Junior Week 2023

Junior Week at Wrag Barn is a 9 day extravaganza of golf, friendships, highs and lows.

There is an inscription above the entryway to Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis Club which reads "If you can meet with triumph and disaster / And treat those two impostors just the same" – lines from Rudyard Kipling's poem ‘If’ which sum up the emotional challenges of playing sport at any level and would be equally appropriate on the wall at Wrag Barn. The friendships formed and mutual support amongst the Junior Section is testimony to the value of Junior Week and competitions run throughout the year.

The whole 9 days is run by volunteers Alan Kavanagh and Brian Drane who employ the services of our golf pros, club staff and marshals and are supported by the parents of our juniors and cadets. Paul Drinkwater is well known for his ball spotting skills!

The group is split into two sections according to ability and the pathway begins in Cadet 1, progressing to Cadet 2 and then the Junior Section.

There is a programme of theory, coaching and competitions which runs throughout the week. Some competitions are with other sections of the club such as the Seniors and the Ladies, others are within the Juniors and Cadets only, culminating in the Championships.

Sometimes the best memories are made in the most informal moments and overhearing the banter and laughter is heart warming in this digital age.

The last entry in the Junior Week calendar is presentation night and the results and account of the Juniors and Cadets are below.

Wrag Barn Junior Presentation night

Winner of the Wardy Cup and Junior Champion

Ollie 79/70 = 149

Nett Junior Champion 36 Holes

Gethin 144

Best PM Nett

Hamish

Best AM Nett

Ittai

Order of Merit

1st Gethin, 2nd Ollie, Ruben

Webb Cup

1st Riley

Eclectic Cup presented by Matt Mumford

1st Biggsy, 2nd Riley

Margo Campbell Award for highest % reduction in HC

Riley Banks 53% 7.1 to 3.3

Positive Mental Attitude Award

Ollie

Summer Matchplay

1st Charlie, 2nd Theo

Summer Matchplay Plate

1st Gethin, 2nd Riley

Roberts Malham (Stroke play)

1st Jake, 2nd Gethin, 3rd Harry D

McDonald Trophy Stableford

1st Charlie F, 2nd Harry, 3rd Ruben

Toby Drayton Stableford

1st Noah

Juniors Rody Cup Stableford

1st Noah, 2nd Ittai, 3rd Riley

Juniors with Seniors Texas Scramble

Ollie, Jack, Jacob, Geoff

Competitions held throughout the year:

Junior May Medal Ruben

Winter Matchplay plate1st Jake 2nd Biggsy

Winter Matchplay 1st Hamish 2nd Charlie F

Junior Majors:

Masters Charlie

PGA Cameron

US Open Gethen

The Open Ollie

All the Junior squad were presented with medals and Ollie made an awesome speech and presented his award of player of the year to Ittai.

The Cadet presentation:

Cadets 1&2 presentation

Winners of medals played throughout the year:

03/06 Archie Arnett (not in the picture)

02/07 Seb Whalley

22/07 Charlie Gantlett

24/07 Charlie Bourne

Spring Shield Charlie Ganlett

Spring Cup Seb Whalley

Cadet 1 Majors

Masters Daniel Curl

PGA Charlie Gantlett

US Open William Fairgrieve

The Open Bobby Keen

Cadet 2 Majors

Masters Charlie Bourne

PGA Logan Webster

US Open Seb Whalley

The Open Thomas Hutton

Junior Week

Texas Scramble Ava, Logan Charlie

Skills comp

Winner of discipline

Eddie, Luke, Seb, Bobby & Jacob

1st in section

Bobby and Imogen

Cadets with the Ladies

Cadet 1 Flag Competition

Anshul & Jacob

Cadet Adult Foursomes

1st Islay, 2nd Daniel, 3rd Charlie B

Matchplay

1st Seb, 2nd Eddie

Greensomes

Peter & Luke

Eclectic cup

Seb

OOM

Seb

Wise Beyond Years

Peter

Cadet 1 Champs

1st Nett Anshul

1st Gross Bobby, 2nd Eddie 3rd William

Cadet 2 Champs

1st Nett Thomas Hutton

1st Gross Seb, 2nd Charlie B 3rd Imogen

None of this would happen without the team of volunteers and supporters which was summed up in a letter from the parent of one of our Juniors:

Hi Alan, Brian and All Junior Golfers/Parents at Wrag Barn,

On behalf of all parents a MASSIVE THANK YOU TO ALAN & BRIAN for their year-long dedication to the Juniors and Cadets at Wrag Barn. We are so lucky to belong to a club where Junior Golf is promoted and nurtured (so thanks also to the ownership and management at 'Wrag').

The presentations last night were fantastic; warmth, humour and great organisation all on display. Well done to our A/B dynamic duo!

Also well done to our Junior Capt. Ollie Webb, who demonstrated dignity and maturity in his execution of the role this year (great speech too!).

Wishing everyone all well for the rest of the season and long into their future years of Junior Golf at Wrag Barn.

Best Wishes, Phil T.

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