Thursday, October 21, saw the start of the new season of winter Pro-Am events at Thetford Golf Club.

A huge field of 122 players in total, including 21 professionals took to the course and as usual the scoring was tight.

The golf course at Thetford, like many, had suffered through a very dry summer. However in recent weeks the improved weather conditions has brought the course back to its best.

In a top class field of professionals, 23-year-old, Jamie Abbott from Fynn Valley produced the best score of the day with a three under par, 69. The Suffolk golfer has represented England both as a junior and senior player, and produced a memorable performance at Kingsbarns to come through a four-man play-off and qualify for the open championship at St Andrews this year. His round at Thetford started in poor style with a bogey and the reachable par 5, sixth hole. However birdies on 8,13,15 and 17 soon got his round well under par and a strong finish posted his winning score.

In second place was another very talented professional, Paul Maddy, who has had two wins on the PGA EuroPro Tour. His one under par round never really caught fire and three bogeys were always going to make a really low score difficult.

In the Pro-Am event the same 21 pros paired up with an amateur in a four ball better ball stableford. Paul Bate, pro from Brett Vale and five handicapper, Andrew Moss of Fynn Valley pipped the pairing of Paul and father, Alan Maddy on countback after both pairs tied on 42 points. The top six pairs all scored over 40 points.

In an equally tight Am/Am event, three pairs finished at the top with 40 points. Most unfortunate were the pairing of Ken Harris and Mike Griffin who were out in the first group of the day and led the field for over two hours. However in the final grouping, Ely pairing Terry Ryan and Bob Setchell posted another 40 point haul but had the best last six6 holes to win on countback. In addition, Geoff Dewolff and Steve Jarvis from Gog Magog squeezed into second place, also on a countback. Terry and Bob won a two day trip with hotel accommodation at the Forest Pines Resort in Lincolnshire.

Next month’s event is on November 18 and is already over subscribed.

Professional Medal: 1 Jamie Abbott(Fynn Valley) 69, 2 Paul Maddy (Gog Magog) 71, =3 Caroline Grady (Dunston) 72 and Andrew George (Ely) 72.

Pro-Am: 1 Paul Bate (Brett Vale) and Andrew Moss (Fynn Valley) 42, 2 Paul Maddy and Alan Maddy (Gog Magog) 42, 3 Steve Connolly(Abbotsley ) and Chris Page (Newmarket) 41.

Am-Am: 1 Terry Ryan and Bob Setcell (Ely) 40, 2 Gerrard Dewolff and Stev Jarvis (Gog Magog) 40, 3 Mike Griffin (Gog Magog ) and Ken Harris (Thetford) 40.