Malton and Norton professional Steve Robinson, watched by Adrian Ambler, putts during the Yorkshire PGA tournament at Malton and Norton where the course record was broken twice this week. Robinson finshed third in the pro-am event

Malton And Norton's course record was broken twice in the space of two days this week.

Steve Gromett, the Oulton Park professional set the new standard in winning the On-Line Group Yorkshire PGA Classic.

He fired a morning first round 67, then went round in the afternoon in 69 to record a winning score of 136.

That was just a stroke ahead of Steve Raybould, of Bridlington Links, who had rounds of 67 and 69.

Ninty-three professionals were playing for over £5,000 worth of prize money from sponsor Online Computer Services Ltd.

The following day 40 teams took part in the Pro-Am event and the record was lowered once more, Graham Walker, formerly of Hillsborough, Sheffield, now unattached, firing a 66.

The host club professional Steve Robinson took third place with a 68.

The winning team were Chapmans Volvo Malton comprising I Oldfield, B Watkinson, D Chapman and A Hammond (professional).

Another course record to bite the dust was Rudding Park.

The professional record set by Harrogate's Paul Johnson just after the 6,840 yard course was opened four years ago, came under constant threat during the £30,000 Commer Inns MasterCard tournament.

In succession on the first day it fell to Jesper Neilsen (69), Yestyn Taylor (68) and then a splendid 65 from first year professional, 31-year-old Jonnathan Herbert, from Hinkley. he fashioned halves of 32 and 33, the highlight holing a 60-yard sand wedge at the par-5 ninth for an eagle.

Shaun Webster (Parkstone, Doret), 22, won the event with rounds of 68, 69, 71 and 66.

Continuing the record theme, Joe Barrett, a six handicap player, broke the Forest Park GC members' course record for the Old Foss course when playing in the September Medal - but it was beaten eight days later by Martin Gastall in the Sunday Medal.

Barrett posted a record gross 71. Then just over a week later Gastall set a members and all-comers record of gross 69.

Neil Smith, the talented 19-year-old from Pocklington was easily York's best player on the day as York finished seventh in the Yorkshire inter-district union team championship at Bingley St Ives.

Smith, who now plays off two, has had a fine season, winning the Yorkshire Youths' championship at Headingley last month after also winning the annual club championship at Heworth where he is a member.

At Bingley, Smith had rounds of 71 and 70 on a course which had a standard scratch of 71 in the morning and 70 in the afternoon.

He was nine shots better than York's next best scorer, John Ellison, a two handicap player from Easingwold, who was round in 78 and 72. York's other players were: Philip Collier (Fulford) 77 74, Andrew Holmes (Kirkbymoorside) 80 75, Jonathan Plaxton (Fulford) 80 73 and John Duckett (Boothferry) 76 79.

Fraser Kelley (Ganton), who plays off plus one, didn't have a good day with rounds of 80 and 77 as he helped East Riding to sixth place.

John McVicar, one of the most consistent players in the area, was also not at his best on the day. The Knaresborough member was round in 80 and 75 in the Harrogate team score of 911, which put them bottom of the eight teams. Gary Cuthbert (Oakdale) and Carl Simpkin (Ripon City) were Harrogate's best with total of 149.

Sheffield won the championship on 853, six shots ahead of nearest rivals Bradford.

Fulford golf club's Malcolm Huntington's cleaned up the main prizes at the Exhibition Hotel Group Golf Society at Knaresborough GC.

He started by winning the nearest the pin competition which led to 35 competition winning points and the society's player of the season award, finishing six points clear of Mick Sawyer, who was six ahead of John Agnew (Forest Park).

Second place in the Stableford event went to Forest of Galtres member Jim Collis, who pipped Pike Hills player Pete Robinson on the back six after both carded 34 points.

Other nearest pin prizes were won by Tony Morralee (Pike Hills), Bill Agnew (Pike Hills) and Steve Spear (Fulford), who also launched the longest drive.

Blind pair competition winners were Stand Hodgson (The York) and Dave Fotheringham (Forest of Galtres).

Easingwold GC's David Sykes (27) in his second year as a golfer at Easingwold was delighted to win the Autumn Medal with a blistering net 61.

Only a wayward drive on the final hole, where he carded a treble bogey 8 prevented a better finish to the round. Harry Dillon (22) was the unlucky loser on a distant 64.

This medal brought to a conclusion the gross and net aggregates for the Spring, Summer and Autumn competitions.

John Ellison (2) on 225 won the Jim Swiers Cup for the best gross, 11 shots clear of runner-up Ray Sutton (5).

The best net for the Anthony Bell Salver went to Graham Mutch (14) on 208, his score shading Peter Hodgson's (23) byjust three strokes.

Former Evening Press photographer David Hickes, now based in Leeds, was second in the Fuji Northern Journalists (photographers section) championships at Wetherby with 30 stableford points, two behind winner Mark Bickerdike (Yorkshire Evening Post).

Another ex-Press man David Varley (BBC Look North) was third on 30. John Murphy (Westside Publications, Sheffield) won the journalists' section with 40 points.

Other Golfing news:

Joyce Slater has been elected ladies captain at Rudding Park GC. She first started playing two and a half years ago and has reduced her handicap from a novice 38 to a creditable 22 in that time.

Aldwark Manor had a double celebration when Wayne Palmer finished runner-up at Fulford in the Unisys Championship and now plays in the national final at this year's Open venue, Carnoustie. Club colleague Steve Manby came out the winner in the regional final of Brancepeth Castle in the GM Card (Vauxhall) Championship. He now plays in the national final over two days at Gleneagles. Easingwold Motors sponsored the club round.

Andy Holmes, a 26 handicap member of Malton and Norton Golf Club has holed in one at the club's 169 yards par three 17th hole using a six iron. Playing in a friendly two ball match, it was his first ace since starting to play golf six years ago.

John Riley had a hole in one at the 143 yards seventh hole when playing in the Forest Park GC Men's Sunday Medal on August 15. He used a seven iron.

The Harrogate and District Society of Lady Golf Captains recently played their two annual matches. They entertained the Hull Society at Knaresborough GC and won 11-1, and then travelled to play the Bradford Society at Bradford GC, Hawksworth, but lost 71/2 - 41/2.

Kilnwick Percy GC will be battling it out in the national final of the British Heart Foundation Championship at Celtic Manor GC, Newport, Wales, on October 11. Celtic Manor is the venue of the PGA Cup in 2001.

Brian Butcher had the round of his life when winning Fulford's Dr J Acomb Trophy. He had a gross 85 off his 23 handicap and his net 62 put him four shots ahead of the field. He is now down to 20.

Neil Cheetham, the former Heworth professional, now unattached, won the PGA North Region pro-am at Darlington with a 65.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.