In an exciting and dramatic final, Enmore Park Golf Club took the premier Golf Union Trophy for the year 2000 beating Vivary Park Golf Club in a keenly contested match at Taunton Vale Golf Club on Sunday.
Hot favourites Enmore did their very best not to win at one stage of the event but it was eventually the trusty putter of Dave Winn at the third extra hole in the final match that completed the victory.
Earlier in the day the four Semi-finalists battled it out for a place in the finals, in a new format in which both the semi's and final rounds are played on the same day.
Worlebury Golf Club in the first Semi final never really came good against an in form Vivary in the morning, and Wells Golf Club found Enmore just too overwhelming.
So the Final itself was nip-and-tuck all the way with no clear winner emerging until late in the afternoon. Enmore's opening two pairings, one of which included English International David Dixon who flew down from the home Internationals at Carnoustie to represent his club, failed to live up to their reputations and it was left to the second two groups to pull it back. Then came the final pairings of Lloyd and Winn against Harvey and Pavey. Opportunities to 'put the game to bed' for both sides were not taken and when both hit wayward second shots to the wrong side of the 18th it really was anybody's game. Both eventually scrambled fives to send the match down the 1st. for the sudden death play off.
In the Somerset Bowl format no points are given for a draw with all matches having to be completed until a winner emerges. So off down the first they went and here once again Dave Winn's putter saved the day. Again on the second hole, where Enmore were giving away a shot, they managed to hold on to a half and it was not until the tee-shots on the third that a favourite began to emerge. With the Vivary pair blocked out to the right and obliged to take a drop out of the hedge it was up to Enmore to make par and settle the affair. This they did but not without a lot of nerve jangling and knee wobbling. Their par was eventually good enough to lift the trophy and a much relieved Enmore Park Golf Club took the Somerset Bowl for the second time in the last three years.
In a post match speech Taunton Vale Chairman Norman White, welcomed the competitors to the club, and congratulated them for the spirit in which the matches were played and the competitiveness of the teams. For his part, David Kent, President, Somerset Golf Union thanked the club for accommodating this event and congratulated the club on the excellent condition of the course and facilities. Clearly the development and refinement of the course was proceeding well and all concerned must be proud of their achievement.
The teams were:
| Vivary Park |
Enmore Park |
| J Crossing |
D Dixon |
| S Wilson |
W Horsefield |
| G Stagg |
K Budd |
| N Cobb |
G Cook |
| P Cridge |
M Inalls |
| M Newman |
N Northey |
| B Tye |
M Lazenby |
| K Cridge |
S Pearce |
| I Harvey |
M Lloyd |
| M Pavey |
D Winn |
