Yelverton Golf Club Pro-Am Friday 25th September 2009 Professional Individual First Place 61 (-10) Barry Austin ( Downes Crediton) Second Place 65 Paul Turpin (Carlyon Bay) Third Place 67 Ashley Moon (Okehampton) Equal Fourth Place 68 Jon Langmead (Exminster) 68 Robin Goodey (Dawlish Warren) Equal Sixth Place 70 Andy Michael (China Fleet) 70 Paul Jordan (Bigbury) Team Scores First Place -19 (won on back 6) Barry Austin Ian Edwards, Steve Sloman, Tim Lee Second Place -19 Ashley Moon Martyn Moon, Neville Richards, Paul Hendy Third Place -15 (won on back 9) Dan Hendriksen Simon Knapman, Chester Barnes, Lee Kolinberg

Yelverton Captain Mike Ferris with Barry Austin and his winning team Mike Ferris with Ashley Moon and Neville Richards

Yelverton Golf Club and the Devon PGA staged another memorable Pro Am Tournament last Friday, at the superb moorland course. The weather on the day was most favourable, with no wind and cloudy but pleasant overhead conditions. With the course in its usual immaculate condition, under the supervision of head greenkepper George Pitts, scoring was always likely to be good. A score in the mid sixties by one of the 37 Pro`s was expected , but nobody thought the course record would come under threat, that mark was set on the second of August 2002, a remarkable score of 60 (11 under). This is perhaps one of the best course records in West Country golf. Barry Austin had other ideas though, as he arrived in the clubhouse he was greeted by club steward Keith Parriss who pointed out that conditions were very similar to that day in 2002. Barry just laughed and said "I was not a Club Pro in those days and was playing full time golf " The positive thought though was `planted` and after five birdies on the opening five holes the course record did not seem impossible. Barry pared the sixth but then birdied both the tough seventh and the 571 yd par five eighth, standing seven under after 8 holes thoughts of the magical 59 started to appear. His game then went quiet again on 9 and 10 before he added another birdie on the uphill par five 11th, he continued to give himself chances with some fantastic iron shots but putts that were dropping earlier, now seemed to be just slipping by. He felt that his chance of matching the record had gone, with three of Yelverton`s tough finishing holes to go,but birdies on 16 and 17, where he hit his `shot of the day` a beautifully flighted six iron which never left the pin 193yds away, cut tight in the back right corner of the green. With the 18th to play and three more quality shots required, Barry could not quite `squeeze` the required birdie out of the hole. A round of 61 though was a superb effort, and to have the two best scores ever, at a golf course more than 100 yrs old, where hundred`s of thousands of competition rounds have been played, is perhaps even better, than just an ordinary course record!! In second place on what seemed a very ordinary 65 was Cornish Raider Paul Turpin from Carloyn Bay, Paul who was as a youngster on the books of Plymouth Argyle, loves crossing the border to snatch some `Devon Booty`. His 65 was put together with some great driving and accurate iron shots. In third place was Okehampton Pro Ashley Moon. His team which included his brother Martyn and old friends Neville Richards and Paul Hendy were unlucky to miss out on countback in the team event on 19 under. Not surprisingly the winning team were led by Barry Austin who had not even told his playing partners that he was chasing his `own` course record!! Steve Slocum, Ian Edwards and Tim Lee were amazed that Barry was too modest to even mention the fact, that the course record he was trying too beat was his own . The event was again superbly organised by Head Pro Tim McSherry who has established the Yelverton Pro Am as one of the `must play days` in the County calendar. At the prize giving he thanked all the players, and especially club secretary Stewart Barnes, and looked forward to next year's event.