Norfolk's Under-16 golf squad produced a strong showing at the Skevington Salver held at Colne Valley Golf Club in Essex, with Louis Hawes claiming a top-three individual finish and the county side taking second place in the team event.
Hawes delivers consistent play over 27 holes
Representing Royal Norwich, Hawes combined a steady nine-hole morning round with an 18-hole afternoon effort that left him tied for third overall. His 27-hole total put him five strokes behind the winner in a field drawn from Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Essex.
Fellow Norfolk players contributed notable results as well: Toby Lewin finished inside the top five and Liam Caffyn came home in ninth. The squad included a mix of more experienced performers and younger players gaining valuable tournament experience.
Team competition and highlights
In the eight-man contest for the Bob Bagshaw Trophy, Essex dominated to win by a clear margin. Norfolk finished as runners-up, 24 shots adrift of the winners. Among the day's standout moments was a remarkable eagle by Anthony Coppola, who aced a short par-4 after a powerful drive and a long putt to roll in for two.
“We came to try and win the tournament, but finishing second to a very good Essex side is still a decent result... Louis Hawes’ top-three finish in the individuals’ competition was a strong performance,”
The squad manager, Greg Caffyn, emphasised that the test of the course — including fast greens and difficult pin positions — had provided a valuable challenge that will aid the development of the county's younger players.
- Individual highlight: Louis Hawes, tied third in the Skevington Salver.
- Top-10 finishes: Toby Lewin (top five), Liam Caffyn (ninth).
- Notable shot: Anthony Coppola's eagle on the 312-yard par-4 seventh.
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| Team (Bob Bagshaw Trophy) | Norfolk – 2nd place |
| Winning county | Essex – 24 shots clear |
| Top Norfolk individual | Louis Hawes – tied 3rd |
For Norfolk golf, the outcomes underline a mixture of promise and areas for improvement. Individual performances such as Hawes’ will bolster the county's reputation in junior events, while the team result points to the progress needed to close the gap on larger counties. The experience of playing a demanding course under tournament conditions is likely to benefit several of the younger squad members as they move through county ranks.
Further fixtures and selections for county age-group sides will provide opportunities to build on these performances ahead of the rest of the summer season.
