On a day when the wind blew at Silsden, it was no surprise that the winners of the first big Bradford Union event of the year came from Baildon.

Matt Roche and Ian Martin won the Inter-Club Foursomes 36-Hole Medal, retaining the title for their club which was won by Simon Bell and James Firth last year.

It was all about who could make the fewest mistakes rather than who could make the most birdies on a day of high scoring.

And when it comes to playing in tough weather conditions, there are few better at it than Baildon's top golfers.

Their course on the top of Baildon Moor offers some exquisite views but battling against the elements is a challenge that members become accustomed to.

Roche and Martin won with a seven-over par score of 141 (70,71) to win by two from the West Bradford pair of Chris Musgrave and David Bradshaw, who carded 72, 71.

Martin said: "It was a matter of just hanging in there all the way round and keeping the mistakes to a minimum.

"We've played in wind before at Baildon so that gave us a bit of an advantage.

"You looked around the course and could see people making big numbers, so it was just about being patient.

"You knew you were going to make mistakes.

"We went out of bounds at one stage and picked up a few penalty shots, which was something you were going to do because the course was playing hard in terms of bounce and, with the wind, it meant you found trees.

"It was about taking each hole as it came."

Ghyll's Carl Nevison and Andy Riley finished third on 144 (77, 67) and Keighley duo Adam Sagar and Andy Utley bagged fourth with 145 (71, 74).

Best nett prizes went to Bracken Ghyll's Steve Lampkin and Duncan Wood (first round, 67) and The Manor's Damien Simpson and Andy Smith (second round, 64.5).

Winners Martin and Roche go back a long way, having both featured for Baildon's juniors under Peter Delaney and they regularly partner each other when playing for the Bradford Union.

Keeping a cool head on such a trying day at Silsden was vital, and Martin - who won the 2005 Bradford Union foursomes matchplay title with Dan Teece - stressed he and his partner always liked to keep things light-hearted.

"We are good mates and we look to go out and have a laugh and don't put ourselves under pressure," he said.

It is a feel-good factor which runs throughout the scratch team at Baildon, who are currently enjoying one of their most successful periods.

Last year, the club won an unprecedented four titles, including the Scratch League and, for the first time since 1940, the Division One Team Championship.

The latter triumph saw Martin shoot a stunning 62 at West Bowling.

"I've got a lot to live up to but it's a great start," said new Baildon captain Alan Stevens, who has taken over from Frank Beamont.

"It was a fantastic result at Silsden in conditions that were not good with the wind and rain - though I suppose it was quite mild compared with Baildon!"

Meanwhile, in a further boost for the club, Stevens said their recent drive to recruit new members was going well.

Baildon are certainly not alone in suffering a dip in membership in recent years but their plight was made worse by the foot and mouth epidemic in 2001, which forced the temporary closure of the course.

The club distributed leaflets across the village and further afield last month, offering significant discounts on membership fees.

And Stevens said: "It has been successful, particularly with the juniors, who can join free of charge if they join with a parent."

Offers run until May 15 and details are available on 01274-584266.

Foursomes Matchplay Draw (top 16 qualify): Baildon A v Bingley St Ives (at West Bradford), Hollins Hall B v Bradford Moor A (at Skipton), Keighley A v South Bradford A (at Baildon), The Manor B v Keighley B (at Shipley), West Bradford B v Bracken Ghyll A (at Northcliffe), Bradford B v Bradford A (at Keighley), Ghyll A v Hollins Hall A (at Cleckheaton), Cleckheaton B v Silsden B (at Bingley St Ives). Matches to be played by June 4.