Still learning at age of 94
0:00am Fri Jul 24, 2009
Jack Beckett gets some useful tips at the age of 94 from The Orchards Golf Club pro Peter Lockley, while five-year-old Herbie Lewin waits his turn.
They say that you’re never too old to learn, but a member of The Orchards Golf Club at Brinkley, near Southwell, is taking things a little bit too far.
Jack Beckett is 94-years-old, but he still went for a lesson with club professional Peter Lockley, in order to improve his chipping around the green.
Lockley was offering free lessons for a day as part of a PGA promotion and, at the other end of the age scale, five-year-old Herbie Lewin of Upton was among those who turned up.
Retired Southwell builder Beckett, who only took up the sport in his 70s, said: “The secret to a long life is doing everything in moderation, and that is the way I play my golf.
“I’m not the quickest around the course, but I use a buggy, and the other members accept me.
“I was glad of the chance of a lesson, but I think I’m fairly set in my ways now.”
Southwell Golf Club held their men’s and ladies’ senior club championships, with the men’s honours going to Frank Rafferty after a countback was required to separate the top two.
Rafferty prevailed from John Sleight after both returned a two-round nett score of 139, while Mick Savill was third with 141.
The senior ladies’ champion is Helen Grant with a gross score of 179, while the nett score went to Liz Martin.
Southwell’s annual Men’s Open attracted a record entry from county clubs and, although heavy rain suspended play for an hour during the afternoon, the pairs better-ball stableford still produced some excellent scores in difficult conditions.
Fred Davidson of Erewash Valley and Martin Hubbard of Southwell took the top honours with 42 points to nudge Steve Ingall and Julian Phillips into the runners-up spot with 41 points.
John Rushby and John Lee were third with 40 points while a countback was required to split Andy Moody and Colin Butterly from Ryan Moon-Tucker and Steve Cresswell for fourth and fifth respectively.
Nearest the pin went to Richard Pike of Newark, while the longest drive was won by Russ Ashmore of Southwell. £357 was raised on the day for the captain’s charities.
Southwell’s Mixed Trinity Cup also required a countback, with both pairs finishing on 36 points. Pam Longden and Paul Shutler just beat the husband and wife pairing of Joe and Sue Nickless, while third spot went to Ann Watson and Steve Ingall.
The men’s latest Monthly Medal overall and Division Two winner was the in-form Martin Hubbard with a nett 69.
Division One went to Tim Verrinda, pipping Brian Rice after both returned a nett 72.
