Kingsdown GC (Bath) vs Tenby GC
Confusion at Kingsdown ends in heartbreak for Tenby
You’ve heard of the Miracle at Medina and Chaos at Cardigan, now add Confusion at Kingsdown to the golfing folklore.
Tenby Golf Club arrived in fine spirits, ready for their 11.40am tee time in Round 3 of the Annodata Matchplay. Unfortunately, Kingsdown had moved the start time to 12.40pm, without informing Tenby’s captain, Mick Seal. Technically, Tenby could have claimed the tie. But in a true show of sportsmanship, they agreed to play on.
What followed was one of the tightest contests imaginable. Simon Gumbley battled to a hard-earned half point, while Wyndham Collins narrowly lost his match. Paul Northam was edged out 2&1 in another close encounter, putting Tenby on the back foot.
Hope was restored when Cameron Davies delivered under pressure, sealing his match on the 18th green to keep Tenby’s hopes alive.
It all came down to the final game, Captain Mick Seal carrying the weight of the team. His match was neck and neck, and with Kingsdown already eyeing victory, Mick was left needing to sink a monstrous 40-foot putt to win his game and force a playoff. Against all odds, he did just that.
With the tie level, it went to a playoff, though unusually, it was Mick’s final match that returned to the tee, not the halved games. Fired up with adrenaline, Mick launched a massive drive… but heartbreakingly, it carried too far and went out of bounds. He fought back with another long putt attempt to halve the hole, but lightning didn’t strike twice. Kingsdown took the win.
A gutsy performance from Tenby in difficult circumstances. Huge thanks to all the players who made the long journey, you did the club proud.
Report by Brian Jones