A SINGLE putt prevented the York Union of Golf Clubs' scratch team retaining their Inter-District Union title.

Seven matches across the summer came down to the 18th green at Hickleton Golf Club, in South Yorkshire, with Sandburn Hall's Rob Heath one up on Wath's Gary Fullwood.

The Rotherham player holed a birdie putt from 14 feet on the par five, while Heath had earlier lipped out from a couple of feet further and was forced to settle for par, as he nicked a point and salvaged an 18-18 tie for Sheffield.

That result, combined with Halifax and Huddersfield's loss to Bradford, meant Sheffield stole the title by one point with York, last year's champions, having to settle for the runners-up spot.

York got off to a flying start on an undulating golf course and led 8-4 following the morning foursomes thanks to wins for the likes of Martin Brown (Pike Hills) and James Walker (The Oaks) and Jamie Miller and George Forder (both Fulford).

Brown doubled up in the afternoon singles and there were also victories for York's Julian Taylor and Forder.

In what became a theme of the afternoon, Malton & Norton's David Hague halved his game with ties also secured by Miller and Will Adamson (Sandburn Hall) after both were pegged back after holding significant early leads.

While the result did not go their way, Union president Martin Greaves said he was immensely proud of the squad and captain Russ Chilton after a valiant defence saw them win four and lose only one of their seven matches.

"It was disappointing but the team were absolutely superb," he said. "In that respect, the Union and the clubs should be really proud of what they did against Sheffield and throughout the season.

"They went there with their game faces on and really took it to Sheffield and were by far the better team. While it was disappointing, at the same time it was very rewarding for me because I could see how the lads knuckled down.

"One putt and we would have been the champions again for the second year running. Sheffield have three times as many clubs to pick from as York and our clubs are producing marvellous talent.

"We have players like Julian Taylor, James Walker, David Hague and Martin Brown all with handicaps of plus two and above and they are very, very good players."

Brown proved the pick of the York Union men across the IDU campaign, winning ten of his 12 matches and contributing 20 points.

Hague and Taylor were next up, winning seven, halving one and losing two of their ten games and picking up 15 points each.

Fulford's Damon Coulson was fourth on the list with 11 points from ten games.

Forder was undefeated, with four wins in four matches, along with Fulford colleague Craig Smith, while Ben Plaxton also was victorious in both the games he played.

The Union men now line up in the IDU six-man team championship at Bingley St Ives on Sunday looking to turn the tables on Sheffield. York were runners-up in the strokeplay event 12 months ago to the South Yorkshire outfit, who they had beaten to the league title.