1st team v Lincolnshire

Spalding Golf Club provided a fitting stage for county golf at its finest. The course was presented in superb condition, a credit to the team behind it and we were looked after with warmth and professionalism throughout. The new clubhouse is a real statement; modern, welcoming and a perfect complement to a Club clearly thriving. It was a pleasure to bring the Northamptonshire team to such an outstanding venue.

This was always going to be a tough test against a strong Lincolnshire side on their home turf, but it’s in these challenges that we see what we’re made of. What followed was a day of fine margins, big moments and no shortage of drama.

Morning Foursomes

The morning session was full of promise, but promise alone doesn’t win matches. We found ourselves on the wrong end of a 3.5 – 0.5 scoreline and though the margins were narrow in places, the result was brutally honest.

Match 1 – Adam Scott (debut) & Chris White lost 5&4 to Sam Moyses & Sam Whitaker
The tone was set early. Adam, on debut, launched a 300-yard drive down the middle of the 1st; a statement of arrival. Seconds later, Whitaker flew it 40 yards past him. That’s county golf. Our opponents rattled in 5 birdies in 14 holes. A tough school and a tough start.

Match 2 – Max Faulkner & Jack Peters lost 1 down to Adam Wainwright & Matt Haynes
A close encounter defined by cold putters and small margins. The Northants pair rallied to win 16 and 17 and take it to the last, but a cruel three-putt at the death sealed the deal. Statistically, it wasn’t a three-putt. Emotionally, it was. It hurt.

Match 3 – Jensen Parfitt & Torin Little halved with Simon Richardson & Jack Diment
This was a quality match with quality players. Simon knows Spalding like the back of his hand and Jack arrived fresh off a win the day before. But our pair were magnificent. Jack chipped in on 17 to go 1 up, only for Torin to produce a laser to 10 feet on the last. Jensen holed it. Simon simply said, “I knew he would hole it.” Of course he did. Jensen is inevitable.

Match 4 – Liam McNeela & Jon Harris lost 1 down to Ant Wagstaff & Jonny Kittle
This one hurt. Our pair were in complete control all the way round, until the 18th. A monster putt from the Lincolnshire pair, their only moment of real momentum, landed the dagger, the first time they were ever ahead. 

Half-time: Lincolnshire 3.5 – Northamptonshire 0.5
Mental reset required. A mountain to climb. Let’s go do it. 

Afternoon Singles

Jack Peters beat Sam Whitaker 4&3
Class. Just pure class. Jack’s been keen to play all year and we were fortunate this time that he could. Heading back to the States soon, but what a way to remind us what he’s about; calm, controlled and clinical.

Jensen Parfitt lost 1 down to Adam Wainwright
Another epic. Adam holed out from 100 yards for par on 14, when it looked like he was going to make a million. He birdied 16 to go dormie. Jensen fired back with the shot of the day, maybe of the season, on 17. A high hook to a tight pin that Jensen called the best shot he’s ever hit. Bear in mind Jensen has holed two shots in county matches this year, you probably get the idea that it was pretty good. Sadly, the last hole didn’t yield what it should have. Golf can be cruel. Jensen was magnificent and walked away with nothing but my full admiration.

Chris White lost 3&2 to Simon Richardson
Two captains. One home course advantage. Simon played beautifully and thoroughly earned the win. I, on the other hand, was firmly reminded of the job description by Torin: “If I were losing and ready to give up, you'd tell me to grow up; so grow up.” Fair. The scoreline flattered me, not Simon.

Torin Little beat Sam Moyses 6&4
Superlatives feel inadequate. Torin started birdie-birdie-birdie and was 8 under through 13 holes. The 14th was conceded before he could make it 9. This was not just great golf; it was breathtaking, effortless and relentless. You couldn’t look away. Sam Moyses is no slouch, but on this day, against this version of Torin, the contest was over before it began. Think Tiger Woods vs Stephen Ames, 2006 World Matchplay. It really was that one-sided. You don't often get to witness golf like that. We did and we’ll be talking about it for years.

Liam McNeela lost 6&4 to Matt Haynes
This one doesn’t tell the full story. Liam was full of control in the morning; flight, tempo, attitude, but momentum is fragile. He couldn’t quite find his rhythm in the afternoon and Matt Haynes took advantage with clinical precision. Liam will bounce back; the player we saw in the morning isn’t going anywhere.

Adam Scott lost 4&3 to Jack Diment
It started like a dream; second shot holed on the 1st for eagle. Welcome to county golf, Adam. He remained composed, never flustered, and matched Jack blow for blow through 12 holes. But Diment, fresh off winning the Gogs Trophy, caught fire. Three straight birdies turned a match into a mission impossible. Adam’s debut was full of promise, and while the result stings, the composure, shot quality and mindset say he’s got a lot more to give in this shirt.

Max Faulkner beat Jonny Kittle 5&3
Max’s rise this season has been nothing short of meteoric and this match was another marker in a journey that continues to accelerate. He came into the squad after dominating the Winter Order of Merit, won the County Championship in emphatic fashion, and now looks every inch a leader in the making. Max fixed his putting and the result was emphatic. This was Max in full flow: calm, collected and completely in control. His ability to shift gears mid-day, fix what needed fixing, and then execute like that is a sign of a serious player. He already hits it mint but now he’s backing it up with match craft and resilience. Like Jensen, Max is fast becoming inevitable.

Jon Harris halved with Ant Wagstaff
Jon returned to the county side with exactly the kind of form that made it impossible not to pick him. Fresh off a dominant win in the Wellingborough club championships, Jon looked composed and clinical from start to finish. He’s straighter than most, precise with irons and has a wonderfully trustworthy putting stroke. The match ebbed and flowed, but he always felt in control. A half was probably fair, but he looked like a man who could’ve taken full points with a bounce or two.

Player of the Match: Torin Little.

Two matches. Undefeated. Unmatched. Unleashed. For the second game in a row, Torin claims this title, and quite honestly, no one was close. His singles performance wasn’t just excellent, it was transcendent. We witnessed a level of golf that felt almost detached from reality. This was golf that emptied the locker: control, flair, swagger, precision. Everything was dialled in. If you had a front-row seat at Spalding, you saw it: a masterclass in scoring and absolute belief.

A player at the height of his powers. And terrifyingly for the rest of us, he’s still getting better.

Final Score Lincolnshire 8 – Northamptonshire 4

It reads heavier than it felt, but that’s golf. Lincolnshire are a very good side. We had great performances, some close losses, some hard-fought halves and moments of individual brilliance. But it wasn’t quite enough. Not this time. We go again, one last match of the season, at Kingsthorpe on 7th September against Suffolk. I’d love to see as many of you there as possible. This team plays with pride. We feel every shot. And we give everything we have, sometimes even when there’s nothing left to give.

Chris White
Northamptonshire 1st Team Captain.