With a storming round of 29 over the Lea Marston Par 3 course, Nathan Ray held off the challenge of three girls to take the Warwickshire Schools U11s by two points using the specially modified stableford system for this competition. It was excellent golf from the inform Maxstoke Junior who shot a 79 nett 65 at the Kenilworth Junior Open just last week.

This is the start of Summer of Warwickshire Championship Golf which will end with the Warwickshire Open at Olton GC in early September. You have to have qualified to play in the Warwickshire Open and there are no entry forms for this Championship. At the end of July (30th) is the Warwickshire Juniors and U21s Championships, at Harborne. The following week on 3rd August, is the Warwickshire U15s Championship at its home of the North Warwickshire GC. Its the turn of the U11s at Marston Lakes Golf and Country Club on 9th August.

This is the start of Summer of Warwickshire Championship Golf which will end with the Warwickshire Open at Olton GC in early September. You have to have qualified to play in the Warwickshire Open and there are no entry forms for this Championship. At the end of July (30th) is the Warwickshire Juniors and U21s Championships, at Harborne. The following week on 3rd August, is the Warwickshire U15s Championship at its home of the North Warwickshire GC. Its the turn of the U11s at Marston Lakes Golf and Country Club on 9th August. On Monday 16th August, the Warwickshire Seniors will be held at Nuneaton GC.

72 holes in two days has the ring of the playing requirement from the mainstays of a Ryder Cup team, let along three Warwickshire Juniors for whom the Junior 6s (Thursday) was as tough a test of their golf as they had ever had in their short careers. Andy Sullivan, Sam Foster and Neil Taylor all arrived to play their best, not matter how tired they were, over a Cosby course, beautifully prepared for the Midland Schools 2004. They would be joined by Dale Marson to complete the Warwickshire team, and Jack Raison and Chris Hazeldine as wildcard entrants.

It was a very good debut from our two Girls in the 2004 Midlands Schools. Both Stacey Edwards and 2004 Warwickshire Girls Champion Charlotte Dalton could well play again next year and in the future and overall, the day was made by the team news at the end of the presentations.

Last year started badly for Andy Sullivan when he missed playing in the McEvoy, and matchplay success for the Boys 1st team apart, it was not a good year – a lack of confidence and a rising handicap. Andy stayed on in education, starting a two year College course last Autumn, unlike many of his fellow Junior Team members who opted for more time for their golf. For Sullivan though, quality rather than quantity and a belief that 2003 was just one of those years saw the Purley Chase star return to winning ways by 3 shots over the field with a 71 at Henley, just one shot off the Amateur Course record.

The week after Easter is always the date of the McEvoy trophy, 72 holes played over Copt Heath and open only to the best Boys in the Country. This year, the cut off point for handicaps was the lowest it has ever been and only three of our Juniors had made into the field, with Jak Hamblett, Boys Captain having to withdraw from both this competition and the 4 Counties, through injury late last week.