South Staffordshire aces reign out in Spain

The Wolverhampton club, based in Danescourt Road, Tettenhall, came out on top of 330 teams from across the UK in the five-a-side competition.

After battling their way through six rounds to reach the finals week at Montecastillo Golf Resort in Cadiz, Spain, they then beat Exteter’s Fingle Glen 3-2 in the semi-final before repeating that scoreline against Ely City, from Cambridgeshire, in the shootout for glory.

Eight players – John Mackie, Paul Nickell, Steve Charlton, Steve Terry, Richard Hewitt, Tom Hewitt, Chris Crane and Chaz Strudwick – represented South Staffs in the competition with victories over Pype Hayes (3-2), Aston Wood (4-1), Windmill Village (4-1), Dartmouth, (5-0), Hinckley (5-0), and Sale (4-1) booking their trip to Spain.

And the victory was even sweeter for captain Mackie, Charlton and the Hewitt twins, who were all members of the South Staffs side that lost to Consett & District GC in the final three years ago.

“It’s a fantastic achievement because 330 teams competed in the competition,” said Mackie. “We won five local rounds and then a regional one to reach the finals in Spain and we played some very consistent golf all the way through.

“We have used a total of eight players and it’s been a team effort.

“The six players that played in the semi-final and final all play for the club’s scratch team in the West Midlands League, so we are used to playing matchplay together. We lost in the final three years ago, so there was a bit of unfinished business for a few of us.”

Mackie, the Hewitt brothers, Charlton and Crane took part in the final with South Staffs winning two and halving two of the matches to triumph 3-2.

“The final was a close affair and it went down to the last match where Chris took the 17th to win 3&1,” added Mackie. “It’s great for the club. We are looking for new members and success like this helps raise the club’s profile.”

Club captain Paul Glossop was full of praise for the squad.

“It’s absolutely amazing, for the players and club,” said Glossop. “It’s the only amateur national team competition, and our team from Wolverhampton has won it.

“It says a lot about the strength of Midlands golf. And it also says a lot about our course. You can’t breed champions without a championship course.

“It’s one of the premier courses in the Midlands, if not the country.”