 3 strokes back but in a very close third place . As they stood on the 15th tee expectations must have been very high that they would produce a stellar quartet of holes to again mount a challenge . Sadly , as is regularly the case , the great test provided by the long 15th was too much for the quirky chums and they suffered a horror net TB 9 to obliterate any fancy ideas of a repeat victory . A further dropped shot on 16 compounded that reality and although Ian & Andy bravely played 17 to regulation a final humiliation had to be endured as the course exacted total revenge for their 2019 mastery in this genre of golf as the pair stumbled to a net quad bogey 9 to see them finish down the field in 17th place . A sad end to what had been an extremely promising challenging position by the pair but showing that our beloved game can be very cruel at times .

Overall , this competition is a highly enjoyable format of the game that is quicker than the normal version  and offers an entertaining deviation from the usual practices . The originators of the  Gyves and Gardner are to be commended for giving our membership such an intriguing competition .