Northcote Trophy 2017 – Alumni retain the trophy

Northcote Trophy 2017 – Alumni retain the trophy

The Alumni team that headed down to Devon for the annual Northcote Trophy fixture was the most numerous and strongest to date and included three of the last four university club captains in James Wallace, Jack Irwin and Jack Sears. An enjoyable weekend was anticipated and the Alumni team was so numerous they almost had to resort to selection but a few last minute withdrawals spared any blushes.

Everyone was keeping an eye on the weather forecast as a belt of rain was threatening to swing across the West Country at some time over the holiday weekend.

The Warren golf course at Dawlish was the scene of the opening fourball games but to the Alumni amazement in some of the fixtures they were giving shots to the students, an unheard of occurrence, and almost unbelievable, seeing how far the students were hitting the ball. The women students were outhitting the Alumni big hitters off the men’s tees!!

The fourballs traditionally have seen the Alumni take the lead but in windy conditions the students took a narrow 5-3 lead into the second day. Current club captain Harry Judd and freshman Jack Pope led the University in the first match and duly delivered a big win. Another good win in match five by Synne Budal and incoming fresher Grace Jackson gave the students a slender lead with the Alumni points delivered from Duncan Goldsworthy and James Wallace and the strong pairing of Brian Stopp and big hitting lefty Joe Davis. 

Both captains had juggled their teams to play to their strengths with the Alumni needing a fast start to make up for the overnight deficit they sent off Chris Hayter and Duncan Goldsworthy to win the points, and they duly delivered. Other matches were tight with Joe Davis and Mark Taylor holes up for the Alumni and Stuart Patrick and Ferdinando Croce up for the students. All eyes were on the skies however, as early showers turned first into heavy rain and then into thunderstorms. Both sides bravely battled on but the course could not cope with the deluge and the hooter went to call everyone in. A wet and bedraggled group lunched in good spirits and the captains declared the match abandoned as a score draw with the Alumni retaining the trophy as the holders from the previous year.

This event goes from strength to strength and the University golfers are great ambassadors and a pleasure to be with even as they approached the key exam season. The Alumni team had better be well prepared for 2018’s event, as the University will be keen to regain the Northcote Trophy given better weather next year.

Date: 24 April 2017