Falmouth Golf Club took on Carlyon Bay GC last Saturday in the first round of The Presidents Trophy at Truro Golf Club writes Phil Jones. 

The format was matchplay off handicap with a full difference of course handicap.

Both sides fielded 9 players 3 from each golfing category. First out for Falmouth were their category three players George Whitbread, Darren Horton & Rob Oliver followed by category two players Andy Morris, Grant Nicholls & Mike Elliott.

Last off were category one players Crispin Merritt, James Dempsey & Will Sercombe.

Whitbread giving two shots made a steady start going two up through four but then found himself two down after ten against Carlyon Bay's Robert Grose however he rallied and won his match three and one on the 17th putting Falmouth one up in the match.

In match two Horton never looked in any trouble and was in total control of his game against Carlyon's Simon Mathews winning his match four and three on the 15th giving Falmouth a 2-0 lead.

Match three heralded the performance of the day by Falmouth debutant Rob Oliver who dominated his match throughout against Carlyon's Martin Kitt closing out his match on the 14th hole winning six and four.

In game four Morris was behind in most of his match but showing the experienced matchplay golfer he turned his match around on the 13th hole and never looked back winning his match 2 up against Carlyon's Matt Pearce which left Falmouth 4-0 up requiring only one point for the match win.

Game five was to be the decisive match in which Nicholls was rock solid against Carlyon's Mark Burt and sank the winning put on 17 giving him a 2&1 win and sending Falmouth into the Quarter-Finals.

Match six was a tight affair with Elliott A/S after ten holes against Carlyon's Mark Rowe with Elliott managing to edge it winning two up after 18.

In match seven, Merritt was enforced to play two shots below his usual eight handicaps but as always with everything he hits going down the middle of the fairway, he also came good winning his match one up on 18 leaving Falmouth 7-0 up with two games still to finish.

In game eight Carlyon finally had something to cheer with Charlie Stone winning his match three and one against Falmouth's James Dempsey who battled well throughout.

The last home was in game nine Falmouth's Will Sercombe with another solid performance anchoring Falmouth's team with a five and three win over Carlyon's Carl Phelan.

The final result is Falmouth GC 8 Carlyon Bay GC 1. Falmouth now progress to play Mullion GC in the Quarter-Finals on Sunday, December 1.