MARCUS Shipley was crowned Royston Golf Club Junior Champion on Saturday, but only after a four-hole play-off with junior captain and club champion Oli Bance. The gusting winds made the course extremely tough and only two players in the field managed to

MARCUS Shipley was crowned Royston Golf Club Junior Champion on Saturday, but only after a four-hole play-off with junior captain and club champion Oli Bance.

The gusting winds made the course extremely tough and only two players in the field managed to play below their handicaps.

Shipley, pictured, had a steady front nine into the wind, but dropped shots on 10, 11, 12 and a double bogey on 16 left him clubhouse leader on 79.

Bance however, had a terrible start but recovered to play the last five holes in two under to tie.

The pair then endured the pressure of a four hole play off, in which both players made mistakes, but Shipley secured the title on the 18th hole.

Chris Trimble recovered from a terrible start, losing a ball and racking up a 10 at the first hole, and with two more double bogeys and a quadruple bogey on the 11th, as his perseverance paid off to take third place with a credible 82.

James Sandford, struggled to cope with the conditions and eventually finished with an 83.

Michael Clapham, one of the Cambridgeshire county under-14 squad members, took the handicap prize with a nett 68 from his 13 handicap, just a shot ahead of his county colleague Matthew Barrett (86-17=69), who stormed home in two over par.

The ever-improving 11-year-old John Middlemass finished third, playing to his handicap.

The cadets competed over nine holes, playing stableford, with the youngest competitor only seven years old.

Luke Bailey won the trophy, scoring 19 points, just ahead of Hannah Williams. Robert Armitage took third place with 14 points.

The event, culminated in the annual prize giving at which more than 100 people attended, with Greg Fyson winning several trophies and the most improved player went to James Sandford.

The juniors had a double celebration at the weekend as the won the C.A.G.U Junior Inter Club Matchplay League finals at Griton Golf Club on Sunday.

Playing singles matchplay against both St Neots and St Ives, Royston secured their trip to Woodhall Spa for the national finals by beating St Neots by a single point.

In true Ryder Cup style, junior captain Oli Bance secured the vital point by holing a curving 35-foot putt to win the title.

Other members of the team were Tom Trimble and Marcus Shipley, who won both their games and Chris Trimble, James Smith and Michael Clapham. The finals will be held on October 14 and 15.

- The Eddie Hughes Memorial plate was also held on The Heath course on Saturday.

This mixed fourball betterball event was won by Mick and Sandra Joyner with 41 points.

Second on countback were Gary Hainsworth and Bridget Long who pushed the current club captains David and Jane Drake into third spot by virtue of a better back nine.

Sid Seward and David Rowell tied for the Vets Tankard on Sunday, both players shooting nett 73s in the tough conditions.

The players will now play an 18 hole play off to decide the winner.

The Men's Medal, which was run in conjunction with the vets, saw some high scores throughout both divisions.

Mick Merry added to his string of medal victories this year, winning division one with a nett 70 from his 11 handicap.

Chris Little took second place on count-back from Mick Rowland. Both players shot nett 72's.

Gary Adcock took the Division Two title, playing the back nine in three over par, to finish with a nett 70.

Stuart Hunt took the runners up spot just a shot behind, with his brother Wayne just a further shot back taking third.

The club played host to players from as far afield as Oxfordshire and Lincolnshire at its senior open on Friday. With more than 70 competitors, conditions were favourable and some high scores were predicted.

However, no one managed to play below their handicap and eventually the countback rule was required to decide the winner.

Pete Sibley, from Chiltern Forest emerged the winner with 36 points. Second place went to Hugh Livingstone (Old Fold Manor), ahead of David Abrey (Aldenham) and Frank Mitchell (Chiltern Forest).