5 Club Shield 16th May 2021

5 Club Shield 2021 winner Neil  Royle finding time to be 
pictured on the day with his 
great friend and former 
cricketing colleague 15th placed Nathaniel  Thomas who is leaving the club for sunnier climes next month . 

The 5 Club Shield is a competition that tests the golfer in both his choice of clubs AND his ability to choose the right club at the right time over the 18 holes . It is an enjoyable but sometines frustrating exercise ands adds another layer of difficulty to the game . This observer believes that the winner has every right to be considered to be the most adaptable player in the club due to the level of difficulty that has to be overcome to succeed .

Neil Royle (40/44/84/16/68) already enjoys legendary status for his magnificent tally of 10 pairs Board Competition victories gained in the last 12 seasons with the club . He has finally triumphed in an individual Board Competition for the first time ( on all known records ) by snatching victory on the final hole today . Royle started in rollercoaster fashion , splicing net birdies on the uber-tricky first hole and the short third with a sloppy reverse on 2 … after playing holes 4-6 to regulation he got to the turn at -3 courtesy of consecutive net birdies on 7 and 8 then played 9 to handicap ( finding time on the 9th fairway to bid farewell to long-time friend , former cricket associate and fellow member Nathaniel Thomas who is leaving the club next month for sunnier climes ( pictured above ) ) to share the front 9 lead with past winner Roy Dickens . After suffering an untidy bogey on 11 he responded magnificently to secure a net birdie 5 on the long 12th. He consolidated his position playing 13 and 14 to handicap before suffering a reverse on the long 15th. which took him one off the pace . He was unable to gain ground on the championship holes 16 and 17 but finished with a crucial last-gasp net birdie on the final hole to snatch the Shield from Dickens and take that elusive first individual Board Competition win .

Roy Dickens (40/45/85/17/68) is a known specialist in this event , having triumphed in spectacular style 2 years ago with a net 64 . As he was not able to compete last year he had linear champ status and he did not disappoint . Former Captain Roy played an excellent opening sextet of holes with his highlights net birdies on 1,3 and 6 to position himself at the top of the leaderboard . Although his momentum was stalled by a sloppy net bogey 6 on 7 he was to respond superbly courtesy of a net eagle 3 on 8 to take him to -4 as he stood on the 9th tee . Although officially the ‘easiest’ hole on the course . 17 handicapper Roy slumped to a bogey 5 to get to the turn in joint lead with Neil Royle . Dickens found it difficult to keep momentum and succumbed to another reverse on the benign 11th hole to drop to -2 and now one stroke behind Neil Royle . Despite a fine effort playing the 12th to handicap , Dickens fell further behind with a net bogey 5 opn the intimidating 13th hole and found himself on the onerous 14th  tee now 2 strokes down on Royle , the only competitors under par in the field . Roy regrouped magnificently with net birdies on both 14 and 15 to dramatically regain the sole lead from Royle with just the championship holes to go . Roy played 16 and 17 to regulation and found himself needing a 4 to take the Shield as he was behind Royle on countback . Sadly , he could only manage to play a regulation and thus finished in a still tremendous 2nd place in his first appearance in the event since winning the Shield .

James Darmon (51/47/98/29/69) is well known amongst members for his huge swing which gives him the ability to stroke the ball long but ( because of the high tariff caused by a full swing ) sometimes can spray in all directions AND trajectories . James , who won his only Board Competition back in 2017 taking the Golden Jubilee , came to the tee today on 29 handicap but buoyed by a fine midweek display where he had emerged victorious in the midweek AGC qualifier . He started spectacularly well with a net eagle 4 on the tricky opening hole then upped his momentum by another gain on the long second hole to get himself to -3 after just two holes . Sadly he was to drop shots to handicap on 3,4,6,7 and 8 thus finding himself back down the field 5 strokes off the lead at +2 at the turn . Although he was to make a positive start with a net birdie on 10 then consolidate with a regulation 5 on 11 he was to find trouble on 12 and succumb to a net DB 9 which put him back to +3 and back in mid-division seemingly spiralling out of contention . James regrouped superbly with net gains at 13,14 and 15 to get himself back to level with just the ‘Championship holes ‘ to play . He maintained his momentum with another net birdie on 16 which left him just 2 strokes behind with 2 holes to play , both of which he had 2 strokes on AND ones which he undoubtedly had the power to reach in two IF he could keep his swing under control . Unfortunately  Darmon could not keep his net birdie run going and he scored a regulation 6 leaving him on the final tee needing a 4 to sensationally win the Shield on countback . Sadly , he could only post a 5 which nevertheless got him to a net 69 and a superb third placed finish .

Brian Southworth (44/40/84/13/71) is known for his undoubted mastery of the ‘cack-handed’ swing , his tanned complexion in all seasons and his undoubted liking for the back 9 holes on the course . Today the 13-time Board Comp winner was trying to win the event for a second time , having triumphed in this event 23 years earlier to open his trophy account , He started steadily , playing 4 of his opening quintet of holes to regulation with the highlight his net birdie on 3 to stand on the 6th tee handily placed on -1 … inexplicably Brian was to drop shots to handicap on the supposedly benign 6th and 9th hole with a sloppy net bogey 6 on 7 meaning that he reached the turn 6 strokes off the leader at +3 .He played steadily on 10-12 , playing all to regulation before registering net birdies on 13 ,15,17 and 18 with his only reverse an untidy bogey 4 on the benign 16th.  His -3 back 9 was bettered only by Darmon and left him in a very creditable 4th position with a level par net 71 . A fine effort !

Tony O’Connell (50/46/96/25/71) is the more venerable but currently lesser-known of the O’Connell members at the club with progeny Chris recently triumphant in this years Bailey Cup .Today , it was he who finished higher up the leaderboard … he was having only his 4th outing of the season having finished a promising 14th in the Jubilee the previous week . He started poorly with a dropped shot to handicap but immediately regained the stroke with a net birdie on 2 . His rollercoaster front 9 featured dropped shots on 4,5,7 and 9 with his only other highlight a net birdie on the deceptively long 8th hole to see him get to the turn at +3 , 6 strokes off the lead . Although he was to drop further down the field after a net bogey on the benign 11th hole he regrouped superbly and picked up shots on 12,13 and 15 to get himself back to +1 … a further gain on 17 saw him finish his round on an excellent net 71 and a fifth-placed finish , ironically edging out Chris on countback which must have been a very satisfying moment for him .

 Chris O’Connell (45/42/87/16/71) has made a great start to the season with one trophy already secured as well as top 10 finishes in his previous 3 events . He had also shown a liking for this event , having finished third last year . Today he inexplicably started poorly and immediately tumbled down the leaderboard courtesy of net bogeys on the opening couple of holes . Chris played rollercoaster golf with gains to handicap achieved on 3,5 and 8 tempered with a net bogey on 7 and a sloppy net DB on the 9th hole to get him to the turn on +1 and 5 away from the lead . He regrouped well and regained strokes on 10 and 13 to get back to level par before momentum was again blunted with another unfortunate net DB on 14 to drop him back to +2 . That was to be his last mistake and he managed to finish strongly with gains on 16 and 17 to finish his round at net 71 and infuriatingly in 6th position one behind Tony . Another solid effort for this most promising rookie member and evidence that he will be definitely contending again in the near future .

Paul Southworth (43/44/87/16/71) last tasted victory accompanying former President Stopford to a Winter KO victory back in 2007 and was looking to win his first individual competition since his 2004 Bailey Cup win . In spite of those stats he remains a player of definite ability and came to the tee on a 16 handicap . Like many competitors he had a rollercoaster front 9 with gains achieved at 5 and 7 tempered by reverses at 3 and 9 which nevertheless left him standing on the 10th tee well placed just 3 strokes from the leader . A poor start to his journey hole included reverses on the short 11th and 13th  holes to take him back to +2 … he was to finish well , playing holes 14 to 16 to regulation before recording net birdies on 17 and 18 to get back to parity , a net 71 giving him a 7th place finish .

Special mentions …

Matt Astbury (45/46/91/17/74) would’ve been much closer but for card-busting quad bogeys on 6 and 12 which derailed his challenge .

Tom Wilkins (47/54/101/24/77) finished down the field in 20th  place but his round was going nicely after an initial net DB on the opening hole he had regrouped at the turn to get to level par , just 3 off the lead . Sadly such promise was spectacularly spoiled by a net quad boigey 11 on 12 and later a net triple bogey 7 on our benign 16th. with him finishing on net 77 .

Defending Champion Watch …

Joe Hadfield had gloriously powered his way to a 5 stroke victory back in September 2020 but unfortunately chose not to defend his title on this occasion .

Lineal 2019 champion Roy Dickens did not play last year so was very close to ‘retaining’ his hold on the Shield and has already been eulogised earlier on these pages .

Gross watch … 

was a tale of two former 5 Club Shield holders (and Captains) both scoring a ‘best in show’ gross 83 Norman Crowther (42/41/83/10/73) won this event in 2016 and finished in 8th place with his highlight a superb net eagle 4 on the 15th .

Stewart Royle (40/43/83/6/77) won this event in 2018 and finished in 16th. place with his highlight a gross birdie 3 on 9 .

Overall , a day where the course again came out on top with only 3 members beating their handicaps … a day where the dry and occasionally sunny conditions with light winds were tempered with dampened  fairway areas and tricky sandy greens giving competitors varying pace on them whilst the pandemic-enforced necessary lack of depth on the actual holes resulted in the occasional missed putt purely due to this unfortunate anomaly .