Golfers Steve and Patti Marriott flew back from the United States at 37,000 feet – and hit the ground running to win a Leighton Buzzard golf club trophy.

Maryland-born Patti and businessman hubby Steve had enjoyed an extended vacation in Florida before flying back to the UK and unpacking their bags to take part in Leighton’s Mixed Greensomes competition.

Hours later, they were back in the Plantation Road club house with a 39 point haul, enough to win the competition by a shot ahead of Lesley Bednarek and Peter Sheridan. Mark and Kate Knight took third place with 36 points, two clear of Gill Mcdougall and John Mckay, and Peter Taylor and Kate Wright.

“It was getting a little hot and steamy in Florida, so we decided to fly home,” said Immediate Past Ladies Captain Patti, adding: “Winning was a great way of kick-starting our summer season of golf at Leighton.”

Roger Hughes was top scorer in Leighton’s May stableford, his 39 point haul beating Gary Hart by a shot.

Other leading scores were: 37 – Andrew Ashall, Simon Goodall, Steve Marriott; 36 – Peter Sheridan, John McSweeney, Peter Yeates, John Farndon; 35 – Graham Richmond, Phil Coumbe, David Hanley, Ben Irvine, John Mckay, Manny Barker.

Leighton’s Senior squad appear to have lost the knack of winning away from home this season. They went down to The Bedfordshire 5-3, with Denis Leitch and Will Sampson and Ian Rimmer and George Bashford winning their games, while Danny Nairne and Mike Turnock and Ron Burgoyne and Izzy Ramdeen halved theirs.  They lost 5-2 at Chiltern Forest, with only Derek Browning and Harry Adam and Graham Pellow and Danny Nairne winning for Leighton, with Steve Shepherd and David Roberts halving their match, and on Thursday, suffered a 5-3 reverse at Aspley Guise. John Brydon and George Bashford, David Newby and Steve Maddison and Martin Broadley and Keith Griffiths were the Leighton winners..

Peter Sheridan and Simon Thornton were top scorers in Leighton’s Dennis Jordan Qualifier with 40 points. They will be joined in the knock-out stages by holders Len Neal and Julian Heffron, Robbie John and John Preston, Graeme Foster and Izzy Ramdeen, David Hanley and Trevor Stone, Simon Enright and Gareth Mccready, Phil Coumbe and Steve Deverill, Tony Conneely and Stuart Mills, David Evans and John Mckay, Colin Beesley and Graham Hazel, Billy O’Neill and Will Sampson, Peter Lawrence and Alan Smith, David and Oliver Banwell, Stephen Boud and Barry Kent, Paul Ellam and Steve Richardson and Giovanni Cerosio and Nicholas Roberts.

Sue Preston had three shots cut from her handicap after carding the highest score in Leighton Ladies latest Stableford with 39 points, four clear of Division Two top scorer Jane Tizzard. Kate Wright pipped Jackie Stimpson for top spot in the Silver Division on countback after both scored 33 points.

Joan Waples won Leighton Ladies Spring meeting with a nett 74, two shots clear of Barbara Bradley and Marilyn Myatt; Jackie Stimpson and Patti Marriott carded nett 77s, a shot clear of Judy Ammon and Angela Samuels.

A dozen girls took part in Leighton’s “Girls Golf Rocks” taster teach-in with several signing up for ongoing girls-only coaching sessions which start at 1.00pm on Saturdays at the Plantation Road club. Mixed “Get into Golf” classes for juniors are held on Sundays; anyone wishing to take part can make arrangements through the Leighton club pro-shop on 01525 244815.

Phil Rickard won the Sandhouse  Society Resurrection trophy with a 39 point haul at Berkhamsted, beating Keith Edmunds on countback; John Preston was third, beating Tim Martin by a point.  Leighton’s John Smith won the Rushmere Society Dawson Trophy after carding 35 points at John O’Gaunt.