The Christian Golf Society is excited to announce the winners of it’s National Christian Golf Cup. With one local Baptist Church representing Essex through Ben Wylie & John Lambern of Shoeburyness Baptist Church.
The backdrop for the 2010 National Christian Golf Cup held on Sunday 12th September was, for the second year running, the picturesque and challenging course at Donnington Grove Golf & Country Club, near Newbury, Berkshire. The finalists and organisers were blessed with a gloriously early Autumn day – warm and sunny.
The national finalists were the winners of the six regional competitions, where they beat off around 100 competitors to reach the finals, they were Molesey Community Church (Surrey), Sutton Coldfield Baptist Church (West Midlands), Orpington Baptist Church (Kent), Creech St. Michael Baptist Church (Somerset), Launceston Community Church (Cornwall) and Shoeburyness Baptist Church (Southend) along with reigning champions Cliff Britcher and Ron Crosby from Kent representing Eynsford Community Church.
Pairs are made up of one church goer and a mate who as yet hasn’t found the delights of going to church and the hope of the Christina faith.
Cliff Britcher and Ron Crosby got off to a strong start and demonstrated a keen desire to retain the title they won so well over the same course twelve months previously. Gelling well as a team and with Cliff in great form they produced 3 points on no less than seven occasions in the opening nine holes in the Betterball Stableford format. Amassing a very impressive total of 26 points on the front nine holes meant they had a lead at halfway, although despite such a blistering start, their lead was held to only three points by the teams chasing.
Hot on their heels were Malcolm Cleave and Barry Cleveland representing Launceston Community Church who themselves were playing excellent golf securing four 3-pointers and a marvellous 4-pointer at the ninth where Barry Cleveland birdied the 317 yard par-4. They reached an outward total of 23 points.
Just one point further back at the halfway stage was John Morgan and Gary Birch representing Creech St. Michael Baptist Church. Only four points split the rest of the field. It was a close and interesting final and one which would be won over the shorter but trickier back nine holes.
As the competition kindly sponsored by Richardson Cycles of Leigh-on-Sea, Southend, moved to its conclusion, it was Launceston Community Church who stepped up to the mark. Malcolm Cleave and Barry Celeveland were combining well to rack up the points closing the gap and putting pressure on Cliff Britcher and Ron Crosby after twelve holes. However the crucial move came at the 15th when Ron Crosby hit a lovely shot into the 161 yard par-3 and subsequently nailed the putt for a birdie and four points.
This was sufficient to restore Eynsford Community Church’s lead and with expertise they had shown all game, they finished in style, amassing 46 points. Although Malcolm and Barry continued to press hard, in the end their efforts fell just short and they had to settle for the runners-up spot.
Final scores:
Eynsford Community Church – 46 points – 1st place – National Champions (defending 2009 National Champions)
Launceston Community Church – 44 points – 2nd place – National Runners-up (Cornwall CGS Regional Cup Winners)
Sutton Coldfield Baptist Church – 39 points – 3rd place (West Midlands CGS Regional Cup Winners)
Creech St. Michael Baptist Church – 37 points – 4th place (Somerset CGS Regional Cup Winners)
Orpington Baptist Church – 36 points – 5th place (Kent CGS Regional Cup Winners)
Molesey Community Church – 33 points – 6th place (Surrey CGS Regional Cup Winners)
Shoebury Baptist Church – 31 points – 7th place (Essex CGS Regional Cup Winners)
Co-organiser Martin Eady commented, “We had an excellent day at a fantastic venue and the golf lived up to the occasion too. There was some very impressive golf played by all the players, however more importantly the camaraderie amongst all the teams and organisers during the day and at the evening dinner and presentation was special. This event went off exactly how we had planned and the organisers know that many prayers have been answered during the preparations and the event itself. It is our hope that we can involve a greater number of churches in even more regional events across the country in 2011”.
Our thanks go to Richardson Cycles of Leigh-on-Sea, Southend for their sponsorship of the National Christian Golf Cup in 2010 for the second successive year. We are currently looking for sponsors for 2011 and welcome enquiries via our website .
Any church that would like to organise a regional qualifier in their area for 2011, CGS have put together a How to? Guide that has all you need to know. Please do visit our website to download a pack or drop us an email.
Vision
The Christian Golf Society aims to provide Christian golfers with an opportunity to engage with the golfing community and share their faith in Jesus with friends who are not yet Christians through a common passion for golf.
The Christian Golf Society will seek a commitment from Christians attending their events to PRAY for the people they invite along, to PLAY their golf in a way that reflects their faith and to be ready to SAY something about their faith with gentleness and respect when their playing partners ask about their beliefs.
Sharing Faith
Faith as often described as a walk and what finer walk is there than round a golf course? Often when Christians talk about the journey of faith, they focus and identify with other Christians that they share their walk with. The Christian Golf Society believe a golf competition is an excellent setting for people to share their faith with non-Christian friends who have a common passion for golf. Reaching out to friends through sport is probably one of the most straightforward opportunities Christians have. The friendships we form with sporting friends are often far stronger than those we make with other people in our day-to-day lives. The truth is that as a Christian in an increasingly faithless world you may be the only bible a person reads as they see how you live your life – or in this instance, how you play your golf. The Christian Golf Society encourages people to adopt the Christians in Sport approach of pray, play and say. PRAY for your friends who aren’t Christians. PLAY your golf in a way that honours God. Be prepared to SAY something about the promise of Christ.
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