What a difference a week makes - from the torrential rain and foul conditions of the previous weekend, to warm Spring sunshine. Golfers at Woodham enjoyed splendid weather for their weekend competitions on April 24/25.

The Neville Pharmacy Stableford on Saturday, April 24 was won by Michael Gilmore with 40pts, closely followed by Paul Clark on 39 and Jim Morrow on 38.

Trevor Slater made the most of the benign conditions on Sunday, April 25, winning the Queen Mother Cup Qualifier Stableford with 41pts. Ian Bloomer (2nd) and Martin Shires (3rd) were among a gaggle of players who scored 40 pts, taking the minor placings after back 9 count backs. Shot of the day came from Richard Hutchinson who holed his second shot on the 362 yard, Par 4, 3rd hole for an eagle.

In the Ladies Coronation Foursomes, a good performance was crowned by the second win of the season for the pairing of Tracy Pearse and Liz Nelson with a nett 71.5. Janice Blakey and Tracey Hahn scored the better back 9 to pip Terry Bowles and Lesley Mullen for 2nd place, both pairs scoring nett 73.5.

Congratulations to Paul Ashcroft who achieved the rare distinction of a hole in one on the 281 yard Par 4, 9th, playing off the yellow tees in a friendly round on Monday, April 26.

The Magnificent Seven - The Woodham Golf Club Mens Scratch Team, sponsored this year by Turners of Sedgefield Ltd., got their North Durham Golf Union League Season of to a scintillating start with a stunning 14-0 whitewash of their opponents, Boldon Golf Club.

Many of the matches were very close, indeed, Shaun Goad and Tony Stafford recovered to win from being 2 and 3 down respectively. Lee McCavanagh was 1 down after 14, but again came back to win his match. The matches were played in atrocious conditions, someone had switched the Winter back on, it was a bitterly cold wet night.

Club Captain, Steve Haslam said: "It was a dream start, I was very proud of them, the whole team played very well. The captain of our opponents, Boldon, congratulated the team and said it was an excellent foundation and to build on it."

Steve also passed on his special thanks to Junior Members David Kelly and Daniel Young, and also to Harry Stafford and Team Manager David Goad who caddied for some of the team players. Well done too, to the supporters who braved the conditions.

Team Match Results: Lee McCavanagh won 1 up; Shaun Goad won 1 up; Mark Hodgson won 2up; Tony Stafford won 2 up; Wayne Hewitt won 5 & 4; Daniel Simpson won 6 & 5; James Ivil won 3 & 2.

The Woodham reserves, Gavin Atherton and Peter Moralee went out in a friendly fourball with the Boldon Reserves, and Woodham won that too.

The Magnificent Seven's next match, is at Washington, on May 4.