IT may be early in the season but there has been great activity all round at Holsworthy Golf Club, writes Club President Gordon Dimbleby.

The eighth round of the Winter League, a 3BBB with one score to count on the par 5s, 2 on par 4s and all three on par 3s, commenced proceedings with the leading threesomes being: 1st, Brian Axford, Trevor Tape and Pauline Bezzant; 2nd, Sue Griffiths, John Westaway and Reg Daniel; 3rd, Alan Abrams, Gwen Adams and Richard Greenhalgh.

Gwen Adams did well despite having her driver's shaft broken whilst preparing to drive off at the third. A miscued shot to the second green by Hilary Dorren saw the ball fizz off line to strike Gwen's driver snapping the shaft. Undeterred Gwen went on to amass 8 points on the next three holes.

As it stands Geoff Young head the men's league table with 32pts with Alan Abrams and Reg Daniel second and third each with 29pts. Pauline Bezzant is in top spot for the ladies with 32pts well ahead of Gwen 'Driverless' Adams 27pts.

Eileen Pearce took her team of Veteran Ladies to Launceston with them returning winners by 4 matches to 2. Having a splendid day with friendly opposition the team was Jean Pearce and Jean Dimbleby, Lesley Richardson and Veronica Oke, Eileen Pearce and Yvonne Bowler, Sylvia Caunter and Sue Epton, Barbara Abrams and Hilary Dorren, and Ruth Bennett and Gwen Adams.

In similar fashion the Men's Veterans have been busy with vice-captain Albert Taylor being initiated into captaining the side at Crediton with the players enjoying the course in superb condition only for them to lose 4-2.

Albert led off with Brian Bowler only to lose 3 & 2, Alan Richardson and Peter Hoyland fought hard for a half as did Colin Walmsley and Ken McGeorge, Bob Gelder and Brian Toop lost 3 & 1, John Faithful and Chris Woolley took their match to the 18th only to lose by 1 hole, and the final duo Ian Hemmings and Bob Bentham gelled so well to win 3 & 1. As Albert opinioned, the team played creditably at Crediton.

Whilst the team were away, captain Tony Tomassi organised a 'yellow' ball competition whereby in turn the lowest handicapper's stableford score has to count on the first hole together with the best of the other two players, the next lowest counts on hole 2 and the highest on hole 3 and so on. Dave Barton, Mike Herbert and Roger Turner got it together as their winning score of 124pts demonstrated; 2nd, Dan Daley, Syd Clifford and Jim Bearham 111pts; 3rd, Reg Daniel, Bob Byrne and Pauline Bezzant 106pts.

AJ's Monthly Medal, the final one in deciding the winners of the year's competition for a handsome monetary prize was a close run affair with some half a dozen players in contention but it was Bob Demott who took top spot with nett 66 followed by Andy Pett 67 and a host of 71s amongst whom was Neil Faulkner his score being sufficient for him to emerge triumphant overall with Mark Bellew and Jeremy Horwood close behind.

Under the guidance of junior organiser Andy Morris the boys played their third round in the Eclectic competition with excellent scoring all round necessitating reductions in handicap particularly for Connor Morris his scintillating nett 65 leading the way with Kirkwoods Henry and Tim second and third respectively with 69 and 71. Obviously a case for like father like son as Andy too is playing very well of late.