THIS is the time of year that the various Bradford League competitions get under way.

This year sees the entry of a team from Addingham's Bracken Ghyll Golf Club in the scratch league and is their first venture into this category, marking a further step in the progress of the club.

The captains of the various competitive teams for the coming season are: Scratch, Duncan Hall; 8-15, John Eaton; Rabbits, Charlie Fox.

The improving weather led to further increases in entries for the various competitions. The results for April include:

Stableford - Division One: 1, John Bowles (17) 39; 2, Mick Tennant (13) 39; 3, Terry Smith (16) 38. Division Two: 1, Martin Edwards (25) 38; 2, Chris Hainsworth (25) 37; 3, Russell Stead (20) 35.

Midweek Stableford - 1, David Beckett (2) 41; 2, Barry Hainsworth (28) 38; 3, John Williams (12), 36.

Ben Rhydding

Ladies

BEN Rhydding Golf Club Ladies who won the 'County Fours' in the most appalling conditions were: M North and H Smith 75; J Senior and L Burton 77; S Towler and P Brook 80.

The club wishes them well in the next round and hope the weather is more favourable. This week's competition was 'The Easter Competition', an 18 hole stableford off seven eighths handicap.

Despite being held up in traffic and having little time to compose herself Linda Burton returned an excellent card with a score of 37 to take first place. Second was M North 33 and third was P Lee 32.

Results from the April Medal competition were 1, C. Lambert 92-24-68; 2, P Lee 102-32-70; 3, S Towler 86-13-73; 4, H Smith 104-29-75, on the back nine from J Guthrie.

On Sunday the men teamed up with the ladies to play the second mixed competition of the year.

There was a mixed cocktail, nothing to do with the tequilla sunrises and the blue lagoons, although the sun did shine and some balls did go in our blue lagoon! (The odd hip flask was spotted being handed around.) The results were 1, M Chew and J Elsworth 46 points on the back nine; 2, A Nichols and P Anderson 46 points; 3, A Brook and P Brook 44 points; 4, K Towler and J Mullan 43 points; 5, T W Rockett and S E Hartley 41 points.

Afterwards fiftieth birthdays were celebrated in the clubhouse, a buffet was enjoyed by everyone, which was kindly provided by the birthday boys and girls who shall remain anonymous. Watch this space for a full report of the Ben Rydding Ladies on tour in Tenerife.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.