The first Open in 1994 was a 36 hole tournament and is still remembered for a number of reasons. Firstly the weather. A red hot day ended with Steve Saul winning the first of his Majors (2003 Classic winner also).

I addition an air ambulance landed on the far side of the course to take a golfer from the course, when he became ill. Many thought that this golfer was part of the Society, but this was not the case.

An ambulance then raced across the course to attend also.

Brazil won the world cup, that evening but Stuart Hayward ended the day at hospital, when the chefs dog bit him on the leg at lunch time. He did finish the day  but would not leave the course until the  prize giving had been completed.

At the 2010 Open held at Little Lakes, Phil Bache emulated his son’s performance by winning a Major, the first Father and son or relative based winners ever.

It was the 2008 Open which his son James won.

For absolutely fowl weather just look at the 2003 Masters in Welshpool. Driving rain and howling wind ruined the scores, except for Craig Downes who won by a record margin.

An equally poor morning was suffered at Little Lakes (2006 Classic) with heavy rain making conditions and greens practically unplayable. Ian Ratcliffe got particularly muddy when pushing a buggy, containing Alan Newell away from the left hand bunker around the 4^th Green

The afternoon session could not have been different though, with bright sunshine. The day was marked by Keith Parton and Dean Manton ramming a buggy into the lake on the 2^nd hole. The day will also be remembered for the drying of clothes at lunch time in huge tumble dryers on the site.

There have been an abundance of hot days. None more than the 2005 heat trap of St Thomas Priory (2005 Open) and one of the hottest days on record at The Shropshire (2006 Open)

The 2005 Classic in late September was a hot affair, with lunch being taken outdoors.

A similar thing happened again in the 2008 Classic at Lakes (Sept 18^th)

2007 saw great floods and rain all over Britain and the Open at Little Lakes was under threat, as the bridges which crossed the streams were washed away, 3 weeks before the day.

Lakes had these re-installed with the fairways and greens becoming playable with one of the warmest days of the year, to greet the players.

Not one of the tournaments suffered during that season, despite the rain.

If  2007 was bad 2008 was worse. Whilst the Gaudet Luce (Classic) and Invitational at Bewdley Pines, went ahead without a problem the Open at Great Barr was played under extreme heat, with two players collapsing. Martin Wright (collapsed 16^th tee)  later found he had a virus but poor old Davy Jones, collapsed of heat exhaustion in the clubhouse during dinner. He went to hospital in an ambulance but recovered later

After the heat of July the weather became dreadful. August was a complete wash out, soaking the golf courses. Early September did not help either. It rained every day until 12^th September, threatening the Little Lakes Classic. (18^th September).
Then the sun came out, the water drained away and the course became very favourable.
It became so dry, that buggies were let out again for the first time in three weeks.

Interestingly Richard Fellows had been installed as one of the favourites for the 2008 Masters at Sapey and given this billing, his team mates kept a close eye on him, to see that he lived up to his standing. His second shot of the day however saw him lose grip of his club in the rain and hurl it up the fairway instead of hitting the ball, much to the derision of the folks looking on. Richard went on to win in style.

Wind was the villain at Cleobury Mortimer at the 2011 Classic, when gusts of over 50mph were suffered.

The UK saw the backlash of a hurricane from the states and the course was just about

At the 2010 Open held at Little Lakes, Phil Bache emulated his son’s performance by winning a Major, the first Father and son or relative based winners ever.

It was the 2008 Open which his son James won.

 

The good and the bad

Many will remember the So called Millenium Open played at Oxley in 2001. (no one knows why it was 2001) The afternoon competition was a Yellow ball affair and was the first competition attended by the Late Joe Pender.
Team C’s Yellow ball was found on the Practice ground by Alan Newell, with no one in sight.

It later transpired that Steve Crowe had wildly hooked his tee shot, with the Yellow Ball onto the practice ground, knocking out a gentleman who was having a lesson with the Pro.
The Pro narrowly missed the accident as the ball caught the brow of his cap, as the missile golf ball, went on its way through to the side of the gentleman’s head.

The same day saw one of the most remarkable shots made by any of our golfers, if not the most skilful. Bob Parkins hit his tee shot off the tree lined second, teeing area, only to see his ball balloon up into the nearby trees and hit every branch on its way down. The shot landed 30 feet in front of him in a rubbish bin, which iis just what the shot was.
The weather has played its part, during the SBS golf days.
As mentioned the first Open in 1994 was greeted with sun and heat. By enlarge the days have been charmed.
In 1998 however snow on the high grounds at Church Stretton threatened to cancel the day.
Although the snow had melted away on the low land, a week before the tournament the bunkers still held snow drifts 3 days prior to the competition. Fortunately the sun shone for a couple of days and cleared the drifts.
The day itself was very cold, with Steve Saul, becoming ill and not able to finish his round.
He claimed he had hyperthermia.

For absolutely fowl weather just look at the 2003 Masters in Welshpool. Driving rain and howling wind ruined the scores, except for Craig Downes who won by a record margin.

An equally poor morning was suffered at Little Lakes (2006 Classic) with heavy rain making conditions and greens practically unplayable. Ian Ratcliffe got particularly muddy when pushing a buggy, containing Alan Newell away from the left hand bunker around the 4^th Green

The afternoon session could not have been different though, with bright sunshine. The day was marked by Keith Parton and Dean Manton ramming a buggy into the lake on the 2^nd hole. The day will also be remembered for the drying of clothes at lunch time in huge tumble dryers on the site.

There have been an abundance of hot days. None more than the 2005 heat trap of St Thomas Priory (2005 Open) and one of the hottest days on record at The Shropshire (2006 Open)

2007 saw great floods and rain all over Britain and the Open at Little Lakes was under threat, as the bridges which crossed the streams were washed away, 3 weeks before the day.

Lakes had these re-installed with the fairways and greens being playable on one of the warmest days of the year, to greet the players. Not one of the tournaments suffered during that season, despite the rain.

2011 Open at Little Lakes. This was the day of injuries. Steve Knott aggrevated a knee injury and had to leave early and James Newell walked into a tree giving himself a black eye

2011 Classic at Cleobury. Ian Willcox mows down a 12 foot sapling tree with a buggy, lashing it badly up the rear of the machine

2012 Open (Little Lakes)  Where do you start with this one? 47 players took part and Mike Bache won his first major with 33 points off 18. July had seen some of the worst rain, for years and only 9 days before the tournament Lakes had been closed for 2 days because of water logging.
Then we had 9 days of very hot dry weather which saved the day. Buggies were out and the day itself, was a mixture of infrequent light showers, with a slight wind and sun.
In addition the rough was cruel and the greens difficult. This made for a good challenge for our Open.

Anna Hope became the first lady golfer to finish in the top ten at the 2012 Open and James Tristram holed out at the par three 15th for the first hole in one, winning £100 as it was the designated hole in one hole.

2012 Classic at Sapey. Probobly the worst rain experienced in the history of our golf days. The morning session was dry, but after a months worth of rain had fallen in the two days before, the course was already wet. When the heavens opened again in the afternoon, the greens gradually flooded and the course became unplayable. Paul Morgans buggy went into a ditch and had to be retrieved by 6 other players. He was not injured thankfully. His playing team mate Ken Ford went on to win