Club News

Congratulations to member Connie Foskett Barnard on winning The Cater Cup at Pwllheli Golf Club!!

We are delighted to share with you this year’s R&A Sustainable Agronomy Report that was produced by Alistair Beggs who’s the Head of Sustainable Agronomy for the R&A.

The report is very detailed and identifies the huge progression that has been made by our wonderful Links Team over the past year, by reading the report you’ll see that it gives us some insights on how we can continue to move forward and further improve the playing surfaces.

A huge congratulations to Rhys and the whole Links Team for the immense work that has gone into producing a wonderful golf course for both members and visitors to play this year.

Congratulations to Ladies Vice-Captain Elaine Calvert on winning this year’s Caernarvonshire Cup with an outstanding 39 points. This year’s event was played at Royal St. David’s Golf Club, scoring was extremely strong. Elaine needed a countback to secure the top spot!In runners up position was Jane Murphy again, with 39 points, and taking third place with 38 points was 38 points.

Congratulations Elaine!!

The 88^th St. David’s Gold Cross certainly decided to be a testing 2 days of Golf. Weather conditions on Saturday resulted with round two being abandoned. There were some excellent scores of 70 and 71 posted by Sean David and Iestyn McAvoy during the wet and blustery condition of round 1, with locals Geraint Jones and Iwan posting a very respectable score of 78.

Due to the abandonment of round 2 it was decided that no cut would be made and that everybody who had completed the first round would be offered to play on the Sunday. With much improved weather conditions play was underway with Dylan Green of Royal St. David’s hitting the first shot at 7:30am. Although dry the players faced tough windy conditions that resulted in some high scores.

The lowest score for the new 2^nd round was carded by Huw Bearcroft with a very good level par 69. Our over night leader Sean David fell back somewhat during the second round following his round of 82. Iestyn McAvoy however followed his good 1^st round of 71 with a 72 to take the lead after round 2.

The 3^rd round played in sunnier conditions brought some very respectable scores. 5^th place was awarded to Oliver Caton with a total score of 224. With a better last 18 holes of 73 Alex Jaap of Conwy Golf Club was awarded 4^th place. Also with a total of 224 but with a last 18 of 71, 3^rd place went to Harry Watkins of Royal Porthcawl. Iestyn McAvoy, clubhouse leader following round 2 finished runner up with a score of 222. But the winner for 2023 with rounds of 75, 75 and 68 for a total score of 218 was Theo Baker of Celtic Manor. Congratulations to Theo and the other prize winner.

This year’s Club Championship saw a full weekend of golf with competitions for both scratch and nett prizes.

The Men’s Silver Bowl is the nett competition played over 18 holes from the white tees. There was a good number of entries playing in this competition with 3^rd place being awarded to Mr David Barr with a nett 68. In second place we had Mr Ellis Wyn Lloyd who carded a nett 67. But the winner of the Men’s Silver Bowl for 2023 with a 3 under nett 66 was Mr Edwin Morris Jones.

The Club Championship for the men is played as a 36 holes medal competition from the Black tees played on 1 day. We had 29 entries in total with 3^rd place going to Mr Joe Soar with a total of 151. Second place was awarded to Mr Ben Adam with o total score of 150. But the winner with 2 very steady rounds of 72 and 77 for a total of 149 was Mr Andrew Johnson.

2023 saw the inaugural Ladies Club Championship competition. Similarly, to the men they had 2 competitions, 1 for a the best nett stableford and 1 for the best gross stableford. The nett stableford competition was played over 1 round on the Sunday. Third place in this competition was won by Mrs Angie Shaw Davidson with 30 points. It came to a card play to find the winner of this competition. Just missing out on the back with 31 points we had Carol Magee. But winning with 17 points on the back 9 was our Ladies Vice Captain Dr Elaine Calvert also with 31 points.

The Ladies Club Champion was played as a gross stableford 36 holes over 2 consecutive days. Third place in this competition was awarded to Mrs Lesley Fox with a total score of 50 points. Mrs Jeanette Williams was in second place with a total score of 53 points. But the Ladies Club Champion for 2023 with a total score of 66 points was Mrs Ann Lewis (picture below).

Thank you to all competitors and congratulation to all the prize winners.

Royal St. David’s were delighted to welcome the Caernarfonshire and Anglesey County County Golf team to play a fixture against Denbighshire and Flintshire on Sunday 4th June.

Impressively eight of the ten players representing C&A were members of Royal St. David’s Golf Club, which includes Dot Hambley who is the President of C&A and Mair Eluned Jones who is this year’s Captain!

The Match ended in a 5.5 to 3.5 victory for C&A. Congratulations to everyone involved.

Glorious sunshine was to be the weather for the weekend with some fantastic scores in both the Men’s and Ladies competitions.

The Ladies’ competitions began with The Coronation Cup. The competition was an individual Par competition that was won by Mrs Sue Lloyd with a fantastic score of 4up. Miss Morgan Gray came in second with a good score of 2up just beating Ms Eleanor Evans on a card playoff also on a score of 2up.

Sunday was the Ladies’ Captain’s Day, and our Ladies Captain Miss Ann-Marie Magee could not have ordered nor wished for better weather. Best visitors prize went to Miss Ruth Parry with 34 points. Best front 9 prize was won by Ms Penelope Elsmore with 20 points with the best back 9 prize going to Ms Denise Burchell also with 20 points. Best gross prize went to Mrs Ann Lewis with 34 points. 3^rd prize was won by Mrs Chris John with 37 points with Mrs Sue Mills taking the 2^nd prize also with 37 beating Chris on the back 9. However, taking poll position and winning the Ladies’ Captain’s Prize was Mrs Patricia Booth with a great score of 38 points.

The Ladies Castle Bowl was Monday’s competition and once again the sun was shining. There were some good scores again with Mrs Rebecca Gray narrowly missing out of winning a prize with a nett 75. Yet again a count back was required to determine the winner. In second place with a nett 74 was Ms Eleanor Evans but with a better back 9 the winner for the second time over the weekend was Mrs Sue Lloyd also with a nett 74.

The Men’s competitions started with the J L Black Trophy an individual stableford which is also a qualifier for The St. David’s Gold Cup. The 3^rd prize was won by Mr Christopher Kerin with a score of 36 points with Mr Mark Lawrence just pipping him to 2^nd place also with 36 points. The competition was won by Mr Mike Booth who carded an excellent score of 37 points.

Sunday was the first of two medal competition for the men to be played from the white tees. The competition of day was The Staff College Challenge Owl. Taking the 3^rd prize was Mr Graeme Shaw with a nett 71 with Mr Norman Fletcher taking 2^nd prize with Mr Norman Fletcher with a nett 69. But, the winner of The Staff College Challenge Owl was Mr Christopher Traill with a nett 68.

Monday saw the men play for the Leigh Taylor Challenge Cup. With the sun shining the scores were indeed good. 3^rd prize was won by Mr Andrew Gray with a nett 72. 2^nd prize was won by Mr Matthew Ives with a nett 71 but winning the Leigh Taylor Challenge Cup with a gross 68 nett 68 was Mr Ben Adams.

During the Spring Meeting the men also play for the Narwhals Trophy. The winner of this trophy goes to player who cards the best two gross scores from the Staff College Challenge Owl and the Leigh Taylor Challenge Cup. The winner of this trophy for 2023 was Mr Ben Adams who carded a score of 144 (76 + 68).

The St. David’s Gold Cup is a competition that is played on the Sunday and Monday of the Spring Meeting with the 8 players needing to qualify from the J L Black Trophy played on the Saturday. A fiercely contested competition which saw the winner of 2022 return to the final once again. The final was played between Mr Josh Booth and Mr James Anderson. A close match with some excellent golf, but, clinching the win with a 1up victory was Mr James Anderson.

The St. David’s Mixed Open Salvers, foursomes medal, a difficult format although the scores would suggest otherwise. This competition was played on the Tuesday with a very respectable number of entries. There were 3 prizes to be won, and in 3^rd place losing on the back 9 was Mr Edwin M Jones and our Ladies Captain Miss Ann-Marie Magee with a nett 68. Taking the second prize we had our very own head professional Mr Stephen Doran and Mrs Ann Price also with a nett 68. But, the winners beating both on the back 9 also with a nett 68 were a visiting pair Mr Kevin Rogerson and Ms Bernadette Howarth.

Congratulations to all the prize winners.

The Easter meeting took place from Thursday 6^th April through to Monday 10^th April.

Thursday 6th April

Thursday was a day that started with some rain but finished in glorious sunshine. There were 116 competitors playing for the men’s S V Beer Trophy. The trophy was won with an excellent score of 39 points by Mr Ross Birch of Stockport Golf Club, with Mr Lee Austin of Royal St. David’s/ Oswestry Golf Club coming in a close second with 37 points.

The ladies began there Easter competition by competing for the Countess of Winchilsea Cup. A betterball event that was sure to have some good scores. The winners where Mrs Mair Jones and Mrs Ann Lewis who carded a superb score of 42 points, narrowly beating Ms Ann-Marie Magee and Ms Carol Magee who scored an excellent score of 41 points.

Friday 7th April

Friday was another fine day of sunshine which saw the First and Second rounds of the Winchilsea Foursomes matchplay competition. Some fiercely fought out matches where had with many matches being won on the 18^th.

Saturday 8th April

The 3^rd round of the Winchilsea Foursomes started Saturday off which was followed by the ladies Miss J D McKay stableford. Mrs Philippa Gowen come out on top in this competition scoring an excellent score of 39 with Mrs Carol Wolstenholme in second place with 37 points.

Sunday 9th April

Sunday began with the Semi-final of the Winchilsea closely followed by the men’s Easter Cup Medal played from the white tees. The course although playing long yielded some great scores. Second place was awarded to Mr Ashley Andrews of Brocton Hall Golf Club with a nett 67 who also carded a hole in 1 on the 9^th. Victorious was Mr Rory Long a member of RSD who beat Mr Andrew on the back 9 also on nett 67.

The ladies followed the men’s medal with The Easter Bowl medal competition. Our Ladies’ Captain Ms Ann-Marie Magee scored a very respectable nett 75 in testing conditions came in second place. However, this was to be out down by Mrs Sue Lloyd who carded an excellent 2 under nett 72.

Monday 10th April

Monday, a turn for the worse for the weather. Conditions were grim and a true test of grit and determination. The first competition of the day was a Any combination of Male or Female Greensomes Stableford. 23 pairs ventured out in horrendous weather conditions with Mr Declan Craddock of Beau Desert Golf Club and Mr Ben Yates of Brocton Hall Golf Club coming out on top with 38 points.

Monday was also Winchilsea Final’s Day. The final was won by Mr Stuart Heathcock and Mr Lee Austin both members of Royal St. David’s and Oswestry Golf Club beating Mr Phil and Mrs Anna Major by 4&3.

Congratulations to all of Easter Meeting prize winners.

The first meeting of 2023 took place over the weekend of Saturday 4^th and Sunday 5^th March.

Saturday 4^th March 2023

The first of the Men’s Board Competition of the year, The St. David’s Cup was won by Jac Roscoe. Playing from a handicap of 2 Jac carded an impressive 67 gross for 40 stableford points narrowly beating Mr Ross Wardle who scored 39 points.

The Ladies’ played a 13 holes Am-Am team of three where 7 teams competed.

The victorious team of Mrs Mair Eluned Jones, Ms Ann-Marie Magee and Ms Carol Magee claimed a 1-point victory by posting a score of 55 points. Second place was the team of Mrs Meinir Conway, Mrs Dorothy Hambley and Ms Julie Snelson who scored 54 points.

Sunday 5^th March 2023

The Ladies’ kicked off the second day playing for the Ann Lewis Trophy. Testing conditions, cold and wet weather did not hinder the scoring.

Winning the Ann Lewis Trophy with a superb score of 40 points was Ms Ann-Marie Magee, in second place with a great score of 37 points was Mrs Shuna Sweeting.

Following on from the Ladies competition, the men were playing for the H.R.H The Prince of Wales Cup. Playing from the white tees the course was playing very long and this reflected the score.

Winning the H.R.H The Prince of Wales Cup with a cracking score considering the conditions was Mr Vincent Barnard after posting a score of nett 70. There was a tie for second place however MR Peter Roscoe took the runners-up position after count back.

Congratulations to RSD member Connie Foskett Barnard who was part of the Caernarfonshire & Anglesey team who came second in the recent Welsh Girls Team Championship at Ashburnham Golf Club.

Well done Jeanette Williams and Ann Lewis on winning the prestigious Brenda King Foursomes competition held in Nottingham.