FOREST Of Galtres Golf Club has come of age thanks to Garry Carbutt.

The eight-handicapper won the York Union of Golf Clubs' Crossley trophy - the first success for the club since it joined the YUGC five years ago.

Fittingly Carbutt's triumph came on his home course, his net score of 68 earning him first place on a gale-lashed day from Pike Hills' player David Meek, who clinched the runners-up position on count-back from Boothferry GC junior Wayne Strutt.

The gross prizes were shared by Fulford GC's Steve Dunn and Neil Thompson of Scarthingwell GC.

Another 'home' success was clinched in the YUGC's Fletcher Trophy played for at Easingwold GC, whose Paul Jordan-Worrall took the honours with a net return of 70.

Second was Forest of Galtres' Terry Hudson with The York's Graham Canniford third on count-back after each posted net scores of 72.

But the elements delivered another hefty blow to the YUGC programme with the Lewis Trophy event - scheduled for tomorrow at Heworth GC - having to be postponed because the continuing wretched weather had hampered the Heworth course staff's preparations.

Competition secretary Eric Wainwright confirmed the competition would be re-arranged for a later date, but added he had not known a start to the season like this.

"It's always difficult for golf in England during April, but normally by now we are off and running," he said. "But because we have had such a bad winter, as soon as it rains again the courses have water on them because there's not been any time for them to dry out."

FULFORD'S Jamie Miller heads a three-pronged local assault on the opening event in the lucrative MasterCard Tour next week.

Miller is joined by Pannal GC's Richard Nutten and John Wells of Beverley and East Riding in the 134-strong field starting the MasterCard circuit at the historic Prince's Golf Club on the south coast of Kent.

Play begins on Wednesday with the final two rounds staged on the Friday when staying-power could prove just as decisive as talent.

Malton and Norton GC's Judith Fishburn not only won the Welham greensome competition, she also notched a hole in one to boot.

Judith's ace was at the 13th hole en route to she and her partner Judy Butler winning the event with an impressive 70 score to just pip the mother and daughter combination of Pat Robinson and Rachel Thomas on 71.

Sheila Sykes (handicap 26) won the club's Fulford Rose Bowl qualifier with an excellent score of 66.

Meanwhile in team events the Malton and Norton 'A'-ranks of Jean Mackenzie, Judy Butler, Chris Glendinning, Linda Bower, Non Charman, Jean Maloney and Pat Duggleby lost at Masham, though the 'B'-team of Mo Clark, Pip Garside, Pat Robinson, Gwen Lownsborough, Natalie Verow, Liz Moore and Chris Oldfield won at Ripon.

YORK golfer Kirsty Taylor and Malton and Norton's Emma Duggleby were both unbeaten in the Weetabix Challenge Trophy when the European Tour professionals defeated the Ladies Golf Union elite squad 13-5 at Alwoodley, Leeds.

Taylor won her singles five and three and was also on the winning side in her foursomes, by two and one.

European and English amateur champion Duggleby enjoyed an outstanding singles victory over Solheim Cup captain Dale Reid by four and three, and Reid suffered again in the foursomes, losing by a two-hole margin.

TEENAGER Michael J Stephenson will have to exercise the virtue of patience to discover whether he has notched a dream trip of a lifetime to the United States.

The 14-year-old member of The York GC shot a 78 to win the club's qualifying round of The Daily Telegraph/Center Parcs Junior Golf Champion 2001 tournament.

Each qualifying winner joins a national leaderboard with the best gross scores qualifying for the prestigious final to be held at the Cloister and Sea Island GC in Georgia in September.

Previous winners of the championship include current tour professionals Andrew Coltart and Justin Rose.

APRIL medal honours at Kilnwick Percy went to Peter Williamson and Iona Buckle.

Williamson posted a net 68 with Dave Quinn second on count-back after he and Philip Curtis scored 70. Meanwhile, the women's medal went to Buckle on 69 as well as leading the Vivien Howson stableford on 38 points. Carol Kilford was second and Christine Hunter third.

William Gowthorpe, Kyle Mathers, Steven Kendra and Jamie Nesfield won their respective age categories in the junior medal in the bid for places in the Golf Foundation Age group championships at Howley Hall GC in Leeds in July.

The Kilnwick Percy seniors made a winning start to their series of inter-club matches when they beat visiting Beverley Eggs.

DAVID Marsh won Fulford's April medal with a five under par 67 which saw his handicap pulled from 11 to ten.

He finished one shot in front of former York tennis champion, Steve Smith, who had his handicap reduced from 14 to 12.

Ewen MacPhail and John McHenry were eight under par as they won the club's four-ball betterball Good Friday event with a 64.

Peter Ayers took the honours in the midweek medal with a 70, winning on a count-back from Bill Boatesworth.

EUROPE inched a step closer for the Romanby GC pairing of Richard Holmes and Tim Jenkins.

Holmes, a hospital porter, will team up with club professional Jenkins in the regional final of the Lombard Trophy, Europe's biggest pro-am competition.

Aged 34, the 17-handicapper Holmes made it to the regional final to be held at Pannal GC in Harrogate on May 23 after he won the Romanby club's qualifier with a net score of 65. The winners of the 14 regional finals go through to the grand final at Portugal's San Lorenzo course in October.

Also into the Pannal regional final are Boothferry Park GC amateur Michael White and professional Nigel Bundy after White won his club event with a net 63; Wetherby GC's Bob Wild (net 69) and professional Mark Daubney; Ganton's Stephen Atkinson (net 67) and professional Gary Brown; and Scarborough North Cliff's Bob Warters (net 68) and professional Simon Deller.

BRIAN Pottage won the Forest Park GC Captain's Charity Shield after his net 68 narrowly edged out Wayne Pendall, who notched a gross 73.

This year's charity nominated by Captain Keith Jaynes is Leukaemia Research.

JOHN Yard, a 20-handicap member of Malton and Norton GC, has holed in one at the club's 164-yard fourth hole using a seven-iron.

Yard's second ever ace, he watched the ball drop straight into the hole without a bounce.

HARROGATE GC professional Paul Johnson (68) and Selby GC's Nick Ludwell (70) both qualified in the Northern Rock North-east Masters at Maften Hall.

Updated: 10:59 Saturday, April 28, 2001