THE INAUGURAL event of The Society of Golfing Farmers – aka The Thistle Whackers – was staged at a wind-battered Bracken Ghyll course at Addingham.

The first of the golf days was attended by a cross section of 18 farmers and associated professions.

The format was yellow-ball competition, with the randomly chosen three-player teams aiming to shoot the lowest two scores per hole, with the yellow ball, which rotates every hole, always counting.

The team of Robin Moule, Stephen Britten and Patricia Eaton came home in third place with a score of 188, with Rob Ellis, Geoff Booth and Shaun Sowray – also winner of both the longest drive and nearest the pin competition – finishing runners-up on 186.

The victorious trio of Andy Foster, James Ogden and Sam Bradley scored a total of 182 to become the first winners of the Lingfield Perpetual Golf Trophy. Andy Foster also took home the prize for the lowest score of the day with a 12 over par score of 81 in difficult conditions.

Other players were Ken Gamble, Stephen Coates, Jeremy Eaton, Neil Bellerby, Keith Nicholson, Jim Stockdale, John Stockdale, Graham Kirkby and Adam Worsdale.

Co-organiser Sam Bradley, junior auctioneer at Skipton Auction Mart, said: “A huge thank you to everyone who attended. It shall not be long before the next tournament, so watch this space!”