A “Community Amateur Sports Club”
As a CASC registered Club we pride ourselves on being completely open to new members without discrimination. It also enables us to focus more thoroughly on our younger members. Since our induction into CASC, CGC has embarked on a rigorous commitment to Junior participation.
We applied for GolfMark a government backed best practice scheme, which formalises our commitment to giving young people exposure to the game in a safe and encouraging environment. We are proud to have been awarded a “High Achievers” status of GolfMark, and have recently been granted it for another 3 years.
Young Juniors Shine Attracting Media Attention
Our young juniors shine again at a recent regional junior event. Well done Will Parker, James Knapman, William Mulholland and Mackensie Stokes. Dan Leins at Cayman golf is very impressed with their progress and their game has come on leaps and bounds with the transition to Churston Golf Course.
Well Done Will Parker – Under 14 Golf Access
Another great event at the 2nd Devon Golf U14 Access Tour event at Bovey Tracey Golf Club.
The Devon Golf U14 Access Tour is sponsored by Hansford Bell Chartered Financial Planners based in Tavistock and a total of 31 juniors took part in the three different categories!
Well done to all the prize winners! Category 1(CONGU handicap juniors) was won by Louis Hayman from East Devon GC on 20 points, Category 2 (Club Handicap juniors) was won by Will Parker from Churston Golf Club on 24 points and Category 3 (Assisted Golf Access juniors) was won by Charlie Lacey from Bovey Tracey Golf Centre on nett 34.
The final Devon Golf U14 Access event for 2017 is being held at Teignmouth Golf Club on Sunday 29th October and if you would like to enter the event please contact Simon Wood on swood@golfaccess.co.uk.
GolfMark Accreditation 2017
Results
Ten women, over 60% of those who started the programme, took out the taster membership and some have already moved to Fairway Membership.
GolfMark
Churston has successfully achieved re-accreditation of both the GolfMark Award and Sport England’s ClubMark. The process has been driven since the first award in 2010 by the hard work and commitment of former junior organiser Steph Francis. To achieve the latest accreditation Steph worked closely with the Club Manager and representatives of other sections of the club to ensure that all the criteria were met.
The Recruitment Action Plan is just one of the tools offered as part of the GolfMark process and the club’s Board plan to build on the success by working closely with Andy Jack, England Golf Club Support Officer for Devon.
Lexi Dart – Churston’s Rising Star
Yesterday saw the Boys and Girls Devon County Championships held together at Tiverton with the boys playing 36 holes and the girls 18 holes.
All put in some great efforts with the girls probably coming out on top with all three of our girls collecting prizes.
Lexi won the Gross overall Girls Championship to become Devon Champion and win the Dorothy Baldry Salver.
The Ladies also announced that Lexi was forthcoming Devon Girls Captain for 2018.
Lexi is a future star and a great ambassador for Churston, we are certain Lexi will be the same for the Devon Girls in 2018.
Lexi also recently finished 6th in the English Golf Champion of Champions. This event saw all the regional finalists come together to battle it out at Woodhall.
The weather conditions were adverse, however Lexi battled very hard and finished in an excellent 6th place.
Onwards and upwards for Lexi. We are all so proud of you and you have an amazing future ahead.
Ladies County Medal Finals
At the Ladies County Medal Finals at Wrangaton on 19th March it was two of our junior girls who qualified to represent Churston’s Ladies section; Jess Francis in the Silver division & Lexi Dart in the bronze. Jess finished fourth, one shot behind the winner & Lexi carded the best nett score of the day & won the Bronze division as well as the Centenary Salver for Churston Golf Club. Less than a week later Jess represented Churston Ladies in the England Golf Regional Medal finals at Sherborne Golf Club, Dorset. She played the round of her life to finish first in a field of
100 ladies & the only player to break par with a nett 72 (CSS 78), Jess will now go to the Grand Final in Northampton on 28th June.
The National Skills Challenges
Having completed both of the National Skills Challenges we had five juniors make it through to the Regional Finals at the Kendleshire Golf Club, Bristol on 13th August & pleasingly both Jess Francis & Jack Dart won their age groups to go through to the National Final at the “Home of English Golf” Woodhall Spa on the 29th September. Jess finished third but Jack won the 8 years & under boys so is now National Champion!!
County Boy’s Championship
In the County Boy’s Championship at Boringdon Park on 3rd September Tom Simpson (pictured on the Right) took the County Title by the narrowest of margins. A 36 hole scratch medal, Tom started well with a morning round of 70.
He made a steady start in the afternoon dropping just one shot on the front 9, but a run of three bogeys on the back nine threatened to wreck his chances. He ‘steadied the ship’ and an eagle 3 on the par five 17th followed by a par on the 18th was enough to win by just one shot.
England Under 16
Danny Guy aged 15, was awarded England Under 16 Regional coaching for the second year running, as well as representing the County at Under 16 & Under 18 levels.
The Club’s success was not completely limited to the Juniors as Joe Davis and Lee Marels won the Devon Scratch Foursomes Championships at Thurlestone.
Devon Scratch County Foursomes
In increasingly blustery conditions Joe Davis and Lee Marels beat a strong field to win the Devon Scratch County Foursomes at Thurlestone on Sunday with 71 +73 = 144. Their score was 2 better than Tim Aggett & Robert Sandford from Staddon Heights and 5 better than Jack Potter and Mike Copperwaite from Stover. This truly great performance was made even more special by the fact that they finished birdie, par, bogey, par, eagle to win by two shots.
Finally we are keen to promote other sporting activities from local Clubs and the high achievements of local sportswomen and sportsmen. One such person that deserves mention is Cameron Thomas please check out his web site http://www.cameronthomas.co.uk
CGC wishes Cameron every success in his transition from Juniors to Youths, you never know the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea are just under four years away and dreams must start somewhere