The fifth Timber Trades Journal Golf Challenge went with a swing in France in December when TTJ readers and their guests travelled across the Channel for the annual contest. The tournament was held on two courses – Le Tronchet, which was sponsored by BSW, and Des Ormes, sponsored by Osmose.
The contestants travelled overnight by Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth. After arriving in St Malo the following morning they had a short drive to their respective golf courses, where, after coffee, they teed off at 9.30am.
After playing 18 holes, the players came back to their respective clubhouses for lunch before setting off by car for Ouistreham where the dinner and prize-giving were held in the quayside restaurant Le Normandie.
At Le Tronchet, Peter Sumner won the nearest the pin trophy and Dene Whiting from Taymax beat off strong competition for the longest drive. Overall, third place went to Nigel Winter of Intertimber, with 35 points off 23. Chris Salmon from Service Graphics was second, with 38 points off three while Mike Smith from Arch Timber Protection was course winner with 44 points off 14.
Meanwhile, at Des Ormes, Chris Tyrer from Butcher Plastering was nearest the pin, while Andy Ray from T Brewer & Co won the longest drive.
In third place was Mike Stocker-Harris from Alandale with 32 points off 13. Dave Saunders from Raphael Contracting was second with 33 points off 16 and the course winner on countback was Chris Tyrer with 33 points off 18.
Mike Smith from Arch took the TTJ Invitation Trophy with an outstanding game of golf, playing eight points under. All holders of club handicaps agreed it was a tremendous golfing achievement.
Mr Smith said it was the first time he had entered the competition and that he found both the golf and the trip enjoyable despite having been “roped in at the last minute”.
As Arch’s north of England and Scotland representative, Mr Smith found it a little more time consuming to take part in the event than some other participants, but added that it had been good to network with his company’s opposition – Osmose – and to meet BSW representatives.
“The golf course was very nice and everything ran like clockwork,” he added.
Alan Wheat, director of sales and marketing at sponsor BSW, said: “It was a great day out as usual and a great opportunity to mix with timber trade colleagues.
“It is a serious event and people go to win the trophy. The courses are beautiful and they are also pretty quiet at this time of year in France which means you do not get held up.”
Andy Hodge, European marketing director of co-sponsor Osmose, said that, apart from being a bit cold, wet and muddy, the golf trip was “great”.
It was the first time Osmose had sponsored the TTJ Golf Challenge and Mr Hodge explained: “The other sponsor was BSW which is one of our major customers and we felt it would be good for our relationship if we became co-sponsors.
“Our customers all had a good time and the event gives an opportunity to spend some quality time together.
“The golf courses were very challenging and although the weather was against us this year at the end of the competition it was still great fun.”
