LESSONS well learned provided an apt climax to the lightning-hammered Yorkshire Masters at Fulford Golf Club.

The £6,000 Yorkshire Professional Golfers' Association tournament attracted the cream of the county's club professionals to the Heslington course, but a vicious storm ensured the event was truncated to 31 holes from its original 36.

By the end of the deluged day, four players tied for first place - among them Steve Robinson, the professional at Malton and Norton GC, and his former assistant Mark Winterburn, who is now the pro' at York's thriving Forest Park GC .

As darkness closed on a day when the elements came to the fore, the quartet of winners who posted five-under-par totals of 119 - the other two were Darren Leng from Brough GC and Wortley's Richard Crawshaw - were spared a play-off, each sharing the title and the prize money.

Yet there might only have been a trio of victors but for some pre-tournament tuition dished out by the 41-year-old Robinson to his former protg Winterburn.

Explained the Malton and Norton pro', whose training abilities have been recognised on the national and county circuit: "I gave Mark a putting lesson before the tournament began.

"Then I found he was playing just in front of me and all I could see was his backside sticking up as he kept picking the ball out of the hole after sinking another successful putt."

Quipped Robinson (pictured left): "I wish I hadn't bothered giving him that lesson now."

But as he reflected on the four-way finish to the Masters, Robinson said he was as delighted for Winterburn, who took up the Forest Park post earlier this year, as he was by his own performance.

"We're still good mates and we see each other for a drink quite regularly. I was quite happy with shooting a five-under-par score in those sort of conditions, though to be fair the Fulford course recovered very well after the storm which delayed play for a while."

Winterburn, who was pleased by his steady display, confirmed that he had been given some coaching by his former boss.

Said the Forest Park pro': "Steve had a look and he gave me something to work on - it seemed to work okay."

Meanwhile, just before the Masters, Robinson won the individual men's prize in the annual Easingwold GC pro-am with a 69, a new course record.

And besides his self-confessed 'veteran' status, Robinson is proving more than adept at guiding the best of the county's youngsters.

The Yorkshire boys' Under-17s team, whom he coaches, have again reached the English Counties' final to be played next month.

They qualified as Northern Counties' champions, capped by a stunning 18-shots triumph over Cheshire at Silloth-on-Solway in Cumbria. As part of that run they also leathered Roses rivals Lancashire by 24 shots, naturally one of the sweetest victories of all for die-hard Yorkshireman Robinson.

"We won the English title last year but then lost three players to the more senior ranks, so to get to the national finals again with three new players is a big boost," enthused Robinson, whose coaching nous is reaping dividends for youngsters, and in the case of his former assistant Winterburn, rivals too.

THERE was no stopping Kilnwick Percy GC lady captain Linda Johnson, who has enjoyed a purple patch of form of late.

First, she posted a 43-point win the ladies' stableford ahead of Carol Kilford on 37, with Kirsty Milner pipping Margaret Miller to third on count-back after both scored 36.

That win reduced Johnson's handicap, which was trimmed yet further when she won the overall trophy in the Charity Medal Shield open to men, women and juniors. The lady captain carded a superb nett 63 with Margaret Miller second and Joy Biggin third.

The men's event was won by Tim Leach with a nett 65 ahead of Glen Campbell (66) and Neil Atkinson (68).

Matthew Burrows (one up), Toby Gowthorpe (one up), Chris Gunby (4 and 3) and Peter Williamson (5 and 4) steered Kilnwick Percy to victory at Allerthorpe in the East Riding Union scratch league.

THERE will be a debut in the York Union of Golf Clubs' ranks for their Inter-County League match at home to their Leeds Union counterparts at York GC tomorrow.

Easingwold player Neil Ferguson will make his first start for the York team.

The York team is: Jim Batt, Alistair Smith (both Heworth); Martin Brown (Pike Hills); Chris Brownlee (York); James Duckett, Steve Dunn, Matthew Lord and Iain Simpson (all Fulford); Neil Ferguson (Easingwold); Stuart Parkin (Malton and Norton); Neil Thompson, Chris Watson (both Scarthingwell).

Reserves: Andrew Bell (York); Neil Tailby (Pike Hills); Adam Newton (Fulford).

Updated: 11:15 Saturday, August 02, 2003