First event of the 2025 season: Selby Golf Club
First event for Clubhouse Leaders.
Event Series #1 : Selby Golf Club
After our successful first season, Clubhouse Leaders’ second year began once again at Selby Golf Club. Selby was selected because it is always in fantastic condition, in case of poor early April weather.
We didn’t have to worry, as both the course and weather were perfect. It was great to see the return of many members from last year mixed with some new faces; providing a fantastic mix of competitive golf and networking.
The pre-round buzz in the clubhouse was great and everyone took that enthusiasm out onto the course. New member Stuart Sharp got the field on the way, using his local knowledge of Selby to show the field where to drive on the 1st.
Confidence within the field was high and Martin Mellor epitomised this with a swagger in his event winners’ shirt from last season.
Scoring starting strongly, with Richard Bray quickly hitting the lead after 3 holes when he chipped in for a nett eagle!
After the initial surge in scoring, the field began to realise that the wind was in the opposite direction to the norm and the course began to bite back.
The first nearest the pin prize was on the 5th hole and it was Stuart Sharp that, once again, used his local knowledge to put a great approach shot just 2 metres from a tricky pin. Chris Hargreaves and Hamish McKenzie both had great efforts to get inside it but it was Stuart who claimed the first prize of the 2025 Season.
The top of the leaderboard continued to change hands throughout the round, with the wind managing to make consistency of scoring tough. This meant that going into the final 4 holes, it was wide open as to who might win.
Before deciding the winner, there was the small matter of a nearest the pin on the 17th . A tough par 3, uphill and straight into the wind meant a great shot was required. Unfortunately, the course won the battle and none of the field found the green!
As the players began to finish, it was Martin Mellor’s swagger that stole the lead. A fantastic back nine set a target of 37 points. With scores going backwards in the rest of the field, this looked like it was going to be good enough and so it proved. The next seven members were covered by just 2 points and it was Chris Hargreaves that finished 2nd on a count back with 33 points.
It was a great start to 2025 season and we are looking forward to the next event in the series that takes place at Fulford on Wednesday 30th April.
First event of the Season: Selby Golf Club
First event for Clubhouse Leaders.
Event Series #1 : Selby Golf Club
Clubhouse Leaders headed to Selby Golf Club on Wednesday morning (10th April) excited to get our first ever event underway. After months of planning the day had come to welcome over 20 of our members and put on a top class golf day.
As we arrived at Selby early to get set up, we were greeted by the magnificent sight of the course bathed in sunshine, with greenkeepers putting the final touches to the greens. After the atrocious weather we have had over the past few months it was like driving into an oasis. No wading through mud. No plugged golf balls. Just superbly manicured greens and wonderfully shaped fairways.
It was no fluke that we chose Selby. It is widely regarded for providing high quality golfing conditions all year round and, in the most testing of times, it didn’t let us down.
The clubhouse had a sense of first day at school about it as our new members arrived to sign in. Contacts reconnecting and new relationships beginning.
We are pleased that we decided to sign up to Golf Genius for our Event Series; the technology didn’t let us down. Once everyone was comfortable with it, the scoring took care of itself and allowed everyone to relax and enjoy the golf.
As the fourballs made their way to the first tee, the excuses for poor performance began; nobody has been able to play much golf over the past few weeks and everyone was keen to get their tee shot away. The first player stepped up and put it out of bounds! Gradually everyone settled into their rounds, with blustery conditions making scoring difficult.
The first nearest the pin competition was on the 5th hole, a short par 3, with a very small green. The tight target helped focus the mind and we witnessed some great shots. The best by far saw Hamish McKenzie dance the ball around the pin and come to rest a metre away. The first prize of the 2024 series secured.
The second nearest the pin competition was on the 10th, with a strong cross wind; proving a much tougher test. It took until the final group for anyone to hit the Green; with Hugh Spillane taking the prize.
The weather took a turn for the worse over the back nine but the course remained immaculate. The lead took a few twists and turns over the final holes, but Allan Underwood took the title for the first event with 37 Stableford points, with Peter Laing securing second place with 35.
The race for Portugal has well and truly begun!
Lots of chat and a few well deserved drinks followed in the clubhouse. Feedback has been exceptional and plenty of new contacts have already been forged.
