1st team v Leicestershire

Northamptonshire vs. Leicestershire & Rutland – A Day of Margins and Momentum

Sunday 1st June 2025 – Kingsthorpe Golf Club

For our 2nd league game of the season we faced a formidable challenge as our First Team went head-to-head with the reigning Anglian League champions, Leicestershire & Rutland, at Kingsthorpe Golf Club. I really want to extend a huge thank you to Kingsthorpe for stepping in to host the fixture on such short notice. They consistently look after us incredibly well, and despite the bright, breezy conditions, the course was in superb shape. We knew going into it that this was always going to be a tough day at the office.

Morning Foursomes: Leicestershire Seizes a Slender Lead (1.5 – 2.5)

Our morning foursomes set a fiercely competitive tone that really defined the entire day.

Jensen Parfitt and Ryan Genner kicked things off for us against Richard Wale and Josh Rudkin. Our pair played with impressive consistency, yet it was Josh Rudkin's exceptional putting that truly tilted the balance. He seemed to drain everything he looked at, converting putts from astonishing distances. That incredible display with the short stick was undeniably the crucial difference, and the Leicestershire pair ultimately secured a 3&2 victory.

Next up, Liam McNeela and Owen Watts teamed up again, a pairing that had been so effective for us in the recent Eastern Counties Foursomes. They faced the seasoned Leicestershire duo of Chris Brook and Luke Burrows. To be honest, the early exchanges were a bit untidy from our side, with neither team really gaining much traction. However, everything changed swiftly when the Leicestershire pair suddenly reeled off four consecutive birdies around the turn. Having played and watched county golf for many years, it still astounds me how rapidly a match can slip away, even when you don't feel you've made any glaring errors. This is the benchmark, the level we aspire to consistently reach. They ultimately fell 4&3.

Our fortunes began to turn with Lee Hitchcock and Jordan Darnell in the third match, taking on James Billingham and James Gamble. Lee, drawing on his deep familiarity with Kingsthorpe as a former member, displayed an unmatched understanding of the course. He had a fantastic partner in Jordan, who not only struck the ball beautifully but also showed remarkable discipline, executing Lee's instructions perfectly. I couldn't resist a playful jab at them both, noting the contrast to Lee's usual partnership with Fraser Carnihan, where discussions tend to be more collaborative, rather than a clear "do this, okay boss!" dynamic. Regardless, their synergy was undeniable, and they delivered a dominant 4&3 win. It felt like that point was never in doubt, and it put our first score on the board.

The final foursomes match featured Jack Brown and Max Faulkner, both also former Kingsthorpe members, against Will Plant and Ethan Bell. Having dropped the first two matches, the significance of this encounter was palpable across the course. As they reached the 17th hole, all square, with the Leicestershire pair seemingly in trouble among the trees

and Jack holding a wedge, I felt a surge of confidence that we were about to draw level heading into the afternoon singles. Then, a moment of real drama. Ethan hit an absolutely sensational shot out of the trees, landing it within about five feet of the hole, while Jack unfortunately missed the green. Suddenly, we were 1 down with just one hole left, facing the daunting prospect of a 3-1 deficit. However, Jack and Max simply don't give up; their resilience is truly defining. On the narrow 18th, Jack ripped a superb drive straight down the middle, and Max followed it with a fantastic iron shot to within 12 feet, pin high. And then, because he's Jack Brown, he holed the putt for a crucial half. That vital half meant we wentinto lunch at 2.5 – 1.5 down. The game was absolutely on.

Afternoon Singles

As captain, the singles order is always my call, but I always value input from those whose opinions I trust. A quick chat with Lee led us to a slight adjustment in our afternoon lineup. We specifically wanted their top two players to encounter opponents they might not be as familiar with. I have unwavering belief in every member of this team, so I was keen to seehow these matchups would play out.

Owen Watts teed off against Richard Wale, and before his game, I reminded Owen of a similar moment from years ago in a 2nd team match, where at the time, the 15-year-old Owen defeated Leicestershire's best player on his home course. I had a strong feeling Owen would win, and he delivered some truly outstanding golf. He was brilliantly supported by former Northants player Jason McGuinness, who was on caddying duties. Owen made a string of birdies, many of them just good enough for halves, before another birdie on the 16th pushed him ahead. A final win on the 17th sealed his 2&1 victory. Owen was undeniably the standout player in my 2nd team all those years ago, and I'm incredibly pleased to have him back involved; he truly is a class act.

Liam McNeela then took on Will Plant in game two. Liam, with his characteristic combination of superb ball-striking and wizardry around the greens, simply dismantled one of Leicestershire's best players, securing an emphatic 6&5 win. Liam possesses a fantastic attitude towards golf; he never looks flustered or rattled. I believe many of us could learn a lot from his calm demeanour on the course, and it would undoubtedly make us better players.

After those first two matches, we were ahead in the overall score!

Game three saw Jensen Parfitt face Luke Burrows. The final score of 4&3 to Leicestershire doesn't quite reflect the true closeness of this match. On several occasions, I watched Jensen hit his approach shots closer than his opponent, only for Burrows to then sink a long putt. Every time Jensen fought to peg him back, another lengthy putt would drop for Leicestershire. I often talk about the fine margins in this game, and this match was the perfect illustration of that.

Game four featured Lee Hitchcock against Chris Brook. Lee was pure class all day, demonstrating complete command over his shot-making and expertly leveraging his local knowledge. He quickly surged to a dominant 7up lead through 10 holes before closing out a 6&5 win. If anything, the score was a little flattering to Chris. Lee was simply playing on another level. I honestly don't believe anyone would have beaten Lee with the way he was playing.

We were ahead once again!

Game five saw Jordan Darnell take on James Billingham. The Leicestershire man's short game, particularly his escape artistry from the bunkers, was exceptional and allowed him to rapidly pull away from Jordan. The match was over incredibly quickly, resulting in a tough 5&4 loss for us and Jordan did very little wrong.

And just like that, we were level again...

Jack Brown then stepped up in game six against James Gamble. Early on, I witnessed Jack displaying his almost otherworldly short game skills, including an incredibly difficult shot from the downslope of a greenside trap on the 7th hole, which he deftly splashed it to within two feet. I just laughed. Jack's comment was, "I can't hit it at the moment, but I've got a short game." My response, of course, was, "Yes, you can. I believe in you, and I always have." True to form, Jack did not miss another shot after that, running out a strong 3&2 winner. A really powerful performance from our three-time county champion.

We were ahead! 5.5 points. We needed just one more win from the last two matches, or two halves, to secure victory.

Max Faulkner was in game seven, playing against Ethan Bell. Max held the lead for most of the round, getting as far as 3up through 10 holes. However, a single mistake on the 14th suddenly made the match incredibly tight. Then, Ethan seemed to transform into Ethan Hunt, holing putts from all over the place. Max had largely outplayed him for almost the entire round, yet Ethan ultimately secured a 1up victory courtesy of another remarkable 20- foot putt on the 17th. It was like watching Mission Impossible unfold right before our eyes, just as it does in every single one of those films!

Now, the score stood at 5.5 - 5.5.

Ryan Genner, our final player left on the course, was battling Josh Rudkin. Similar to Max's match, Ryan had been ahead for most of his round, though typically by just one hole. Ryan wasn't quite at his most fluent, but that's not a criticism at all. In fact, it highlights something valuable for all golfers: when others aren't at their best, they're nowhere near as competitive as Ryan. He's a player who gives absolutely everything he has on the day. A birdie on the 15th from his opponent put Ryan 1 hole down. On the 16th, Leicestershire found the green, but Ryan's approach shot flew too far, ending up in a very difficult position. Ryan's chip was played perfectly, but it was still travelling at quite a pace when it hit the hole

– genuinely the only way to stop it anywhere near, which speaks volumes about his short game. Then, out of nowhere, Leicestershire three-putted, and the match was miraculously level again. The 17th was nearly a repeat of the same story, but once again, it came down to fine margins. Ryan's wedge shot went too far and ended up left. He hit another incredibly difficult chip up the hill to within three feet, but this time his par putt caught a piece of the hole but just refused to drop. Now, he was 1 down with 1 to play.

A draw was the best we could hope for. Both players found the fairway on the last. Leicestershire played first, hitting a low hook that, from my vantage point, was big ball first and looked destined for the front-left greenside trap, but somehow it managed to avoid it. There was definitely some divine intervention at play there! Ryan then took no ground at all with his second shot, but his low flight into the wind produced a fantastic result, finishing about eight feet from the pin. Sadly, Ryan was unable to convert the putt and looked genuinely bewildered when it didn't drop. Leicestershire's player, resplendent in his bucket hat and with his somewhat irritating aim-point technique, duly got up and down to secure a 1up win.

Final Result: Northamptonshire 5.5 – 6.5 Leicestershire & Rutland

While the final score saw us narrowly defeated by Leicestershire & Rutland, I want to emphasise the incredible fight and unwavering resilience our team displayed throughout the day. It truly came down to the wire, with numerous matches decided on the very last holes. We pushed the reigning champions all the way, and while the result is tough, the experience highlights those crucial fine margins we need to keep working on. The effort and attitude from everyone were absolutely fantastic.

A massive thank you once again to Kingsthorpe Golf Club for being such exceptional hosts. And my appreciation extends to our Team Manager Rob Fredericks and President Catherine Tildesley for their constant support.

Our Undefeated Players:

Jack Brown (1.5 points from 2 matches)

Lee Hitchcock (2 points from 2 matches)

Player of the Match: Without a shadow of a doubt, Lee Hitchcock. He was class personified, utterly controlled, strategically brilliant, and simply the best player out there yesterday. It was a masterclass in golf.

We'll take the lessons from this, and we'll come back even stronger.

Chris White
1st Team Captain