Sweet and Scouller romp to NCG Secretary Day win
It is renowned for its bunkers and its need for accuracy but Iain Scouller and Richard Sweet made light work of the Hotchkin at Woodhall Spa as they romped to victory at the National Club Golfer Secretary Grand Final.
The Sutton Coldfield duo shot an incredible 43 points, in windy conditions, to claim a pair of custom made Scott Readman Concepts putters.
The rest of the field was left trailing behind, with Hollinwell’s Martyn Bonner and Clive Bentley grabbing the runners-up spot with 35 points.
Bonner also picked up the prize for nearest the pin on the 12th, while Wakefield’s Salvatore Silvestre’s big hitting saw him win longest drive on the 6th.
Club administrator Scouller, a 10-handicapper, and Sweet, vice-captain at the Warwickshire track, dovetailed perfectly throughout their round.
Their front nine 23 included a long birdie putt from Sweet on the 4th before he struck the flag with a bunker shot on the very next hole to salvage a par.
Scouller birdied the 10th as the formidable combination kept up the pace on the back nine. Only a blank score on the 17th stopped them threatening a score in the mid 40s.
Scouller said: “We started off reasonably strongly and then Richard had a stunning introduction to the round with a four pointer and then a three pointer with that miraculous bunker shot.”
“Iain carried me the first few holes because I wasn’t very good at the start,” Sweet, who plays off 18, added. “Then I had that long birdie putt and was within two inches after hitting the flag at the next.”
Scouller continued: “I am not the longest hitter in the world but I don’t generally make many mistakes and it was a case of keeping the ball in play.”
The pair reached the final by finishing second in a qualifier on their own course – “We were a bit dismayed that we didn’t win with 46 points” said Scouller – and Sweet added of the competition: “It was a really fantastic course to come and play and the hospitality shown to us by National Club Golfer and Woodhall Spa was superb. It was a fantastic day out.”
Venues will soon be confirmed for National Club Golfer’s Secretary Days in 2017.
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
