East Riding Union 12 - 24 Sheffield Union
Sunday 10th August, 2025
Brough Golf Club
The most important match of the season so far in the 2025 Yorkshire Inter District Union (YIDU) championship for the East Riding was played at a sunbathed Brough Golf Club. The course was in excellent condition and the greens were running fast and true. The Brough pine trees casting shadows over the fairways and the peace and tranquillity provided a rather serene atmosphere in which this battle was to be played. This atmosphere didn’t match the players mindset as they were well drilled, fired up and ready to go. As a family of small deer skipped along the 14th fairway, they had no idea about the hard fought match that was about to commence. Brough is one of the most strategic courses in Yorkshire. It’s like a game of chess where the golfer has to consider angles and lay up areas. A true test provided to great players on both sides.
Today’s guests were the Sheffield Union. Five wins from five and unbeaten in the league so far. Always ready under the watchful eye of Team Manager Paul Hardstaff and his team. On paper, the strongest players in the county, but as Team Manager Stuart Russell outlined in his pre match talk, the East Riding Union are by far the strongest ‘Team’!
East Riding knew this would be the most difficult match yet and the players would have to deliver their best golf in order to succeed. East Riding were at full strength, other than Callum Burns who was rested due to a finger injury. With his most difficult decision so far, Stuart decided to rest Cooper Beck and Bobby Beasley due to the nature of the course. But credit to these two lads, showing great attitude and team spirit, they were at the first tee to support the team.
Off the championship tees, Brough provides few birdies. Or so we thought! The East Riding knew that pars would be golden on this treelined layout and it was important not to give any holes to Sheffield. The key was to create the correct angles from the tee in order to play approach shots up the greens and not across them. Most players in the foursomes electing to go with an iron off the first tee except the first pairing from Sheffield who drove the first green! A marker was set.
Sheffield came out of the blocks fast in all of the foursomes matches. East Riding's number one pairing, Ewan Mackenzie and Seth Topham battled hard, but were up against England International George Cooper, whose recent form has been outstanding, and Yorkshire player Will Bracha. Both played excellent golf and ran out 4&3 winners.
Match 2 was a close fought affair that went all the way to the 18th. A booming 300-yard drive by George Walker just flirted with the last conifer, but left partner Charles Wright at a good angle. Sheffield found the trees right and they could only advance the ball along the fairway. A superb, punched pitch from Charles found the green which gave the East Riding the advantage. However, a lovely chip and run from Joel Johnson left Spencer Gill a fast downhill right to left 8 footer to half the match. With poise and concentration, he duly found the centre of the cup. Only a point for the East Riding.
A difficult morning then ensued for the East Riding. The lads were simply outplayed by better golf. Credit to Alfie Dacey and Luca Boyer who battled hard to take their match down the last hole.
So, it was 11-1 to Sheffield at lunc,h but the lads still believed and were keen to get back out to try and reverse the deficit. So, it was back to the first tee for the singles and further duties for starter Andy Pittaway whose East Riding bucket hat was helping him keep cool in the ever-increasing sunshine.
The East Riding boys had nothing to lose and all that was needed was to grind away. Led out in the singles by Ewan Mackenzie who was again playing Sheffield’s strongest player in George Cooper from Doncaster. When they shook hands on the 13th green, George was 7 under par! Outstanding golf! Ewan had played excellent golf all day but hadn’t managed a win. That is golf and like an opening batsman in cricket, Ewan is there to take the pressure off the rest of the team, and he does an excellent job of that.
It wasn’t just George that was setting the course on fire. In match 4, East Riding’s Charles Wright (pictured below at the 12th) was in the zone. Closing out a win of 8&6 and comfortably 4 under par - even with a double bogey. When George Walker battled hard to hole a crucial putt on the 18th for a half against Spencer Gill, the East Riding Team started to believe. At one point in the afternoon, East Riding were up in 7 matches and all square in two. This showed what great character and determination the lads were showing in trying to turn this match around.
A strong performance from the excellent Huxley Sawyer saw the East Riding win match 7 2up against England Regional Squad player Max Meggitt. Driving the ball extremely well ensured the win. Then under pressure, both Luca Boyer and Ethan Matthews played solid golf to secure halves on the last hole. Luca’s opponent Will Bracha birdieing 4 holes in a row from the 10th! The Sheffield Union then began to take back control of the match and victory was very much in sight. But the camaraderie and team spirit in this squad ensured the tail end would keep grinding to the very end and deliver points.
A piercing 8 iron to 8 feet on the 17th and a pressure 6 foot putt on the last saw Tom Adcock win match 11 by one hole. He and Huxley Sawyer therfore remain tied at the top of the 2025 Player of the Year standings.
Which just left Alfie Dacey marching down the 18th with confidence wearing the royal blue of the East Riding with pride. A powerful drive had found a very difficult lie in the left-hand side fairway bunker. After advancing the ball only 20 yards or so Alfie was left with a difficult 75-yard wedge shot that had to negotiate the green side bunker. In the shadows of the sun setting and watched by 50 or so players, executives and members, Alfie executed his shot of the day and pitched the ball to three feet! Holing the putt to win 1up. Great to watch!
The result was 24-12 to the Sheffield Union which secures them the YIDU title with one game still to play. Full results and table.
A defeat to much better golf, but a defeat that has galvanised this team even more. There were positives to take from the match and in his post-match talk with the lads Team Manager Stuart Russell explained that it’s how you lose that defines you as a golfer. Once you learn to deal with defeat, winning becomes easier. At 11-1 down at lunch, many teams would have given up…. but these boys didn’t and were very close to parity in the singles against a very strong side.
It was great to see a good number of parents, past players, members and executives supporting the boys and a big thank you to starter Andy Pittaway, John Illingworth, Ian Jeffrey and ERUGC President Dave Greenwood for support and help on the day. And thank you to Brough Captain Neil Evison for attending and supporting.
Thank you to Brough Golf Club for allowing us to be there for the day. The course was presented in excellent condition and the hospitality was superb.
In our next match we travel to Cookridge Hall and the Leeds Union on Monday 18th August.
Stuart Russell
Junior Team Manager
