Inaugural OC Youth Cup Report
Inaugural OC Youth Cup at South Herts Golf Club on Sunday 31st August 2025
We finally got this event organised, as it was in the planning for a few years. We had a healthy 15 players competing for the new Youth Scratch Salver and the Handicap Cup as well as Nearest the Pin and Longest Drive prizes. In almost autumnal weather we gathered on the terrace despite it being August. We were playing a strict medal format, however Stableford scores were being kept for the Handicap event.
The first group out was Joe Gladstone (TL 2012), Tom Poole (EG 2012) and Ollie Dotsch (WG 2012), with Joe and Tom finishing first and second in the last OCGS event they played, which was the Horns of Highgate. They all started with long and straight tee shots off the first, which set a great tone for the day. However all three in this group struggled with the breezy conditions and playing an unknown golf course. The highlight for the group on the day was the nearest the pin by Ollie Dotsch on the par three 12th hole. An excellent shot to 10ft pin high which none of the groups following could better.
Out next was Akash Saha (NG 2009), Andrew Waters (EG 2018), James Becker (TL 2018) and Jack Willcox (SH2023). Akash scored the best Stableford score in the group of 30 points with a good front 9, despite some wayward driving. Andrew had a nightmare on the tight par three 6th with out of bounds left and the land sloping that way, he took several attempts to put one in play, but did recover well to then par six holes in a row from the 8th. Again the highlight of the group was another nearest the pin, this time by Jack Willcox on the par three 6th.
The third group was where we expected the Scratch winner as all players are Halford Hewitt regulars. We had Luke Nokes (KG 2002), David Rose (WG 2003), Bertie Mills (SH 2014) and Freddie Mackaness-Mills (SH 2012). All players started well with all getting at least one birdie in the first three holes, but it was Bertie who kept it going with a front nine of faultless golf reaching the turn in two under gross, thanks to birdies on the 3rd and 5th both par 5s and the rest all pars. This also included the Longest Drive on the 3rd hole for Bertie. Alas the wheels came off for Bertie, with a couple of very wayward Tee shots. Freddie had a stronger back nine of 4 over par, but younger brother Bertie held on the win the Scratch event.
The final group saw local member Joe Winter (MG 2010) playing with Matt Neely (MG 2010), Ollie Payne (KG 2006) and Alex Tansey (HG 2012). Local knowledge clearly helped as Joe had the best Stableford score winning the Handicap event comfortably with 37 points, but special mention to Matt Neely who came overall second in that event only 8 weeks after having his appendix taken out.
All agreed, it was a very enjoyable event with the players promising to attend next year and to make an effort to rally their classmates to join to make it a bigger and better event.
Report by Anuj Anand
Winners on the day:
Youth Scratch Salver:
Bertie Mills - 80 gross
Runner up Freddie Mackaness-Mills - 82 gross
Youth Handicap Cup:
Joe Winter - 37 point (Stableford)
Runner up Matt Neely - 33 point
Bertie with the Youth Scratch Salver
Joe with the Handicap Cup