‘My thanks go to you all – myself and Lynne run a number of championships each year and this is the friendliest, the warmest and the easiest to manage!’

There were a number of favourites for the 2004 Seniors and none of them had a good day. David Brown of the home club Nuneaton has not been too well recently and he has not played much in the Seniors. He managed a 79, good enough for a top 10.

2003 Champion John Madden did not have a practice round and despite some prodigious (as ever) driving, found the course caught up with some wayward approaches and one drive which went far too far – straight into a farmer’s field!

The Midland Seniors Champion from 2003, John Mayell, has worked very hard on his fitness so that his hip problems are kept away. Today was not a good day though for the Copt Heath star and with his hip flaring up, he carded a ‘No return’.

On 77 were David Middleton, George Tilbrook and Coventry man Mike Dayus, who with an eagle to follow a birdie on 14, was at +4, the winning score. Mike unfortunately though bogied he last two.

Malcolm Shepherd, the lowest handicapper of the day (2) could only manage an 80, one of many players who found the thick rough close to the very good greens a problem if an approach didn’t stay on the putting surface.

On 78 were Lindsay McDonald and John Lawton and the latter would take the 65-69s Trophy for the second time with a better back nine. McDonald’s gross gave him a Nett 68, equal best of the day, only to lose out on that title on countback as well.

That Trophy was retained by a delighted John Simpson from Walmley who shot 79 – 11 – 68.

‘I’ve never seen the course before so I rang up Mike Skerritt and asked him for the lines from the tee. I followed that and it worked!

‘I rang John (Stubbings) last week about the starting times – John told me to remember the trophy so it was especially cleaned a week ago – it can go back on display for another year.’

Our Seniors Captain John Duncombe shot an 81 and he will lead his team in the County Seniors next Monday 23rd at Fulford Heath GC. Its 18 holes on the Monday afternoon and all supporters are very welcome.

So to the winner and the runner up. Eddie McIntyre is one of the real characters of Warwickshire golf, a member at Olton GC for the past 20 years. 30 years ago he played off 1 and he is now off 4 so a 1 shot back each decade means that this holder of a CBE (for services to higher education) should be off 7 when he is 80 – in which case he will regularly be beating his age.

‘The older I get the closer I get’, said McIntyre, ruing the way he played the short par three 17th.

In a bunker with his 8 iron tee shot, Eddie then thinned his next 30 yards over the green and behind a tree. He could only chip out 3ft and from there, he managed to get his fourth shot 30ft from the flag – to then hole for a 5! A birdie up the last and it was a 76, good but not good enough.

Geoff Tatton is a Senior of two years standing (ie he is 57). Last year wasn’t too good – an 82.

‘I putted my boots off for most of the round’, said Tatton as he collected his trophy, medal and voucher, ‘Though I was two over coming home through missing short putts at 15 and 16.’

‘I had the ideal preparation for this – I played in the Medal on Saturday, then Mixed on Sunday (perfect for this) – and my practice round on last Friday was invaluable!’

One of the final presentations was to a Nuneaton Member, Tony Barnie-Adshead, who with an 81 claimed the slaver for the over 70s.

It was a very very warm round of applause when it was announced before the presentations that it was Warwickshire President Jim Dean’s birthday. That started the evening and to finish, as mentioned before, it was a goodbye to the Seniors from John Stubbings and his wife Lynne – they will be much missed.

A number of additional photos can be found in County Men | Championships | Seniors | Pictures