WITH the eagerly awaited Worcestershire Golf Club's Boxing Day foursomes competition cancelled, due to a covering of snow on the Malvern Wells course, a full field of competitors appeared for the annual New Year's Day competition.

Teams of four men competed in a four ball better ball Stableford competition and the team led by former club captain Mel Stocker, supported by Barry Williams, Paul Bellamy and John Flanagan, were in such great form they won the competition by eight clear points.

In second place was the team led by the competition's chairman, Andy Davis, who was accompanied on his round by Denver Davis, Dave Butler and Mike Salmon.

Two mixed competitions took place over the holiday period and both competitions were well attended. Seventeen teams, each team composed of two men and two women, competed in the first competition, a mixed alliance Stableford event.

In this type of competition, two scores count on each hole; one score being from one of the women and one score from one of the men.

The winners of the competition were Bill and Chris Urry, who had just returned from a holiday on the Florida golf courses, teamed with Paul and Diane Meakin. They returned the excellent score of 73 points, the same score as the team of Brian and Jill Piner teamed with Derek Stevenson and Jessica Paget, but had a better back nine.

The second mixed competition was a Greensome Stableford event, and 36 couples teed off on a very windy but bright day. Bearing in mind the conditions, the standard of play was excellent and four couples finished with a score below par. Two couples, John Daly with Liz Evans and Andy Greene with April Wilding, both returned scores of 37 points and could only be separated by the count-back system. The winners were John Daly and Liz Evans with Andy Greene and April Wilding in second place.

Sixty-two senior golfers competed in the Seniors' Christmas tournament; a two ball better ball Stableford competition. The standard of play from the veterans was exceptional and 19 pairs returned scores of par or better.

In sixth place, with a score of 38 points, were Andrew Dare and Euan McClelland. Two former senior captains, Brian Tainton and Neil Phillips returned a score of 40 points to gain fifth place. Fred Payne, with Keith Derrett came fourth with Bill Urry with John Ransford returning a score of 41 points to gain third place. Ever consistent golfer, Fred Wortley, with former senior captain, Bob Smith, came second, but the winners with a score of 42 points, six points better than par, were Peter Taylor and Derek Phillips.

Several non-playing senior members joined the merry throng for the seniors' Christmas lunch in the clubhouse, at which the prizes for the major senior competitions, held during the year, were presented by the seniors' captain Derek Lloyd.