Strokeplay Championship 2024

STROKEPLAY

championship

08 - 10 July 2024 Belton Park Golf Club

As parkland courses go, Belton Park Golf Club must rank as one of the best in Lincolnshire. It was a pleasure to return for the second year running to play our annual Strokeplay Championships. This year, we returned in July following a change in the calendar due to Saunton Golf Club hosting an England Golf Amateur Seniors event in the same month.

We are extremely grateful for the generous support of our sponsors: Thales as our headline sponsor, Heckler & Koch, and L3 Harris. Without the continued support of our sponsors, events like these would not be possible.

Belton Park GC has hosted several of our Championship events recently, this event being our second Strokeplay. The course was in excellent condition, although the greens were slightly slower than we are used to due to the torrential downpour the night before. Nonetheless, they were running true, which is all we could hope for. The first and second cuts and narrow fairways added to the course's protection,

and the rough was dense and brutal for those unfortunate enough to drift off the beaten track.

The practice round and match between the two committees were played in good weather and good humour. When the sun appeared, it was hot, although not for long periods. The AGA vs BPGC Committee match was a close-run affair, with the first two matches drawn, the third a 3/2 win to BPGC, and the fourth going to the AGA. This left the final match as the decider, which BPGC won with a 6/5 victory (we did have to give 23 shots).

Overall, the 3-2 win went to Belton Park.

On day one, the weather was overcast with drizzling rain for most of the morning, making the rough even more treacherous, but at least it was not cold.

The torrential rain the night before led to all greens having to be squeegeed before play could commence, which meant they could not be rolled and ironed before the start. A field of 67 set off with two twoballs at the front, followed by a field of three-balls off the white/red tees. The white course measured 6,490 yards, with a par of 71 and a slope rating of 122 and the red course measured 5573 yards, with a par of 73 and a slope rating of 125.

Scoring in the first round proved challenging, with only one player breaking par. The odd ‘10’ on a hole with 3 or 4 lost balls was not uncommon. SSgt Gaz Gurung RE led the field with a 69, Spr Graeme Torrie RE and Cpl Ross Greenwood RE both scored 72, Sgt Matt Bruce-Smith AGC (SPS) 73, and LCpl Tom Sanghera REME 74. The highest score after round one was 105.

SSgt Gaz Gurung RE

As the players headed into round two, it was clear that anything other than a straight drive hitting the fairway would make scoring very difficult due to the length and thickness of the rough. The second cut was sufficient to cause many problems, and anything wayward had the potential to wreck a scorecard. With the

cutting and rolling the greens to speed them up; this was going to be a proper test of golf.

Maj Jonathan Howse RLC

drizzling rain intermittent, the afternoon was going to be tough, particularly as the forecast promised electrical storms and the clubhouse staff had the claxon on standby for most of the afternoon.

Steady play and staying on the short stuff proved to be the way to go, with BruceSmith and Maj Jack Musgrove RA, the former Army Captain, shooting a very credible 71, Capt Neil Williams RA 72, and Mr Ben Churchill 73. Greenwood and Sanghera could only manage 74 but both were still very much in the hunt.

Round three followed a similar pattern to rounds one and two, with many players struggling to cope with the tough conditions and course setup, particularly as the wind had picked up. The better, low-handicap players found ways to combat the conditions, but that’s not to say they didn't occasionally hit the treacherous rough. Greenwood and N Williams finished round three with an excellent 2-under par 69, and Sanghera was hot on their heels shooting a level par 71. Other scores of note on the round; WO2 Dean Geoghegan Inf and Churchill shot 74. Round three was reminiscent of an Open “moving day” where, although the top six held the same names, the positions were now somewhat different.

Meanwhile, on the 10th tee, the Stableford competition was underway for all those who missed the cut, set at 163 this year, likely due to the harder playing conditions. Thirty-nine players teed off in the 36-hole handicap Stableford competition, many of them straight into the rough or fairway bunkers. Within this field were some seriously good golfers, 19 of which were playing off a handicap of five or better.

After two rounds, the leaderboard saw Bruce-Smith (144), G Gurung (144), Greenwood (146), N Williams (147), Sanghera (148), and Musgrove (149) forcing the pace. Anyone wanting to break into the top six would have to push hard on day two.

Round one saw only three players break par, with Cpl Lewis Strong Inf, Lt Col (Retd) Richie Sanders, and Mr Chris Woolsey scoring 37pts. Close behind on 36pts was LCpl Tim Shaw RLC, followed

by Cpl Prem Gurung R Sigs, Mr Aaron Wood, and LCpl Buluhang Rai RLC on 35pts. Cpl Kurt Mannell AGC on 34pts, Sgt Sanman Thapa Magar RE, Capt Sanjeev Rai R Sigs, and WO1 Charlie Brown AGC on 33pts were also in contention.

Day two started warm and cloudy, but as the players headed to the tee, the wind started to pick up, adding a new dimension to with the competition. The greenkeepers compounded this by

It was going to be tough for anyone outside the top 10 after round one to move up to a winning position but certainly within that top 10, it was anyone’s trophy.

After two rounds, Strong took first place with a combined score of 73pts, followed

by Shaw with 70pts, and Mannell winning 3rd place on count back from Wood with 69pts.

Back to the main event. The sun eventually broke through, offering warm, dry conditions for the first time in two days. However, the warmth did little to dry out the greens, which, while running true, were slower than many were used to.

Round four saw several leading players in contention, although the eventual winner was likely to come from the last two flights. A few players just off the pace needed to play aggressively to move up the leaderboard, but the course was always ready to bite back. Sanghera quickly dropped off the pace, BruceSmith had a dip before a good middle phase. G Gurung held firm, but making birdie was always going to be hard on this course, and he too slowly faded, though all three remained in the chase for a top-five finish.

74, 69, and 74, totalling 289. The next three places saw Bruce-Smith finish on 293, G Gurung on 294, and Sanghera on 296. The standard of golf played by the top groups was impressive. The Army Men’s team has good strength in depth, considering the number of squad players unable to make the competition, which bodes well for the Men’s Team and makes competition in the top AGA Championships fierce.

This year, playing this event later posed new challenges, notwithstanding the unseasonal wet weather the UK has experienced, resulting in thick, deep, and lush rough. Combined with the course setup, this proved a real challenge for every standard of golfer, making for a perfectly presented course worthy of such a prestigious Army Championship.

Back to the main event then and coming down the stretch, it was left to Greenwood and N Williams to battle for the top spot. With both players dropping shots in the last three holes, the outcome was close. Greenwood's double bogey on the 16th proved decisive, and not even birdieing the long par-4 18th with an impressive 4-iron second shot to three feet was enough to force a playoff.

Our sincere thanks go to the club Chairman, Andy Hodgson, the Captain, David Brighton, and the Committee; to the General Manager, Ed Faulkner; the Course Manager, Lee Carratt; Chris Havard, the Competitions Manager; and the Head Professional, Shay Brennan, along with the staff and members of Belton Park Golf Club for allowing the AGA to hold this Championship at their course and for making us all feel so welcome over the three days. The course was presented in excellent condition.

Looking ahead, Belton Park has kindly agreed to host the 2027 or 2028 Championship in its usual slot in May. Special thanks must go to the AGA officials for running the event in their usual professional and tireless manner, both at the event and back in the office.

Finally, the AGA is eternally grateful to Thales as the AGA headline sponsor for 2024 and to Army Sport for their continued support.

After inspiring golf from the top players in the Army, N Williams emerged victorious with impressive scores of 75, 72, 69, and 72, totalling 288. One shot back in second place was Greenwood, with scores of 72,

The 2025 Strokeplay Championship will take place at Liphook Golf Club over the period Tue 20 – Thu 22 May 25. This is a mixed competition open to ALL members of the AGA.

Before we finish off the report of the main Championship, it would be remiss not to mention LCpl Niki Sutton AGC (SPS) who took the Aden Cup (Nett) with a four round nett aggregate of 73, 67, 72, 69 totalling 281.

Strokeplay Champion 2024 - Capt Neil Williams RA

L to R: Cpl Lewis Strong Inf, Cpl Ross Greenwood RE, Capt Neil Williams RA, David Brighton, LCpl Niki Sutton AGC (SPS), Maj Sean Stevenson RLC, Ed Faulkner RESULTS Strokeplay Champion

Capt Neil Williams RA 288

Runner-Up

Cpl Ross Greenwood RE 289

Handicap Champion

LCpl Niki Sutton AGC (SPS) 281

Senior Winner

Maj Sean Stevenson RLC 306

Stableford Handicap Winner

Cpl Lewis Strong Inf 73pts