U12s & U14s Junior Boys Friendly match v Cambridgeshire

 U-12s HARRY ODELL (left) and SEB WELCH

Another amazing match vs Cambridgeshire provided a really close finish with our Northants U-14 and U-12 teams salvaging a draw from the final match on the 18th green. The teams played off handicap in order with the usual format of 9 holes Pairs Greensomes matches followed by individual singles games over the back 9. Having lost at Wellingborough (2022) 11-7, won at Ramsey 10-8 (2023), and won at Peterborough Milton 11-10 (2024) we expected a tight match. 

Incredibly Northants pairs built a big lead on the front 9, winning 4 of their Greensomes matches and halving the other two. Our lead U-14 pair Josh Bland & Riley Hammond had a huge win and Krishan Panesar & Max Edwards also won comfortably in the U-14 section with Sam Mayman & Ollie Golby gaining a half. In the U-12s Elliot Saunders. & Freddie Mayfield halved but Harry Odell & Seb Welch won well as did Thomas Peachey & Zac Dunkley. Northants had built a 4 point lead at halfway and with 12 single points over 9 holes to play for Cambridgeshire had the chance to make for lost ground.

In the two lead singles matches both Josh Bland and Riley Hammond were one-up heading down 18 but Oliver Smith and Jake Notton managed to tie their matches. Cambs followed this with a series of wins taking all 4 remaining points in the U-14s matches !  

Having wiped out the Northants lead it was down to Harry Odell to restore our team's advantage but Cambs hit back again with two more U-12 wins to edge ahead. However Elliot Saunders won his game 4 & 3 to tie the match scores once again but immediately Cambs responded with two more wins in the U-12 singles from Hamish Shorrock and William Ellis over rookie Freddie Mayfield and Zac Dunkley restoring an overall one point lead for Cambs.  

It all came down to our Under-12 player Thomas Peachey in the last match - all square heading down 18 - against Harry Paramo. Thomas hit a great drive past the bunkers on the long par 5 and a fine second shot left him a pitch to the flag which just overshot the green. Thomas then played a great chip and holed his putt for a par and a win making the overall score tied at 9-9 !

Every Northants player made a contribution towards the result at St Ives which proved an excellent test of golf. Well done everyone! Cambs also did brilliantly  to come back after their early set backs in the Greensomes. Lastly a special thanks is due to the superb CAGU organisation on the day. We were also pleased to be able to take four reserves who played a qualifying competitive round at St Ives. Zac Davidson had the best nett score (nett 70) and Oscar Cope the best gross total - 92

We will be taking 8 under -14 players to face Cambs again, plus Leics & Rutland and Derbyshire at Lingdale in the Keith Tripp trophy on August 10th. Make a note in your diaries.