GOLF – Old Loughburians v The Schools

Old Loughburians v The Schools – 28 March 2018
(Report by Dave Barnett OL’77)

The weather was set fair at Longcliffe on Wednesday 28 March for the annual Old Loughburian match against the Schools. The Old Loughburians fielded a strong team of 11 golfers but this had to be reduced to 10 because The Schools had a couple of unavoidable late changes, so the Old Loughburians 2018 Society Captain (Paul Graveling) very magnanimously withdrew.

The Schools’ side contained 3 members of staff, and also the first representative from Loughborough High School, to play in an Old Loughburian golf fixture of any kind, Esme Hamilton. Dave Barnett (acting Captain in Paul’s absence) stated after the post match dinner that he hoped Esme would be the first of many High School and Convent pupils, and alumni, to play in this match, and other Old Loughburian golf fixtures.

The match was played in great spirit with the first three of the five 4ball betterball matches all being decided on the 18th green. The most unlikely win for the old boys came in the second game, when Nick Hardy and Steve Foister came back from being behind all day (and 4 down at one point) to win their match on the 18th hole.

The boys won both other tight matches by one hole so it was up to Esme and the 3 members of staff to hold on to the lead and retain the Old Loughburian Salver for the Schools. Unfortunately the masters were not up to the task and both matches were lost, leaving The Loughburians as the victors.

The full results were as follows (Old Loughburians named first):

Ian Anderson & Hatj lost to Ben Spillane & Dev Popat
Nick Hardy & Steve Foister beat Ollie Jarvis & Charlie Wood
Richard Underwood & Simon Cockbill lost to Harry Boyle & Eliot Gibson
Dave Barnett & Stephen Hilton beat Mark Ebden and Esme Hamilton
Nick Chappell & Jamie Scott beat Rob Lightfoot & Matthew Jackson.

The evening concluded with Mark Ebden handing the Salver to Dave Barnett with Dave thanking the boys and masters for the game, also stating that he hoped the masters and the boys would continue to inspire other boys and girls to take up golf, as it had given him over 45 years of immense pleasure since he became a junior member at Longcliffe back in 1973.