THE first silverware of the season was up for grabs at The Worcestershire Golf Club when the men played for the Tankard Foursomes Trophies and the ladies for the Hollins Cup.

In both cases 39 stableford points were sufficient to secure the win.

Last year’s captain Mark Read and the ever-reliable Phil Birch took the Tankard foursomes while former ladies’ captain June Jones won Division One and lifted the trophy in the ladies’ event.

In the men’s competition three pairs contested the minor placings on 35 points.

In order of merit they were Mike Smith and Paul Butler, Sam Macleod and Pat McIlroy and Pete Basten and Paul Jones.

The next best scores in the ladies' event came from Division Two winner Cynthia Guest and Jane Poynder with 38.

Jackie Marks and Sue Boardman both scored 36 to follow Jones home in Division One while Ruth Scott took third place in Division Two on countback from Pam Emery-Reynolds with both on 34.

In the final of the ladies' winter knockout competition the Porch Cup Diane Meakin and Helen Barnes fought a tough battle.

Playing off 10, Meakin was giving 19 shots to an opponent who, though relatively new to golf, has taken to the game like a duck to water.

The 29-handicapper stormed into a four-hole lead after five before Meakin struck back on the sixth and birdied the seventh to narrow the gap.

But Barnes, in fine form, furthered her lead and despite a valiant effort by Meakin to stay in the game secured the win on the 14th hole.

The losing semi-finalists were Ali Tuck and Pauline Belsham.

In inter-club matches The Worcestershire’s seniors have been struggling to get an away win at the start of their summer season.

They visited Ross-on-Wye on a fine day with a course in great condition.

Although The Worcestershire fielded a strong side they only managed one win and one half with Ross scoring six-and-a-half points.

The visitors’ winners were Macleod and John Green 4&3 with Phil Bayliss and Andrew Whiteley gaining the half.

Losing squad members were Nigel Teale and John Williams, Barry Caswell and Ray Cupitt, Graham Hill and Dave Anderson, Terry Cox and Les Facer, Stan Jones and Martin Field and Peter Kirton and James Noon.

The ladies Droitwich Inter-Club League side were rather more successful when they secured a half against visitors Churchill and Blakedown in the first of the season’s matches.

Successful for The Worcestershire were Pat Rose 4&3 and Jill Piner one-up with Boardman securing the half.

Less successful were Marks and Pauline Belsham.