Previous Calco Challenge Cup (2013)

   

 

    Venue: Portugal

    Winner: Ben Moyle

    Moose: Guy Glover

 

 

 

 

 

Final Positions:

Ps.	Name	Handicap	Points
1	Ben Moyle	14	78
2	Mark Wallis (S)	18	75
3	Peter Forster	8	74
4	Jimmy Curley	16	69
5	Andy Kaye	16	69
6	Andy Fearnsides	13	68
7	Jack Horner	11	68
8	Kev Ulla	11	68
9	Steve Tattersfield	10	67
10	Pete Burke	11	67
11	Gav Whitworth	14	66
12	Graham Copley	25	64
13	Alan Doig	13	62
14	Rick Oakes	10	61
15	Steve Hardwick	14	61
16	Phil Lister	14	60
17	Paul Cawtheray	21	59
18	Mark Wallis (N)	19	57
19	Steve Callaghan	25	56
20	Phil Cawtheray	21	55
21	Alan Clegg	18	54
22	Sam Wilkinson	16	47
23	Craig Lightowler	16	46
24	Ady Clough	19	46
25	Jez Stanley	21	45
26	Jeff Wind	16	45
27	Keith Loughran	21	45
28	Mick Baldwin	25	44
29	Chris Ramm	16	40
30	Paul Ephremsen	12	40
31	Dave Bell	25	33
32	Guy Glover	25	12

 

Score Cards:

 

Image Gallery:

 

Write up:

THE CALCO CUP 2013

The 13th Calco Cup saw a record entry of 32 golfers, drawn from all four corners of England, hoping to win the cherished silver cup and avoid the unwanted moose suit and accessories. The venue for the third time was the Algarve with players staying at the now familiar Vila Gale hotel in Albufeira.

Bell’s Bookies had begun taking bets months prior to the event and there were firm favourites at either end.  Local lad Rick Oakes headed the list after winning twice in the previous 3 years whilst at the moose end newcomer Guy Glover was hotly tipped.

A strong southern contingent, chastened by comprehensive Ryder Cup defeat to their northern counterparts in May, were hoping to fare better individually than they had collectively.

The auction is usually a fair indication of the market and both Oakes and Glover topped the E300 mark as a record E4000+ was whipped up by chief auctioneer Steve Callaghan.

Day one at Vale da Pinta saw strong performances from Jack Horner (35), Andy Kaye (34) and a surprise winner of the Tattersfield, Lister, Baldwin fourball in Graham Copley (34). However it was the southerners who would come to the fore by the end of Day One. 2012 runner up Kevin Ulla (35) was no surprise but Mark Wallis’s 39 and Ben Moyle’s 40 were both hugely unexpected. Indeed Moyle had looked more moose-like than likely winner from those noting his somewhat green about the gills appearance on the coach to the venue. Evergreen Peter Forster (35) would make up the final day 2 fourball whilst the moose group would be formed of Glover, Bell, Wilkinson and the injury hampered Ramm. Phil Cawtheray would begin what was to prove to be a highly profitable weekend by netting two of the three nearest the pins with Hardwick the other winner.

Perhaps the highlight of the whole day was the comedy gold sing off on the bus home between Jeff Wind and Steve Callaghan.

With the trophy in touching distance a few early nights may have been expected but it was more than refreshing to note the final fourball pictured together on the balcony of the karaoke bar at approaching 5am.

However they would benefit from 2 hours more rest time prior to teeing off last, much of which Moyle spent stretched out under a palm tree.

The Gramacho course offered the second day’s challenge and sadly Glover failed to recover from the traumas of the previous day and was cast well adrift. However he took it in very good spirits and vowed to return after an intensive year of golf tuition. 2012 Moose Bell (33) breathed a sigh of relief in 31^st place whilst rookie Baldwin (44) defied the pundits believing him to be moose material. In a lofty 19^th place came Callaghan (56) recording one of his best ever Calco displays. Copley (64) finished a very creditable 12^th but Hardwick would disappoint his followers hoping for him to build on his 2012 5^th place with a 15^th place finish.
Back down the course play was reaching a dramatic finale. By the 16th the consistent Andy Kaye had forced himself to within 2 points of the lead but the last 3 holes yielded only a point and he had to settle for a 5^th place finish. Seasoned Calco  observers believe his time will come. Former winner Curley with a brilliant 39 (4^th) and 2011 runner up Fearnsides  (37 for 6^th) also made charges for the line but ended up just short.
Ulla’s challenge had surprisingly never got going and he would finish 8^th. Vital putts for birdie on 15 (and nearest the pin) and double bogey on 16 had left Moyle with a slender one point lead over Wallis (S) and 2 over Forster as they stood on 17. Wallis and Forster would both bogey but another 6ft putt gave Moyle a par and a 2pt advantage.

Now all he had to do was face down his not inconsiderable 18th hole demons. Winning positions had been squandered at the final hurdle in 2007’s Ryder Cup and 2011’s Calco but three solid shots saw him just off the back of the green at the par 5 hole. Wallis meanwhile found himself 6ft from the hole in 4 whilst Forster went for broke and was desperately unlucky to see an eagle attempt slide past to the gasps of the rest of the field watching from the balcony overlooking the green. Moyle effectively had 3 for the title from his lie at the back of the sloping green. His chip broke left and urged on by a shout of ‘It’s going in!’ from Hardwick, hit the back of the cup and dropped. The gallery roared, the club was flung and Bell leapt from the balcony to embrace the unlikely winner.

Wallis would hole his par putt to secure a richly deserved second place and a Southern 1-2 whilst Forster’s birdie would secure another podium finish for Calco’s most consistent performer. Two time winner Burke and Ramm, who played through the pain, were the other nearest the pin winners on the day.