The brain gain

The Malton and Norton GC professional strides into the York Union of Golf Clubs' Open championship boosted by a return to iron-hot playing form after a season so far dominated by stunning successes on the coaching front.

Robinson is a four-times winner of the YUGC Open title and his quest for a fifth crown will be boosted by an upturn in form that has itself been generated by the benefits of a sports psychology course passed by the esteemed coach.

Earlier in the season Robinson accepted an invitation by the English Golf Ladies Union, whose national team he coaches, to take part in a four-day sports psychology course at the Woodhall Spa complex.

The event was named 'Train the Brain' and organised by Carl Morris. Robinson, who passed the course, revealed that it had not only assisted his extensive coaching duties, but had improved his own play since he returned to the competitive circuit these past six weeks.

"I shot a three-under-par score at Pontefract to finish fourth in a Yorkshire PGA (Professional Golfers' Association) pro-am and then at Hull recently I hit a two-under par round," recalled Robinson.

"Before that I had not played too much this season because of my various coaching roles, but I know my game has improved due to the course. It's been very beneficial.

"You've got to be careful how much you use it, but these days the mental aspect is a vital part of the game.

"Your golf strength may let you down at some point, but if you can keep the brain-work ticking over then that's going to help to get you better scores eventually."

If Robinson can ally the appliance of science to his game tomorrow at Pike Hills then he will again be in the running for the Open crown he has captured four times.

His first title success was bagged in 1987, and subsequently in 1990, 1993 and 2001.

"It would be great to win it for a fifth time, but what I might wait for is to win it in 2010 and be able to claim victories in four different decades," he quipped.

More than a marvel than even that feat is how Robinson actually finds the time to play the game.

Besides helping to develop Malton and Norton GC into one of the best-run clubs in North Yorkshire, Robinson's training schedule encompasses the entire range of the game.

In tandem with Pete Cowen and Graham Walker - the latter recently appointed as the new professional at The Oaks GC - the ever-busy Robinson has helped to guide the all-conquering Yorkshire Boys team towards an unprecedented third consecutive national team title.

The gifted white rose ranks of John Parry (Harrogate), Dale Smith (Saltburn), Tom Robinson (Middlesbrough), Matthew Evans, Adam Hodgkinson and Mike Hemstock (all Sheffield) and Moortown's Nick McCarthy wiped the greens with their opposition to win the Northern regional title by a whopping 19 shots.

That propelled them into the national final at Broadstone in Devon over the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of this month when they will bid to become the first team in the event's history to bag three crowns on the spin.

Coincidentally on the same weekend the Yorkshire Ladies team, coached by Robinson, will be seeking their own national glory in Wiltshire.

And if that was not enough Robinson helps coach the Yorkshire girls' squad, the English Ladies, Walker Cup international Michael Skelton, and Curtis Cup and British star Emma Duggleby, the leading women's player at Malton and Norton.

For good measure, Robinson also helps to put European Tour professional Simon Dyson through his putting paces whenever he returns to his Malton and Norton roots.

Added Robinson: "I've always said that coaching is not as preferable as actually playing, but I do get a buzz out of it, especially when the players and teams you are involved with sample success."

DESPITE a sterling singles comeback, the York Union of Golf Clubs' representative team were unable to overhaul hosts Leeds at Wetherby GC in their topsy-turvy Yorkshire Inter-District Union tie.

All looked utterly lost after the foursomes in which York's six pairings lost every tie to trail 12-0 at the mid-way point.

But in the singles there was a robust revival. Victories were racked up by Martin Brown (Pike Hills), James Duckett and Jamie Smith (both Fulford), Adrian Lount (Pike Hills), Alistair Smith (Heworth), Phil Dobson (The Oaks), James Hudson (Pike Hills) and Matthew Burrows (Malton and Norton).

That earned them 16 points only for the Leeds hosts to win the other four singles and wrap up a 20-16 triumph to leave York anchored near the foot of the table.

SAMMS was the man in Forest Park GC's rabbits' competition.

He finished as top rabbit with a nett 62 that brought him a handicap reduction of four shots. Second was Makio Watari on 65 with Les Coop third on 66.

Meanhwile, the Kitty Crossley Rose Bowl was won by Christine Mosley on count-back from Jean Cole after both totalled 38 points.

KILNWICK Percy GC hosted the East Riding Union's members' Am-Am tournament which proved to be a sound success for Driffield.

The Driffield team of Nigel Coultas, Viggo Jensen, David Milne and Jim Sampson beat their nearest challengers Bridlington by four shots after posting an impressive 11-under-par 129 total.

Louise Secker, the former York champion, whose work as a landscape gardener limits her playing time, made a rare appearance in Fulford's August medal on Tuesday and shot a two under par nett 72, but she had to be content with second place as Cath Hewerdine took first prize with a 70.

FULFORD GC's Bobby Elliott (7 handicap) and Colin Foster (13) beat Knaresborough's Dean Sleight (3) and Paul Wilcox (9) in the regional quarter-final of the Daily Telegraph national competition. Fulford's Daryl Robinson (6) and Steve Spear (6) won their second round tie over Knaresborough's Stephen Grayson (12) and David Grayson (13).

PIKE Hills GC ace Martin Brown will be aiming to ensure county pride today. Brown was named in the 12-strong Yorkshire team for their penultimate Northern Counties east league match of the season against Cumbria at Silloth on Solway.

ALLERTHORPE Park had a record entry for their annual seniors am-am when a four-man team from Cottingham won with the excellent stableford score of 90 points, averaging a birdie and a par for each hole in the two betterball event.

FULFORD GC's Matthew Lord finished just off the pace in the North of England Open amateur youth championship played at Middlesbrough. Lord finished on 279, seven shots adrift of title winner Grant Johnson from Garforth.

THE new toast of Fulford GC was steward Gary Stilgoe after he bagged his first hole in one with a six-iron shot at the 151-yard fifth hole. Stilgoe has been the Fulford steward for the last 16 years.

Updated: 10:06 Saturday, August 07, 2004