LUKE Wilcock again found himself at the top of the leaderboard, but this week it was as part of the family team.

Together with brother Sam and father Mark, they proved too strong for the remainder of the field in the Texas scramble at Settle over the weekend.

The Wilcock team carded 15 pars in their nett 61. This was just good enough to hold off strong challenges from both John Lassey and Chris Ward's teams. The latter having the distinction of the lowest gross return of the day.

The senior's found themselves in the strange position of competing in April for the frequently postponed Xmas Challenge.

Mike Elstub put the disappointment of the previous week behind him by getting his hands on the trophy. Elstub's 36 stableford points gave him the win on countback over his nearest rival Dennis Holt.

Skipton's season got underway last weekend with the men’s April Medal.

In Division One, Gregor Myles produced the best gross score on the day with a 70 giving him a nett t66.

He must have thought that would be good enough but fellow junior member Ben Topper had other ideas and came home with a nett 65 to take the top place.

Division two was also won by a junior, this time Harry Ayrton who scored an impressive nett 64. Paul Kent finished second two shots further back.

The Ladies ADP team got their season off to a flying start. Despite all three players having to give plenty of shots to their opponents from Bracken Ghyll, the team of Amada Kilner, Hannah Eaton and ladies captain Sophie Eddison were all victorious.

SIXTY players competed for the first trophy of the season in memory of Harry Best, who served as secretary of Ghyll in the 1980s.

In cold and blustery conditions and on relatively fast greens there were only five scores below par. Out in front was the long-hitting Shaun Nutter (74-9-65), who had four birdies in his winning score, losing one stroke to handicap in the process.

One shot behind was former junior captain, Jason Wright (72-6-66), who had the lowest gross score to top Division One, while rapidly improving youngster, Adam Rowley (82-16-66) secured the Division Two prize and a two-shot handicap reduction.

Paul Barnes (89-20-69) was the pick of the bunch in Division Three.

In the Ladies Section Rosemary Fort, the club treasurer, was pipped on countback in the first medal of the season, returning 107-33-74. She was beaten by Eileen Chapple (95-21-74), with Anne Preston (105-29-76) and Stephanie Robinson (91-15-76) sharing third place.

Persistance paid off got Fort ash won the second medal Iwith a score of 109-33-76 to win on a card comparison from Stephanie Robinson (91-15-76), while Margaret Taylforth (107-29-78) was third.

Josh Carlos shot 42 stableford points to win the junior section's Fred Sims Trophy from Matt Stevens (40pts), with Spencer Datkiewicz (38pts) in third place.

BENTHAM LADIES

Monthly Strokeplay: 1 Mary Gooch 80pts, 2 Angela Cherry 82pts, 3 Helen Sharrod 84pts.

Slinger Cup: 1 Rachel Dawber 95-22=73, 2 Gill Fell 100-26=74, 3Angela Cherry 100-24=76.